As an Igbo person, I have anchored more of Yoruba events than Igbo events – MC Ice

Popular broadcaster, Master of Ceremonies, comedian, and entertainer Micah Aruocha may not be known by his name but when MC Ice is mentioned, he comes to mind. The most astonishing aspect of his 22 years career is that he does more of emceeing Yoruba events than Igbo or general events, Infact, he leaves mouths agape whenever he introduces himself at the end of any event he anchors.

Aruocha who is a graduate of ND Mass Communication, Olabisi Onabanjo University, B.SC. Criminology, NOUN, and PGD Mass Communication (NOUN), and presently a Master’s student is also a Special Traffic Mayor with LASTMA and a  special celebrity ambassador with NDLEA.

He speaks about his career with SAM ANOKAM.

Tell us what informed your becoming an MC.

I used to be known as MC Icewater but now MC Ice for the past 13 years because I rebranded. Icewater is not as conventional as it sounds. It is actually an acronym for Intercontinental Entertainer with a Taste for Enjoyment and Razzmatazz.  I am an entertainer and I love to be regarded as an entertainer because I am a comedian’s entertainer. I do not just believe that I am an entertainer. I do not just go to events to crack people up, I would rather anchor an event because I am more funnier than just doing two to three minutes and I’m off. We all have our callings and that makes it strong and competitive for those who have a niche for what they do. I am not a comedian but I am an entertainer even though I am more funnier than some of my colleagues.

I think I have a flair for anchoring events and I have been doing this for 22 years. I started when I was 18. The first wedding I anchored is what I use as a benchmark to know how long I have been in the industry. The 22nd anniversary of that wedding would be in July. I still have the pictures of that event. I think I was born to do this. Nobody in my family does this. I remember traveling with my father to the east after the 1993 election issues and my aunt has this Uche Ogbuagu’s comedy cassette, ‘Bad Condition.’ And I could adlib word for word of Ogbuagus’s jokes before we returned to Lagos. After then, I started looking for other parts of his CD.  Unlike people would say that Ali Baba influenced them but typically for me, Uche Ogbuagu did even though I have not met him one on one. There was an event we could have anchored together two years ago but he couldn’t make it down.  I would say he influenced me but in my style of presentation, I have been able to carve a niche for myself but listening to Bad Condition volumes 1, 2, 3, and even the one with Sam Loco Efe, with a whole lot of celebrities. I will also give props to Akin Akindele. I remember spoiling my father’s Deeper Life tape of Pastor Kumuyi to dub, Akin Akindele’s Time Na Money show on Raypower before he moved to Star Fm.  I have been on his programme even as an intern. I respect Akin Akindele a lot.

Are you known more as an MC or broadcaster?

I started off as an MC. I love anchoring events. Radio is what we do daily. I have been on Radio now for 16 years. I started on Radio on April 28, the year then Governor Bola Tinubu handed over to Fashola.  I was into anchoring events before Radio came along. From Eko FM, back then, I have also been on Agatha Amata’s Rave TV, I have been on Rainbow FM for my gospel show. Lagos Traffic radio came up and started broadcasting 11 years ago. I started with them and to LTV where I was analyzing newspaper reviews in pidgin English and also took the evening news before I had to rest because of my schedules.

Five years ago, I had to quit my services with Eko FM  even though I am still in the complex and under the same government because of my timing. I was anchoring, Joli Joli Avenue which is still on but being run by my peeps and one of my protégées. As a broadcaster people listen to you more. There are people who listen to you who might never meet with you just like the case with Uche Ogbuagu.  As an MC you meet with dignitaries. As the bible says that the gift of a man makes way for him, he will stand before kings and not mere men. I have been able to meet with the president, former president, Lagos governor, different commissioners, heads of parastatals and all that. I think I am good at what I do.

How competitive is your job as an Igbo person anchoring even more of Yoruba events?

As an MC speaking Yoruba fluently, with Yoruba MCs, I am an Igbo person from Abia, Umuahia South to be precise and at times people wonder, how I manage to maneuver within the system. Yoruba people are very accommodating and the problem for me is that I have anchored more of Yoruba events than Igbo events. I mean speaking the language itself. I have no issues. I have a lot of Yorubas as friends. I remember my friend MC Kirikiri when I just started, he would say Ice, make us go so, so and so place. I have a lot of them as friends and they don’t see me as a challenge.

