DJ Candy Man has described his time at Accra-based Asaase Radio as one of his worst experiences as a radio presenter, citing persistent disrespect and a power play within the station as the primary reasons for his departure.
Still hurt by the circumstances that led to his resignation, DJ Candy Man, mentioned that Nana Otu Gyandoh, the Programs Manager of Asaase Radio, had meted out unfair treatment to him despite what seemed like a cordial relationship that existed between them.
“No, never. Not even a single day. I was disrespected in a very bad manner. Not necessarily by management; it was an individual. I shouldn’t be saying this, but I will say it because it hurts me,” his response when asked if he was happy during his days with Asaase Radio.
Expanding his claim, Candy Man said that the radio station operates with two studios, A and B. While both studios have broadcasting capabilities, Studio B houses essential control equipment. According to DJ Candy Man, he routinely operated from Studio B.
However, he once discovered with shock that his airtime had been reassigned to another individual without prior notice.
“It was time for me to go on air. I got to the premises and greeted my Programs Manager. At the time, the one who was assigned my airtime was with him, and he was being taken through the system. But I didn’t know about that arrangement. I went to the studio playing songs only to find out I was not on air. I had been taken off, and what was being played at Studio A by this new person was what was being transmitted,” pained Candy Man disclosed.
Candy Man mentioned that if not for the technician at the time, he would not have known his show was not being transmitted.
“Our technician, Emma, came to me in Studio B and informed me about the development. I inquired, and he said DJ Raennie was playing at Studio A. I then entered Studio A to confront DJ Raennie, and he said Nana Otu Gyandoh assigned him. I questioned why he [DJ Raennie] never mentioned it to me because Raennie and I were very close. I was hurt. From that day, I was never happy at Asaase Radio, so I quit,” the famous DJ stated.
As a man who claims to have never harmed a fly during his tenure at Asaase Radio, Candy Man concluded that Gyandoh’s actions were a sheer display of power, seemingly aimed at asserting superiority over others, adding that the issue still hurts him.
Candy Man recalled a conversation with Blaq Boy, another on-air personality and staff member at Asaase Radio, where it was revealed that Nana Otu Gyandoh had planned to remove Candy Man from on-air duties.
“Blaq Boy told me about Gyandoh’s intention to take me off air… I think Gyandoh didn’t need my services. But when he was coming for an interview to be a Programs Manager, I was already a worker there. I never wronged him,” he said.
Candy Man stated that he officially resigned when he submitted his resignation letter on February 28, 2023. However, even after his resignation, it seemed that Nana Otu Gyandoh still held grudges against him.
“In fact, when I resigned, I once went there to greet him. I had gone to see DJ Perfekt. Everyone was happy to see me. But when I got to Gyandoh’s office to greet him, he picked up his phone that he had had a phone call. I sat there for thirteen minutes; he never attended to me. So, I told him I was leaving, and I left,” he disclosed.
DJ Reveals How He Was Sacked From His Former Jobs
Candy Man revealed that he started work at Atinka FM on February 9, 2015, dedicating himself to entertaining his audience.
According to him, the joy of connecting with his listeners was abruptly disrupted one day when, after activating the phone lines, he received the news from a listener that he [Candy Man] had been dismissed from his position.
“I activated the phone lines during my show when a caller informed me that I had been sacked. Confused, I asked, ‘What offense did I commit to be fired?’ After the show, I was handed my termination letter. I hadn’t engaged in any misconduct,” he revealed.
“Later, I learned that I was let go because the CEO wanted to give my program to his friend. This happened on May 15th, and to make matters worse, they didn’t even pay my salary for that month,” he claimed.
DJ Candy Man, who was the drivetime host of Atinka FM, recalled this incident, highlighting it as one of the many challenging experiences he faced as a radio presenter.
His time at Hello FM was not without obstacles. He disclosed that he lost his job because the management of the radio station had to downsize the staff.
The former worker of Rainbow Radio also said he left the Adabraka-based radio station because he wasn’t being paid.
Although he regarded his time at Kumasi-based Fox FM as his best experience, it was not without controversy. He recalled a conflict with his boss, which ultimately led to his decision to quit the job.
“I quit Fox FM because I fought Afro [owner of the company]. I had closed from Fox Trap [a night club] and decided to go to the radio station and keep my CD bag there instead of taking it home because I had always kept it at the studio. Unknowingly, a man followed me because he wanted me to record something for him. I never noticed he was following me because I was tired and sleepy.
“While I was at the studio, he entered. I was shocked. I asked why he entered the studio and he said he spoke with Abu. In the morning, Fred Kyei called me on the phone and said he had received a phone call from Afro who was then outside Ghana that I was training people at the radio station. I told him it was untrue. When Afro returned, he was behaving in a way…”
DJ Candy Man
Despite the numerous challenges in his radio career, Candy Man has no regrets.
“I don’t regret being a radio presenter though things didn’t go the way I wanted. Radio is my passion but I will never do radio again. As for being a DJ, I’ve not quit. I still play at events. I won’t do radio again for anyone to look down on me,” he noted.
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