The second Mr entertainer

To those who have followed the local show business for some time, the lines “I am not a soldier, I am not a doctor, I am not a manager, I am just an entertainer…” are not strange.

The lines were part of a trademark radio advert coined by Jai Banda to promote events organised by his entertainment stable Entertainers Promotions (EP). It became a trademark associated with the EP brand and from it, Banda, a lawyer, got the moniker Mr Entertainer.

He said: “I composed the song in 1989 when I had just set up the EP. It became a very popular jingle and it was widely used whenever we had events. It formed part of my identity. Even now, people still identify it with me.”

Since that time, Mr Entertainer aka Jai Banda has captained the EP ship with unparalleled passion and devotion. He set high standards when it came to events management that few have come close. But in 2015, a new Banda slowly crept in and tactfully begun the process of dislodging the senior from his throne.

This new entrant was none other than Mr Entertainer’s second-born son Tonderai. Until 2015, Tonderai had been in the United Kingdom (UK) pursuing his studies in computer science.

Despite graduating with a bachelor’s degree from University of East London plus other qualifications related to the computer field, the going wasn’t easy for him back at home.

Tonderai recollects: “I worked briefly with Nandos while in UK. Then I came back home, but I couldn’t find a job. It was a bit frustrating.”

But for how long could a young man whose father owned one of the most thriving entertainment companies stay on the job hunt trail?

He decided enough is enough and retraced the path he had been on before his departure for the UK eight years earlier.

Besides working as a DJ with Power FM 101, he was in charge of a family business Hi Density Records Studio, which unfortunately folded when he left the country.

“I was born in arts. I grew up in arts. After everything, I knew, I had a lot to do, including helping in rebranding EP. I felt it needed to be aligned with the aspirations of the current generations,” Tonderai said.

So the journey to adorn EP with a new face begun in earnest in 2015. Even though there was a new whip in town, Tonderai admits the ‘old dog’ in the house was still barking from the shadows.

But that was not his biggest problem, he said: “There was a lot of criticism then. A lot of people thought my approach to the business would be childish. People here are obsessed with how old one is and not how smart one is.”

In 2018, the senior Banda officially announced he was passing on the baton to his son. He had done his part and it was time for the new broom to take the company into a new era. That moment, Tonderai said, brought him mixed emotions.

“I was excited, but scared too at the same time. I have seen how he has done his things over the years. That brought a chilling effect on me,” he said.

The 34-year-old said the biggest challenge was to adopt the clients that worked with his father for ages, some of whom saw him grow. He admits it took time for the lot to embrace the new world order and get used to receiving instructions from him.

Tonderai said when they noticed the growth that the company was registering, they bought into his idea of doing things.

He said: “I am responsible for the planning of our events, the set-up and the running of the events. Everything that EP does starts with me.”

Since he took control of EP, Tonderai has overseen some huge events in the country’s entertainment history such as the All-White Party in 2018, Sand Music Festivals since 2015, Lake of Stars, Black and Gold Party and MBC Innovations Awards.

“I also worked with all the five major political parties DPP, MCP, UTM, PP and UDF during the 2019 and 2021 elections. That was another milestone,” he said.

Tonderai says he is proud of the changes that he has brought, which he said include being the first event organisers to use outdoor LED screens, changing the set-up, install individual light controls and being the only entertainment company boasting luxurious cars used by foreign artists.

He said: “Now my sights are on the international market. We want to be holding events outside Malawi. We have penetrated South Africa and Nigeria. Now we want to focus on the US market.”

His father is a satisfied man for now: “He is always trying to beat his previous standards. That speaks of a man who is hungry for more success.”