You may have see her on your TV screen, hosting an event, rocking Namibian designer brands and just recently, walking the runway for Ingo Shanyenge. Tuwilika Nafuka is definitely a force to be reckoned with, taking over the media world one step at a time.
We caught up with Creative Director, Executive Producer and Co-founder of Voigush Media Group, Tuwilika, to find out how exactly she does it.
I am a Windhoeker, born in Okatana and moved to the city with my mum and siblings at the age of three. I appreciate being an aunt to my four adorable minions and consider myself to be a very simple, straight forward person.
When did your love for media start?
Growing up, I was a child with cosmic interests and introvert characteristics. At 15 I joined a dance academy Equipped Dancing Academy owned by Stanley Mareka. Dancing allowed me to see the inside of the entertainment industry in Namibia, I performed at a number of different events corporate and entertainment. Working as a dancer allowed my to work with many creatives, script writers, photographers and producers, this experience made me see the need of a bigger platform for the talent in Namibia. Back then entertainment was only covered by the Namibian Newspaper and my old time favourite magazine Shambuka Magazine. This was the birth of the Voigush. I knew from that phase in my life that I wanted to influence Media in Namibia by creating different podiums in and outside Namibia for all types of arts and not just music. I had no interest of perusing a media qualification other than a Media Law. Everything I know about Media is through reading, and picking the minds of the media professions and creatives I have encountered.
When did you decide that this was what you wanted to do?
At 19. One of the biggest lies in this world is that you cannot be more than one thing. That you cannot be a professional of art plus supplementary. I have always considered myself to be three dimensional (triple threat if you will). My “Conventional professional career” choice is Medicine, yet that has not stopped me from perusing my interest and passion in Media. I was faced with the pressure of having to pick one or the other. I opted for both.
When was your first break?
My biggest break is yet to come. I have regular goals that I celebrate when achieved perhaps a bit too modestly I have been told. Everything that I do, have achieved or conquered this far are opportunities I created for myself. No one scouted me or opened a door for me. I created that door and here I am. If you understand the Media industry you will understand my statement does not make me a narcissist.
You do so many things, (we can now add modelling), but what is it that you do for a day job?
I work as a Director of Voigush Media Group. I meet with brand and marketing managers, event promoters, photographers, designers, a thriving round of media and corporate individuals. Very much involved in anything embodying the Voigush brand and over all just being a creative.
In my line of work you can choose to either be a background competitor or be at the vanguard. Slowly I have transitioned into the vanguard thus sprouting into a brand. I have had to carve out what I wanted to be associated with, which will allow me to be seen as a potential brand association.
I got to only once, be a photographic model for the Namibian license book (still in circulation) and acted as Naomi Campbell on the runway so I wouldn’t refer to myself as a model, possibly a role model which we all ought to be. This was for fashion designer Ingo Shanyenge. He asked me to be part of his showcasing ‘the extended Black Diamond collection’ in collaboration with Poetry Night ‘Fashion meets Poetry’. He had done such an extraordinary job dressing me for the Durban July 2016 I couldn’t turn him down. Will I ever do it again? Honestly I don’t think so, back stage my friends Lafika Joyce and Loudima.Dreamer helped me keep composed. I was sure I was going to bring chaos to the whole show by falling on stage. To my surprise it ran well, I made two appearances that night including walking during Playshis the Poet’s piece on the Black diamond.
What do you love doing most?
Working with creatives allowing them to fully deliver their full prospective. I learn a great deal from the people I work with time to time. I very much like to emphasize total professionalism something that is lacking in the local industry. People tend to have pint-size work ethics and a particular low level of professionalism. It’s the most frustrating for me. I have been time to time described as bossy, perfectionist and taciturn because I expect only the best and want to work with only the best hence I am unbothered but celebrate it.
Talk to us about Voigush?
Voigush is my brainchild. I was 17 when I conceived Voigush, what I didn’t have at that time was a concrete plan of what Voigush was going to be all about. Initially the idea was to create a magazine after the idea of establishing a school magazine with the assistance of my then high school Academy. We tried raising the funds but it failed. I knew I had to do more research on the industry to carve out the niche that was going to be the focus of the Voigush.
I spoke to my lifetime friend Luis Munana about Voigush and he came on to make Voigush what it is today. As co-founders we made the brand embody both our interests.
Voigush is here to change AFRICAN MEDIA.
Talk to us about your love and involvement in the Namibian fashion industry?
I was perhaps a fashion designer in my past life. There is a vogue touch in my media sphere. As a brand I determined and ruled out how I was going to make myself stand out from every other person in the industry. Fusing my passion, it was only normal that I used myself to sell the idea of local people wearing local designed and produced clothing.
I get to go the great deal of events and the reality I didn’t quite have the closer for most of the events. Through networking I familiarized myself with a pool of Namibian designers. Locally I have worked with Hafeni Franz, Quin-Leigh Hammond, Ndapcee Kashunu, Melisa Paulton, Ingo Shanyenge and Leah Misika all being the top professional designers I have worked with this far. I am constantly on the search for new talent and new collaborations. I want to be the Namibian Fashion Icon. The person that sells the designers’ creations to the world. I want to be an African Vogue Icon, stun in African designs, attending the biggest fashion shows in the world front row. 2017 will be the year I branch out to Africa. I am in talks with a number of African designers to see how we can collaborate for 2017.
Talk to us about your plans for the future?
Am very particular about the association of my brand. I have clear ideas of where I want to be positioned in the next year. It will unfold soon. My focus is media, fashion and entrepreneurship.
