Cee In The Club

Born on the 3rd day of the third month and depending on where you start counting your days of the week,the third day(Wednesday) in Dusseldorf Germany, William des Bordes aka Lovin`C says its been an a very challenging route to where he is now-Deutshe Welle(www.dw-world.de).

The name des Bordes does not sound Ghanaian but those who were at Achimota School might have heard about it. Cee says he couldn´t have done it without God on his side plus humility,hardwork,perseverance,determination and self-confidence.Education and respect for mankind is also key´ he adds.


Born to two medical practitioners Dr. Louis Des Bordes and Dr (Mrs) Irene des Bordes,showbiz in any kind of form was always going to incur the displeasure of these strict parents.Lovin` Cee recalls having to tip-toe around midnight when his parents were sleeping to scale walls so he could make it to FOX TRAP NIGHT CLUB where he was the main centre of attraction as a DJ,the second night club he played for after City Hotel´s Night Club where he was issued a death threat by his co-DJ Nana Yaw who saw the that Cee could take over his job.KIRA-VI NIGHT CLUB was his last before he left for Germany in 2003.Cee says he was overjoyed lucky when KIRA VI won the Ghana Tourist Board BEST NIGHT CLUB AWARD in the year 2001.His co-DJ´s at the time were Apuzo of LUV FM Cudjoe, and Andreas of KAPITAL RADIO.


`I was stunned when my mum yelled at me after one of my numerous forays one early morning in the early 90´s indicating that my colleague had warned her to ask me to quit the job or cease to exist but I never relented and forged ahead until I got an offer from FOX TRAP to join them in 1991.FOX FM 97.9 in Kumasi is an offshoot of this classy night club FOX TRAP in the 90´s.Its also given birth to Accra´s HOT FM 93.9.There were days when revellers would pay and get in and settle down to jazz music while the owner Mr Francis Poku the owner of this business would drive silently to my house after midnight and wait till I sneak out stealthily for the real jam to start`.But Cee says it paid off in a way when they were voted the BEST NIGHT CLUB in Ghana in the year 1994 by the Ghana Tourist Board.My co-djs then were Alan T who is now one of the Bosses for Mobil Ghana Limited Magic Sam formerly of Accra´s KOTTON CLUB´& FOX FM and Joe Davies formerly of Miracle Mirage in Accra who has now passed on. Lovin´Cee´s passion for music could be traced by back to his days at Prempeh College in Kumasi Ghana(www.Prempeh.org) in the mid 80´s where he spent most of his pocket money on buying TDK, MEMOREX and BASF etc tapes to record any brand new´ R N B´,Soul, Pop, Jazz joints released monthly.


But how did he get behind the consul? He explains that his frequent trips to recording studios earned him a very good acquaintance with most of the top disc-jockeys in town including Jimmy Young,Soul Bambaata who is now a politician and Waf Jay. He was following their mobile spinning group called DEF JAM when school was on recess to most of their gigs around town and even out of town`.The turning point was when their MC Bambaata as controversial as he was then, failed to show up at an INTERCO/SUPERZO JAM at Freeman Hotel in Kumasi because he had a gig at DIMLITE NIGHT CLUB that very night,so Jimmy was left all alone and he usually spun without talking so he gave Cee the microphone to fill the vacuum for Bambaata and that was it.


´People marvelled at the dexterity Cee unleashed behind the microphone at that tender age.´I was a teenage schooling at the time and will join extra classee most of the time completely worn-out.I remember one lecturer at UST Koo Armah who was taking me through English literature had a tough time with me but in the end it paid off.`He reveals that the secret was the fact that he hardly missed spectacular shows by KKD-the finest who was my mentor eventually after our group DEF JAM perfomed with him at the UNITY HALL WEEK in UST in the early 90´s and we´ve been great buddies since then`I will not forget his encouragement and advise to fight ahead and make it big in this industry.He even offered me a motivational tape delivered by the renowned American speaker LES BROWN which was very helpful` .

`I still remember when he use play tracks like My Grandfather´s Clock,Quincy Jones´ Back on the block`and Kool Moe Dee´s How ya like me now on his POP CHAIN shows.`I was also all ears to Tommy Annan Forson,Charlie Sam and the late Barima Ohemeng Kwatia of GBC Radio and TV`.


