A TV director with over one hundred episodes of TV shows to his belt, shows that starred almost every A-list actor, musical act and comedian in Nigeria, including international acts, Attah John Edeh has made his mark in the TV Production and entertainment industry.

Shortly after leaving HipTV; Nigeria’s biggest urban TV channel, Director John Attah set up his media and PR service company, Vizavi Media.

Within the short time of operation, Vizavi Media has handled and excellently delivered the goods for many brands who engaged her services. From strategic communication for NGOs, large events such as carnivals, campus tours to celebrities and public figures, Vizavi media, headed by Mr. John Attah always brought her A-game to the table.

Our correspondent recently sat down with Director John Attah to have a chat about the just concluded Ochacho Carnival in Benue state.

Enjoy the excerpt.
HOW WOULD YOU RATE THIS YEAR’S OCHACHO CARNIVAL?

I give it 9/10. The improvements from the median edition is conspicuous. We achieved better production level and the performance management was way better than the 2020 edition. We also out-did ourselves on broadcasting as we deplored better equipment in streaming the event live on social media with HD footages. We also had better security and general management of the event.

THERE WERE TWO CARNIVAL IN OTUKPO IN THE SAME PERIOD. ISN’T THE TOWN TOO SMALL FOR SUCH COMPETITION?

We are not competing. Ochacho carnival is not competing with anyone at all. Ours is borne out of the need to honor the mother of King Mohammed as well as to create funfair for the Idoma nation during the Christmas Just like our executive producer, King Mohammed always say; nobody is sponsoring our shows, we just want to make the people feel happy through this free event, where we even feed the town for seven days. We give out food, drinks and empower the locals during our carnival and we do not charge a dime for gate fee. Ochacho Carnival isn’t entertainment for mere entertainment sake, it is purposeful entertainment. We celebrate Queen Ochacho, and have fun along the way while bettering lives of locals.

BUT THERE ARE STORIES OF HOW OCHACHO CARNIVAL AND IDOMA CARNIVAL FOUNDERS ARE IN SILENT WAR.

That is not true. King Mohammed Adah is a man of the people and all those who have come close to him will attest to his kind heartedness. This is a man who is single-handedly building schools, renovating hospitals, building roads and creating jobs for the Idoma nation through his businesses that he established in Otupko. To puncture that rumor of any rift between Ochacho Carnival and the other team, the president of Idoma carnival attended our carnival and sat very close to King Mohammed. These two are great Idoma sons who are doing their bits to develop their fatherland and no one should spread unfounded rumors about a supposed rift.

A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE EXPECTING A BRAND NEW CAR GIFT FOR 2FACE JUST LIKE OCHACHO DID TO DAVIDO BUT IT DIDN’T HAPPENED. WHY?

David is ochacho’s close friend and business associate, and that car gift was commendable of him. 2baba is equally ochacho’s friend, brother and business associate and the king certainly knows how to treat his people well. I bet you aren’t aware of the album sponsorship deal King Mohammed announced for the Plantashun Boyz, that’s a massive gift, a deal that would be worth hundreds of millions. Asides that, it is not everything Ochacho does that makes it to the media. He has recently tightened the outflow of information from his dealings.

2BABA, BLACKFACE AND FAZE ON THE SAME STAGE AND GROOVING. HOW DID YOU GUYS ACHIEVE THAT?

I admit, that was a massive feat and I must give all the credit to King Moh. His presence can pull any weight and the legends united on our stage for his sake. Everybody was stunned but it is what it is. In Ochacho carnival anything can happen.

THERE ARE RUMORS THAT IDOMA CARNIVAL PAID BLACKFACE AND FACE TO ATTEND THEIR EVENT, ONLY FOR OCHACHO CARNIVAL TO POUCH THEM. HOW TRUE IS THIS?

That’s rubbish talk by mischief makers. Nobody pouched anybody from anybody. The president of Idoma carnival personally led Blackface to our carnival. Why would some people even let such thoughts linger in their mind? For Pete sake, prince Ochai is an illustrious Idoma son, so is King Mohammed; they both stand for the peace and progress of the Idoma nation and King Moh has been proving that in countless ways by developing infrastructures and creating jobs through his businesses.

The surprise performance by the trio was an act of God, facilitated by peace loving humans who had the interest of the legends at heart; and Ochacho further demonstrated his generosity and goodwill be announcing the sponsorship of an album for the Plantashun Boyz.

DON’T YOU THINK THIS DEAL WILL ONLY END IN THE ANNOUNCEMENTS?

If you have been following the works of Ochacho FOUNDATION or King Mohammed, you will know he doesn’t pronounce what he wouldn’t do. Fingers crossed and we shall all groove to Plantashun Boyz again.

WOULD THERE BE A COLLABORATION BETWEEN OCHACHO AND IDOMA CARNIVAL IN THE FUTURE?

In as a much as we wouldn’t rule out anything, we are both doing great and uplifting the Idoma nation via our platforms and I believe that is the most important thing. Ours is a free show where the people get to be fed and empowered, and we intend to keep upholding the vision of our sponsor; Ochacho FOUNDATION whose only purpose is to help the people live a more meaningful life through empowerment and interventions in critical situations.

SOME ARE OF THE OPINION THAT OCHACHO CARNIVAL HAS POLITICAL UNDERTONE….

Well, everybody is entitled to their opinion and we know what we set out to do exactly. Ochacho Carnival is actually a commemoration, a celebration of Queen Ochacho, the late mother of King Mohammed Adah.

The event was created to honor her memory, and that is why the foundation keeps sponsoring the carnival, and has made everything free for the people. For us, Ochacho carnival is more than a musical event and who ever has otherwise opinion is on his/her own. Detractors will always abound but we are focused and will never stop coming through for the Idoma people in areas that they have been neglected or abandoned.