BY PHUMZILE NDLOVU
MBABANE– A long-overdue recognition!
Eswatini groomed radio veteran Wilson B. Nkosi will be honoured with a Symbol of Excellence Honorary Award at the Eswatini Consumer Choice Awards.
The event will take place at Mavuso Trade and Exhibition Centre on September 6, 2024, and it is aimed at celebrating local business excellence and influencing consumers to buy local products. This was confirmed by the Chairman of A Peculiar People, Melusi Zox Dlamini, today (Friday, August 16, 2024).
The event will be hosted by A Peculiar People, a creative agency that has partnered with the EIPA to host the Eswatini Consumer Choice Business Seminar, Awards, and After Party during the Eswatini International Trade Fair 2024.
When reached for comments, Dlamini confirmed that Wilson B. Nkosi had graciously accepted the invitation and honorary recognition. ‘We are excited and humbled at the same time, Mr Wilson B Nkosi is very busy, but he has confirmed that he will be in country to personally receive this Honorary Award. He will also perform at the trade fair on the same day, and he has expressed his excitement over the fact that Eswatini will be celebrating 56 years of independence on the same day.”
Wilson B. Nkosi has been entertaining and engaging generational audiences for more than 30 years, and in September 2024, he will be celebrating 38 years with South African radio station METRO FM. It has never happened in the history of South African broadcasting before to have someone dominate the airwaves of one commercial radio station for that long. This is something that is unheard of. He is radio royalty and a giant in the creative industry.
According to Dlamini, they are proud of Nkosi. He described Nkosi as one of many Emaswati who have represented the people exceptionally well in international spaces, and as a product of Eswatini, he has outperformed many of his colleagues, from building a gigantic loyal audience base to mentoring young talent and being a shining example of a consummate broadcaster.
When reached for comment, Nkosi confirmed that being awarded is a pat on the back. “It shows that among the millions of people out there, someone thinks that I am doing something right. It’s not easy. But knowing someone is listening counts and keeps me motivated. You may or may not be aware, but I am a full-time student of the late Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte. It’s a long story, but some of it has to do with the fact that they both came from the Caribbean and they both took over America—literally,” said Nkosi.
He went on to add, “For all the years that they reigned supreme, which was pretty much throughout their adult lives, they never lost touch with The Bahamas and Jamaica, respectively. The Bahamas loved Sidney, and Jamaica loved Harry unconditionally. My name cannot be used in the same sentence as those of Poitier and Belafonte, but in my own way, I found resonance in the way they related to their ancestral homes because my beloved “Eswatini” lives in me and always has. Both Sidney and Harry had people in the land of their forebears who kept them relevant. Likewise, I also have Melusi Zox Dlamini and the late Senator Mike Temple (MHSRIP), who have always kept my name relevant back home,” narrated Nkosi.
Nkosi will also perform at the Eswatini International Trade Fair Consumer Choice After the party, guests can anticipate an elegant soirée with tasty local food, great company, and the best music. The upcoming Eswatini Consumer Choice Affair is set to be a memorable spectacle, and the celebration of Nkosi’s career is expected to attract afro-soul lovers from across the country.
When reached for comment, Executive Manager Trade Promotion Sibusiso Mnisi confirmed the partnership and further confirmed that the event would be held on September 6, 2024.
‘The ultimate objective of the Eswatini Consumer Choice is to promote the buying of local products, which will advance job creation opportunities in real time and enable our local SME to thrive. We are also very happy that the concept is consumer-centric, and we encourage stakeholders and consumers to support the event’ he concluded.
ABOUT A PECULIAR PEOPLE
A Peculiar People is an agency that curates’ events and public relations campaigns aimed at creatively bridging the gap between consumers and local products. We advocate for the local procurement of quality and authentic Eswatini products and services, and we represent talents, brands and entrepreneurs who refuse to compromise their distinctiveness.