On the international scene he reiterates that he listened to BBC´s Multi-track shows on Tuesdays and Thursdays and `DEAR DLT` hosted by one David Travez on Saturdays.William claims he used to also listen to mixed tapes from FUNKMASTER FLEX OF NEW YORK´s HOT 97 fame so when he finally crosssed into mainstream DJ-ing he was already armed to the teeth`even till date as was showcased recently whe he held people spellbound at a party in Connecticut USA before Chritsmas last year..Apart from the disc jockeying Lovin C often organised Inter School Rap Contests,fashion shows,Dancing competions and Beauty Pageants at a popular joint in the heart of Kumasi called THE SPHINX and also at The UST POOLSIDE and City Hotel.Cee points out that this was where talents like Lord Kenya,Okyeame Quame and Hakeem of TV3 mentor-fame were unearthed.Also outdoored at the time were NANANOM comprising Sidney, Jo T and Omanhene Pozo whose debut single `Agoro´was at the embryonic stage.At one of such events at THE SPHINX the daughter of one BNI boss of Ashanti Region called Pearl attended with her colleagues and apparently owing to her charm,some bad guys decided to take advantage of them.


The girls were bundled into a waiting taxi and as they sped off the ladies struggled and opened the doors while the car was still in motion and jumped out resulting in life-threatening injuries.The BNI boss called for the arrest of all the organisers of that event and I had to hide in a friend´s house for over one week until the main assailants were arrested.But these ladies are fine today and are living outside the country at the moment`.William des Bordes has also been MC for LUCKY DUBE and KOJO ANTWI concerts in Ghana and also the ever popular MR FLEX at KNUST GREAT HALL all to the admiration of the audience.Lovin C says the DJ job has been made a lot easier nowadays because the manufacturers are always thinking of coming out with gadgets that will enhance the sound quality and also allow the DJs more time to have fun.In times past you just had to get your 33rpm and 45rpm´s right on the vinyl before u could mix,scratch or loop a track.These days with the CDs and PC´s you mix with cheeky ease´.In former times you also had to be able to write your rhymes and possess that gift of a gab and be ready to re-mix any song in the club by filling- in the instrumental bits on a particular record with rap.


I still miss playing along side DJ/Artiste Azigiza Jnr,Fiifi Pratt and the Joe Davies at GLENNS NIGHT CLUB, MIRACLE MIRAGE and FOX TRAP all located at Adabraka in Accra and of then Mark Okraku Mante of TV3´ MENTOR fame,who at that time was DJ at BALM TAVERN.William is forever thankful to Ghanaians for their immense support and prayers even in difficulties and wishes everyone a happy 50th anniversary celebration.


CEE ON THE RADIO

William des Bordes aka Lovin C always relished the idea of making it to the top in the broadcasting industry.So he put in an application at GBC in 1994 when they decided to go regional with their FM broadcasts.It was a very tall list but I managed to scrape through after an intensive Interview conducted by the top hierachy of GBC with guys like Nana Boakye Yiadom( NBY), William Twumasi,Wendy Nortey of blessed memory ,Kwame Owusu Ansah(actor),the late Benji Kumassah etc were part of the team.William says if he has come this far in this challeging industry then thanks to GBC who realised my talents and sharpened my skills on-air.He makes special mention of Mr SA Fosuhene the head of the Ashanti Reginal branch of GBC and Mr James Amartey who did the voice training and polished their pronunciation and delivery.


Veterans Charlie Sam and Harriet Techie-Menson put the icing on the cake with their regular critique.`I recall when I wanted to over-impress on-air and started raping on radio`.Joe Coffie called me quitely one morning and said young man if you want to go far in this profession you´ve got to drop that` and it paid off.


The most hectic time at GBC according to william was when they were camped in GBC Accra in 1995 for intensive training at the GBC Radio Training School which was set up by the British which he says could still be very helpful to radio in Ghana if it still exists.William claims the Kanda mosquitoes had a field´s day feasting on their bodies at night but they never gave up because they were bent on making it.`After the course I was given a chance to host the popular GTV programme MUSIC FOR YOU and report for the SECOND GENERATION programme.My producers at that time included Moses Gyapong and Fetus Allotey.My co-presenters at the time were Nana Yaw Tenkorang(Tinko) Ebenezer Okrah,Kwame Owusu Ansah and Kwantwi Barima.This was the time when FM broadcasts was spreading across the Ghana with presenters like Gabby Adjetey, George Brun,Giles Bossman,Sefa Kayi,Fiifi Banson, Kwame Faakye,KSM etc were giving it their all.Stations like Joy FM, Radio Gold,Radio GAR,Vibe FM etc were also trying to outdo each other.On TV BB Menson the virus,Eddy Blay and Cindi Anafo were on fire with their Smash TV programme` and the RTV magazine owned by one Robert Mills was all ears listening to the goofs which will come up for their next edition.`We just couldnt help but learn at any given time to be ready to excel on every programme and avoid mistakes`!!


