Coming face-to-face with Ziggy 55 is quite of a surprise. Listening to his Thousand Hills show on City Radio, you expect a raucous, talkative and haughty man wearing baggy trousers and a flashy T-shirt. Yet there he is, in neat shirt and trousers, with a tie. Meet Firiki Nshinyiramana, Taxpayer Education Program Officer at Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA), Ziggy 55’s alter ego.
“Some people think I’ve got dreadlocks and take ganja, just because I’m a radio presenter and energetic at that; when they see me, they can’t believe it’s me,” he says.
Yet having a taste for music, Ziggy 55 was bound to prevail over Firiki Nshinyiramana. “I’m always listening to music to select the kind that I think would make people happy. I feel happy when people tell me they like what I do; it encourages me to perfect my work.”
Had he not decided to be a DJ, Zigggy 55 might have become a film star. “I used to act in the school drama club and believe me, I was very good at it. More like a professional, you should have seen me,” he says with conviction. In the end, however, he had to choose between the actor and the DJ in him, and given the embryonic status of the movie industry, he did not see a future in acting.
And he is more than happy with his decision. “I am living a dream. I have no regrets, because I’m good at what I do, I’ve been the best presenter for the last three years.”
What Ziggy 55 does resent, though, is that there is little money to be made in the media; yet he is patient and hopes that the industry will pick up as the rest of the economy develops. He attributes this backward state of the media – compared to other East African countries at least – to lack of investment in the sector. He is nevertheless optimistic that things will change.
“With time, we will get there. A few years back, we had only one radio station, and now there are more than ten. Everything is starting to grow, so we only need companies to invest money in media businesses,” he explains.
Losing his limbs
On what he fears most in life, Ziggy says he dreads losing his limbs. “I can’t imagine losing my legs or arms; in fact, missing any part of my body would be awful, because that would mean depending on somebody for help. Or imagine if I lost my sight, I wouldn’t be able to do my job.”
Such angst, however, is quickly offset by his belief in God: Ziggy 55, you may be surprised to learn, is a staunch Muslim who does his best to pray five times a day. “I manage to do it eight times out of ten,” he confesses.
If all of the above would have raised the interest of some ladies, we will have to disappoint you: your man is off the hook. “I couldn’t live without my girlfriend. She is my day and my night, and I’m most happy when I’m with her; she has changed my life a lot,” he says, adding that he spends a lot of time with her, which he considers his duty. “I don’t have to be with her only when I have nothing to do.”
That said, it would be sheer impossible to find Ziggy 55 doing nothing. He is also the leader of the group “The Brothers,” for whom he writes songs. And he likes watching movies.
When asked how he manages to combine it all, especially balancing his RRA and radio jobs, he says he is committed to all he does and that each job is important to him.
“Both jobs are similar. As a DJ I entertain people, but the music is supposed to send a massage to those listening; for instance, if you are tired from work, listening to a slow number I’m playing will help you relax. The same thing at Revenue; I do tell people what they want to know, educating them on taxes. And I like working with people.”
You won’t catch him gossiping on the radio, though, because he detests hypocrisy and talking behind people’s backs. “Why spend time talking about others instead of sorting out your own faults. People tend to criticize others, talk about all the bad stuff and never recognizing a single positive feature. Everybody tends to think they are perfect, but we all have weaknesses.”
As for his plans for the future, Ziggy55 tends to think long-term and has his Vision 2020 plan ready. “I hope to have my own radio station by then, that’s my vision.”
Related articles:
The gun and the guitar: how to be a soldier and a singer
Combining two jobs: beggar and money changer