What do you want to leave behind? What do you want to be known/remembered for?
I want to be part of the pool of African Creative directors who push beyond the boundaries of the norms in Media. The woman from Namibia that penetrated into a continental zone. I want to grow the aspects of the industry that I love.
Who is your favourite TV Personality? Whose craft do you respect most?
My pool isn’t limited to just TV personalities, got some new anchors in here too. So the douche Piers Morgan and the Anderson Cooper the handsome grey haired (white, if you prefer) are in my top 3 after broadcaster journalist Isha Sesay. I consider her as the IT GIRL. Nothing is as sexy as a woman who excels at everything she does. Also my friends think she is my double born. Look her up and tell me she isn’t magic. Radio DJ Anele Mdoda finally has her own TV show! This woman has the potential to be Africa’s Oprah. Look her up. Locally I would say NSK. He is on radio but I want to see him on TV. He is probably the most underrated talented person I have met this year. Underrated and unacknowledged. His personality is just wow, his perceptions too. We brought him on as a commentator onto one of our TV productions. He is very much relatable. Everyone will love watching to him.
What’s your take on being a TV personality as a career in Namibia?
It’s the same faces every season. Every 6-8 years a new face makes it to TV in Namibia. Every 6-8 years! The industry doesn’t allow the introduction of new faces. You look at some of Namibia’s biggest award ceremonies, it’s the same faces year after year that you see on TV. With TV shows, there is very little to no new TV show productions year after year to introduce a new face. Being a TV personality in Namibia is yet to be comprehended as a respected career as in Ghana, Nigeria or South Africa.
Do Namibian TV personalities make virtuous money? No, they don’t unless they are also producing the show or part of the research team. If you look at some of Africa’s biggest TV personalities, their money really comes from endorsement deals; Bonang, Minnie Dhlamini and Boity Thule.
You cannot simply be that great by being scouted from a pool of aspiring individuals at an audition. As there is no company with money even looking for you. We don’t have Namibian companies willing to endorse a TV Personality as the idea of brand association (Brand to TV personality) is still at preparatory phase in Namibia. No one is willing to pay you to talk in Namibia.
If you are waiting for your BIG BREAK to come? You should know that it might NEVER come. TV personalities that you still know have had to become brutal and think of way to make more out of being a TV personality. They work hard and smartly, talent isn’t everything in this industry.
What can we look forward to this year, in terms of TN the brand?
Since successfully branding, I have an idea of what else I will be adding to my brand. The beauty of it is that I am doing it at my own pace. For the remaining year my focus will be on collaborating with creatives.
Photographer Martin Amushendje and I have been working on a vogue motion picture forever now and I got to work with him on BOHF. Looking forward to seeing the judgements he invokes with his BOHF exhibition this December. His energy is very much infectious. Andrew of Legit Photography and I have been working on my solid photography look for the next year. Since working with him I have seen his transformation as an artist. Can’t wait to share our work soon.
I have been re-positioning my social media posting to carve my footprint on the internet and will be launching my very own YouTube Channel and website next year.
Hopes for the future for the Namibian TV and entertainment industry?
The variety of TV production and producers in Namibia is moderately extensive. There is film, documentary and TV production (talk show, reality and TV shows that embody commercial entertainment) I specialise in the latter.
Our common challenge has and will always to be monetary patronage as production is costly. Currently, the arts created is only for Namibia, having worked with really brilliant creatives I have come to realise that we the creatives have to create our own opportunities. We have a culture of looking to someone else to create these opportunities, it’s a culture that needs to end. The current developments that allow TV producers to pitch shows and license them to NBC and Zambezi Magic is one that has come at the right time. This means that we now all have to take the opportunity to produce the best quality from Namibia for SADC which will be the endorsement to the industry progression. I cannot stress enough the significance of quality coming from Namibia. It intake one show, one film to give our small populous country a shot at anything into other spaces. Zambezi is that current platform to show off, other opportunities will come with it. The talent is there. This year alone Voigush Media has groomed about 2 people that will be producing Voigush Africa for the rest of Africa. The talent out here is awe-inspiring, I want to see these people discovered, mentored and given opportunities.
Namibian entertainment needs a particular structure that allows growth for journalists, bloggers, designers, photographers, artists, celebs and all the individuals that structure the industry. We don’t necessary need a governing body for the structure rather rules to regulate subjective entertainment reporting and a situations where the journalists, blogger and fashionista are in competition obstructing the industry growth as the people who have the upper hand to grow it are trying to play celeb. There needs to be a distinctive difference, a prerequisite. One can still be famous for being star in their media field just do your part in making the industry grow.
Quick fun Q’s
Who would you like to co-host a show with?
Bonang or Pearl Thusi
Both
Robyn Naakambo or Pombili Shilongo?
Neither
Pre-recorded or Live?
Live
Which show would you choose to host?
Tutaleni or Tupopyeni?
Neither.
One on one with Patrick Sam, it would be nice for people have a glimpse of my analytical journalistic skills.
Amazing Race or Top Billing?
Top billing for the mere fact that it is a TV show produced under one of my favourite South African businesswomen. Plus the perquisites of traveling the world are a dream.
Who wants to be a millionaire or Family Feud?
Who wants to be a millionaire
Oscars or Grammy Awards
Both. The mission would be to over dress at both.
What show would you love to host, if you could? Locally & Internationally
Inside Africa on BBC NEWS
E! news
We can’t wait to see it all unfold, the force that is Tuwilika Nafuka.
Follow her journey to world domination:
https://www.instagram.com/tuwilikanafuka/
