Malaika Nnyanzi on lessons from her mother

Malaika Nnyazi’s Liteside

Any three things we don’t know about you?

I love dancing. People think I am very friendly and I am polite. I also like to keep to myself because I am a private person.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

I love to be with my friends, dancing and watching movies.

What is your greatest fear?

Snakes and mediocrity scare me.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

When someone upsets me, I shut off completely which is very unfair to the other person since it doesn’t give them chance to explain or correct.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Negative people who always find the bad in everything and those who can’t tolerate a different opinion.

Which living person do you most admire?

Beyonce and Bonang Matheba. I also respect Crystal Newman for she has shown everyone that you can be a lady, mother wife and media personality. And even with all that, she remains calm.

What is your greatest extravagance?

They say I love shoes too much but there is no such a thing. I just love shoes.

What is the greatest thing you have ever done?

Being the only one to interview and host NEYO in Uganda; it was also great being the first Ugandan to host the Namibian Annual Awards and Rockstar TV.

What is your current state of mind?

I am just a happy person.

What does being powerful mean to you?

My mother is the best definition of a powerful person. Power is being able to use the brick stones thrown at you to build a house. My mother uses those things to build and gets even better.

What do you most dislike about your appearance?

I have always been small but people make too much fuss about it. It made me somehow hate my body but of recent, I am learning to love myself.

Which living person do you most despise?

I am just so busy to start despising me.

What or who is the greatest love of your life

Without a doubt, it has to be my mother. She taught me every value in life. The love she has doesn’t stop with us but spreads to others.

When and where were you happiest

When I got my radio job was a dream come true. The feedback was positive and there is nothing greater than loving and being loved back. Every step and stride I have made in my career has been a happy one for me.

When I graduated with a first class degree, it was so amazing. When I returned to Uganda and still struggling, I requested to borrow my Mum’s car only to be surprised with my own. That car means so much to me and I pledge never to sell it but pass it on to my children.

Which talent would you most like to have?

I wish I could sing.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I want to get bigger in size.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Everything I have achieved is great.

If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?

Everything about Beyonce.

Where would you most like to live?

I can live anywhere in Africa.

What is your most treasured possession?

My shoes.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

Burying your child is just too much.

What is your favorite occupation?

I never pick from my children because all of them feed into each other. However, radio is my training ground.

What do you most value in your friends?

Their ability to understand me; they love me for who I am, support each other and be there at all times.

Who are your favorite writers?

I am trying to learn how to read because I listen more.

Which historical figure do you most identify with?

I can’t think of anyone.

Who is your hero of fiction?

I love Natalie Portman; she is able to capture an emotion, falls and fits into any character and has a high level of passion. I love and follow her for that. I also love Bonang of South Africa.

Who are your real life heroes?

That has to be my mother

What is your greatest regret?

I know God does everything in His time but I believe that I delayed God’s plan for me. I think the if had I stayed in our company, a year longer and may be things wouldn’t have turned out the way they did

How would you like to die?

I don’t want to go past the age of 60 years unless I am able bodied. But I also want to go when Africa is the dream destination.

What is your motto?

I was born to be great, it’s not an aspiration, is my destiny.