Ojinika Obiekwe: Behind The Stories – 12 Years & Counting | The 50 Cent Commercial

Ojinika Obiekwe‘s vivacious spirit is evident when she gets in front of the camera. This hardworking and professional journalist, has worked for the past 12 years wearing multiple hats just to get the job needs to be done.  At BellaNaija, while we seek to entertain and educate, we also hope to inspire our readers and show them that there are people who keep striving  to make a difference in their chosen careers. In this vein, we spoke with Oji and shared her story with you.{Click here if you missed it}.

As she looks back on her journey so far, she has chosen to share 12 memorable stories from her career. As she recalls her growth path and the lessons she has learned, she hopes to reach as many people as she forges ahead to an even brighter future.

Read part V of her chronicles below:

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I’ve had a lot of titles in my day…Intern, Assignment Desk Assistant, Field Producer, Traffic Producer, Assignment Editor,…the list goes on and on and on.
Now it just says Producer/Correspondent, but I do a lot of other things (Writing always)
And this piece I’m sharing with you brings me back to that time when I wrote, produced and directed a commercial for 50 cent.
Yup, that 50 cent..the only one we know.

So he was going to be on our show to promote his new cologne “Power”. I was really excited, we were all excited
I asked my executive producer if I could get 2 segments with him, and what that means is that he gets two interviews.
The first one would be the usual straight interview about his career, business, all that.
The second one would me more fun, but I had no idea what to do.
I always like to do something different when these celebrities come by and thank goodness it always works out, well most of the time.

The day before he came in, I remember thinking, he’s here for his new cologne, so why not make him a commercial?
So as soon as the show was over, I wrote it, using his hit songs, I did that in maybe 5 minutes.
I ran to the anchor Craig Treadway, one of the nicest people in the world, I asked him to track it for me, and he did (and for those of you who don’t know, tracking means to record what I wrote, like to do a voice over)

After he was done tracking I gathered my cast which included the writers, the traffic reporters, production assistants, web producers, segment producers, etc. (I do make a quick cameo as the hairdresser :-)) I had my shot sheet ready and we went to work… I honestly had no idea it would come out as well as it did…
It’s not Spielberg material, but I was very proud of it.

Still consider it one of the best/favorite things I’ve done here and it’s funny because I wasn’t in front of the camera for it. I think its because it involves my true love…writing.
I have a way with words and it is still the core of what I do every single day. And everyday, I’m reminded of how lucky I am to have been able to not only recognize my gift but get paid to do it.

I was watching the “Steve Harvey Show” and he said something that made so much sense.
He said “You’re paid for your career; but you’re made for your calling” and that has stuck with me since then because I can gratefully say I was made for my calling and but not getting paid for it.
I do it for free because I’m such a giving and selfless person HeHe

By the way, 50 cent was the nicest person ever, still is.
I wasn’t sure what to expect but he was the perfect gentleman.
He came straight from the airport, didn’t come in with an entourage.
Just 3 people.
I went in to say hello and go over his interview with him
His barber was cutting his hair and I said hello Mr. Jackson (I know, I’m so polite)
And he said hello, how are you, the usual…but when I started talking he told his barber to stop so he could turn around and pay attention to what I was saying.
I told him he didn’t have to and he said no, that’s okay.
I ran through everything with him and then I told him, we had a surprise for him.
He said uh-oh…I said it’s nothing bad, I promise its fun and silly…he said fine
I was flattered when he said it should be on SNL (Saturday Night Live), which is one of my favorite shows ever..
I saw him again years later at an event he was having for his SMS audio brand and he remembered the commercial.
Pretty cool, I tell you…

Let me set you up for what you’re about to watch.
The concept: A guy was having a hard time picking up women, but that was till he used “power” cologne by 50 Cent and everything changed:
Anyways, check it out, but first, here’s the transcript:

“SICK AND TIRED OF BEING RUN DOWN “IN DA CLUB”?
ARE THOSE “21 QUESTIONS” AND LINES ALL PLAYED OUT?
WHAT? SO EVEN A TRIP TO THE “CANDY SHOP” CAN’T SWEETEN YOUR SITUATION?
WELL, YOU NEED TO MAN UP, ‘GET THE GIRL OF YOUR DREAMS OR DIE TRYING’ (a play on the movie)
IT’S EASIER THAN YOU THINK…
IT’S ALL THANKS TO ONE MAN
G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G UNIT!
THE ONE AND ONLY “P-I-M-P”
THE MAN WHO TURNED PLAIN WATER INTO VITAMIN WATER
50 CENT CAN GIVE YOU THE “POWER” YOU NEED
“POWER” TO AROUSE HER SENSES, “POWER” TO TAKE CHARGE
AND “POWER” TO SHOW HER THAT YOUR PIMP HAND IS WAY STRONG

It’s very funny and ridiculous..to me o
There you go!!!