‘Mzuzu will become an entertainment hub’

Mzuzu’s entertainment scene is taking a new direction with the opening of Squirrels Park and entertainment promotion agency near Mzuzu Stadium. JOHN CHIRWA (JC) engages Squirrels managing director Keliophas Tobias (KT) on how he intends to uplift the creative sector in the green city.

JC: Who is Keliophas Tobias?

KT:  I am a businessperson with interest in the arts. I developed passion for the arts when I met musician Lucius Banda some years back. I have been close to him for many years. He is like my mentor. And gradually, I became more interested in the arts, especially when I was involved in acting. I have featured in most of his videos as an actor. Some of these include Ndakonzeka, Wadwalika, Matamando and Sagona. That has given me an urge to venture into various forms of arts such as film making, music promotion and events management. But to achieve all this, I needed to come up with a professional performance venue. I do not need to struggle for venues when I want to hold an event.

JC: Two months after opening the venue, how has been the response?

KT: It has been a mixed bag. Mzuzu has been lacking spacious and standard venues for both night and afternoon performances. This venue has been built as a solution to such challenges. So, when we officially opened the venue with a performance by General Kanene, the response was overwhelming. It was one of the best patronised shows in Mzuzu. Both artists and patrons could not believe that Mzuzu has such a magnificent venue. Others went as far as describing it as one of the best venues they have seen in the country that is specially made for arts events.

JC: But recently you threatened to close it down when a fan destroyed property during one of your shows…

KT: Yes, that is true. The problem with that show is that the patrons were mostly the youth. Due to drunkenness, they ended up fighting each other and vandalising property. It was disappointing that with all the investment I made, someone would come for a show and vandalise property. I have rescinded the decision. Instead, I have decided to strengthen security to make sure that no such practices happen again. What we will be doing is that if a person is caught vandalising the property, they will be penalised there and then to pay for the property.

JC: Your next show on October 23 involving the Black Missionaries and Wailing Brothers has been pegged at K4 000. Why is that the case when shows in Mzuzu are usually pegged at K2 500 maximum?

KT: The reason is simple. We want to control patronage to the show. This is one of the best shows in Malawi because it is for the first time the two giants are sharing a stage. So, we want the show to be so decent that fans can come with their families. It is not a show for every Jim and Jack. If we reduce the entry fee, we are afraid the venue will be overcrowded which may lead to violence and discomfort among patrons.

JC: What plans do you have in store for Mzuzu in terms of entertainment?

KT: Fun-seekers should prepare for frequent entertainment. We do not want people to miss entertainment here as it has been in the past. We will be holding one or two shows every month. Soon, we will start inviting international artists to the city. We want fans here to sample international performances just as is the case in Blantyre and Lilongwe. Mzuzu will soon become the hub of entertainment. That is our goal.

JC: How will you make sure you survive the industry in a city where patronage is sometimes low?

KT: It becomes tough to sustain the job of events management if one does not have a venue. Venues are very expensive. As an events manager, the first thing to have is a venue. So, I will take advantage of the fact that I have a venue to host artists without spending money on venues. It is not true that patronage is a challenge in Mzuzu. Patronage is always high. What is needed is good advertising. You cannot advertise a show in a day or a week and expect massive patronage. A show needs at least a month [of publicity] so that people should get prepared. It is not good to take people for granted.

JC: Anything more to say?

KT: Lastly, I encourage people to make use of Squirrels Park which is tailor-made for music performances, weddings, conventions, conferences and other events. n