Co-founder of AandRduty, Ayodeji Omotola, popularly known as Slasha, has outlined some of the major errors Nigerian creatives make when it comes to talent management.

Slasha who also doubles as a publicist said talent isn’t enough to succeed as a creative.

“Many talented creatives fail to understand that talent is not enough to guarantee success. Some creatives do not get it that in as much as their talent is key, it takes more than their talent to make them stand out and be a high flyer.

Some creatives get big headed to the point that they let their team members go due to ego and they find it hard to be as efficient as they used to or should be. Another mistake is not thinking of others; creatives can be very selfish to get all they can, can all they get, seat on the can without factoring in their team members or even the brand they are supposed to be loyal to who is dropping the money”.

Recounting how he began as as an A&R representative, Slasha noted that he started as a writer for a magazine.

“I started from being a writer and correspondence for a magazine; Dynamix magazine which made me interface with people in order to interview them. As I was doing that, I got a degree in human resource management which further helped me when I started working with a TV media house as a producer where I needed to create shows with creatives/celebrities in mind hence the need to once again interface with them.

This process made me understand the mind space of creatives and how best to influence or shape them better. All these are qualities an A&R person should have. So when my partner, Babatunde Makinde decided that we should start pushing the A&R duty ministry, it was not difficult to wear the shoes

For perception management; communication and appearance are two key things that helped. Hence I figured that if creatives do not have a good relationship with their audience and public at large, they might not even be appreciated. I saw that gap in the industry and I stepped into it to cause a change for the better in the lives of talents and creatives”.

Asked about the highpoint of his career, the perception management aficionado said: “The high point of my career asides from handling communications for talents and one of the busiest mall in Nigeria through “Dandi” agency, is being in rooms with key decision makers like Mr Moses Babatope of FilmOne cinema who took me in like a younger brother after the passing of my late boss Mr Chris Jeyibo of Koga studios. Mr Moses has been a torch bearer for me as I do not take him for granted. Another highpoint will be when I am called on to be interviewed like this or speak at functions. This humbles me a lot”.

On if he is satisfied with the recognition talent managers are getting in Nigeria, he said: “It is getting better because before now talent managers always do ‘house boy’ work. b
But nowadays their roles have been properly spelled out. It is also important that talent managers upgrade themselves by adding value to their personal brand through education; take courses, attend seminars and focus group discussions that would expand your knowledge and network because if you are not bringing value to the table or if anyone else can do your job, then it’s pointless giving you any social recognition”.