Have you anchored a Muslim event, if yes tell us your experience as a Christian, and if no, is it one of the challenges you intend to conquer?

I attended a Muslim secondary school, Awal Islam Model College, Agege, the same school Buba Marwa finished from, Musilu Obanikoro, many of them. I finished from there in 1999.  By virtue of attending a Muslim school, I attended with the kids of the great Salati, a very versed cleric in Islamic knowledge. I do ablution once in a while, while in school. I have anchored more than 50 Nikkai’s. The first time I did it was a bit challenging. I was almost about to shout praise the Lord. As a Christian, I am very accommodating. If I am asked to anchor an event on Sango worshippers’ turf, I will go there and do my job. What I tell myself is that I am doing my job. I’m just like an actor who could act as a Muslim today, act as a Christian tomorrow or do anything that he is required to do. The irony of it all is that most times when I finish a Yoruba event and introduce myself, they would be like how? Some people tell me say you don lost for Yoruba land. It is good for me.

What makes you unique?

I think my versatility, my vast knowledge of current happenings, and a good command of the language. I remember having a fan in Ijebu Ode way back in Eko FM unlike now that I have upward and mobile people by virtue that I present on Traffic Radio except for one who doesn’t have a  car and would say he has not listened to me on the radio before or never heard the voice or the name. I do a whole lot of jingles, I have done a whole lot of translations for government, and private institutions when they need to get to grassroots from pidgin to English. Even of late, I did one on the need for subsidy removal just some weeks ago. I think all these stand me out and the ability to maneuver. I was talking about the Ijebu Ode fan before I digressed. Finally, a friend met with her and they started talking the friend asked if she had met me and the other one said she did she know that this MC ICE was formerly a teacher. I was taught the English language in Oru, Ijebu as an undergraduate student of Olabisi Onabanjo University where I studied Mass Communication. It was surprising to her that I could speak English and they had to call for the other person to believe. I used to think I had lost it at a point but not anymore, Infact, it gives me joy. It is like an actor who poisoned somebody in a movie and then you see that same person in the market forgetting that that person only interpreted a role and you try beating them up because you think what he has acted was bad thinking it was reality. I am versatile and can adapt to any function.

What kind of event would you wish to anchor that you haven’t done so far?

I don’t there is no kind of events I have not anchored except the Shango or Babalawo own but I have done something close to that with Ara. That event would be an inaugural ball because observing protocols is a tall order. If you are not careful, those who are working with the person in charge of the event or their principals will rubbish you because they know the rules. That event would be it for me like a president handing over to another president or governor handing over to another but I have anchored something related to that like the pre-inaugural or post-inaugural but not the main deal. That one has to deal with protocols nothing else.

What makes a good MC?

The ability to make light of events as it comes. Spontaneity. Versatility. Being vast and prompt! Then, the ability to recognize faces. One has to be ahead of events as a broadcaster. As a broadcaster, I read the news and I get to know a bit of this and that. It is just being vast and being available to deliver at every point in time no matter whose ox is gored

How easy is it for you in the business given so many talents on the internet?

Though we are many but the clients are not dumb. They know what they want. Do you want somebody that would crack you up and the event would be a flop or somebody that would get the job done? I give it to them especially the skit makers, the online guys, they are doing well but there is always a niche for everybody as every space is not your space. I have seen one or two of them who would come to the event and try to make people laugh. You can just come and do your skit and leave the stage. The sky is big enough for every bird to fly and Infact as Ali Baba would say, we do not have enough comedians yet, maybe until we have comedians knocking on your door, or on a third mainland bride asking to tell a joke for N5k.

Who is your target audience?

My target audience is upward and mobile persons, the young at heart, teens, and any other category. But when I am on the radio, I do not have a target audience.

What are your plans for the next 10 years?

The level I have gotten today, I knew I would get there but I never knew I would get there easily. No wonder the Psalmist says count your blessings one by one. I will be 40 by June 28. And when I tell people of what God has done for me it is like how possible?  I was telling somebody that I have a daughter in boarding school and he was surprised.  He sees me and doesn’t see that little seriousness and somebody who must have all of that, I think I learnt that from Charley Boy. Don’t allow whatever you have been able to do be seen by people as a big deal. I don’t see it, I just see the goal. And in 10 years’ time, as my name connotes, Intercontinental Entertainer, I see myself going Intercontinental, how it will work out I don’t know but just as God has been directing my steps from birth, He will do His thing.