In that same year 1995 THE THOMSON FOUNDATION IN CO-OPERATION WITH THE BRITISH COUNCIL AWARDED a CERTIFICATE IN INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING AND FEATURE WRITING to William for excelling that area of journalism. So CEO´s started poaching from every corner to strengthen their programmes.William says he made up his mind to stay forever with GBC but was not able to withstand the pressure.´I wasnt feeling the heat because of the money but I realised the private station were giving their on-air personel more room to excel but it was the reverse with GBC because of bureaucracy.


Therefore I decided to move.` So Lovin C left for KAPITAL RADIO 97.1 in 1999 and rose to become the Programmes Director in 2000.KAPITAL RADIO won the MILLENIUM EXCELLENCE AWARD in that year and William des Bordes was voted the RADIO PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR 2001/2002.His passion for sports also shone when in 2001 he covered partly the CAF Cup final match between Kumasi Asante Kotoko and WAC of Morocco for the BBC which the later won on the away goal rule.Ben Dotsei Malor and Martin Davies of the BBC were very helpful at that time he says`

In 2001 Deutsche Welle Radio Germany´s International broadcaster and the country´s version of CNN,BBC,VOA, etc organised a course on BROADCAST MANAGEMENT FOR PRIVATE RADIO AND TELEVISION STATIONS in Cologne Germany for over 30 programme executives and CEO´s in managerial positions around the world.The course was designed to explore present trends and future developments in commercial radio broadcasting and also to provide an insight into western European radio systems and their approaches to modern radio management.The course programme focussed on Innovative radio formats,marketing,computer aided radio,on-line media and team management.


William excelled and was rewarded by the German government together with Deutsche Welle.Then he was approached on the sidelines by the Head of the English Service at the time Susan Killick and confronted with that difficult question whether he was ready to switch camps and he responded in the affirmative. So He was asked to put in an application on return to Ghana.


After 2years he was asked to do his medicals with the German embassy in Accra and proceed to Germany.William des Bordes aka Lovin C(Editor/host at DW)has been the hosting of the 30-minute daily current affairs programme NEWSLINK FOR AFRICA for the past 4 years.


The programme runs from Monday to Friday from 19:05 -19:30 UTC with repeats on 20:05 on 21:05.The programme is also live on streaming audio on dw-world.de.Ghanaweb found out that William virtually sets the whole programme up and chooses the salient African topics for broadcast in collaboration with the hundreds of Deutsche Welle Radio correspondents around the globe and the duty producers.


He writes reports as well conducts interviews for the show apart from the moderation.Sports coverage in Africa is also part of his duty depending on the importance of the event. He says working with greats like Tony Durnham,Rick Demarest,Brian Pickering,Diet Simon,Meggin Leigh Doody and Ian Johnson among others in Deutsche Welle has really enriched his presentation.

His most memorable time on Radio was when was called to lecture a group of gradutes from the United States of America on how developing countries report issues of pollution in the media in Africa and also to take employees of the UNFCC through how to answer questions during TV interviews at the Deutsche Welle Radio Training School.William also became the first person to interview President Kufuor on phone in the year 2000 after he won the Presidential election on KAPITAL RADIO´s morning show called DAYBREAK and followed it up by interviewing his wife Mrs Theressa Kufuor when the President was out of the country .He also talked to with Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings on Valentines Day 2001 asking her about how romantic her husband was and then later Flt Lt JJ Rawlings on DW-Radio.


`But I just cant forget my interview with the renowned Pan-African writer Professor Ali Mazrui on KAPITAL RADIO.The man told me back then before I joined Deutsche Welle that I would be moving up in my career very soon and it did materialise`. There have also been great interviews with the then sitting Liberian President Gyude Bryant after Charles Taylor went into exile and other interesting ones with African Best footballers like George Weah,Roger Milla,Kalusha Bwalya,Abedi Ayew Pele and some hardline rebels leaders on the continent.