Interview: Sika Osei of Studio 53 Extra opens up on her life

Very few people know that the ever-happy looking presenter of Studio 53 Extra on DSTV 151, Sika Osei, is not only a television presenter and an actress but also a lawyer in the making.

Sika, currently signed to the BBnZ Live label, has spoken to NEWS-ONE about her life, her love, her job, her dreams and how she found her way to presenting Studio 53 Extra.

What have you been up to?

I just returned from Calabar in Nigeria. They had a rather interesting festival for a whole month. They had something to do every single day of the month from music concerts to benefits, to cultural displays, and to anything you can think about, all to showcase the culture of the people of Cross River State. It was crazy.

What were you doing there?

I was covering it for Studio 53 Extra on DSTV

How did you get that job?

I went for an audition. I was one out of 400 plus people and I got it. I just flew from Ghana to Nigeria for the auditions and that was it.

Where from this rare guts of yours?

Ermmm. I’m a gutty person. When Anita Erskine was doing Studio 53, she did a little segment for a company I used to work for called Canoe Magazine. I was one of the four founders of the magazine. From that time, I had been contemplating whether or not to do TV. I loved it but was not sure I wanted to trade my privacy and open myself up to all the negativity. I loved the camera and I also realized I could express myself creatively. I saw a poster of the audition and it was just a day to the deadline. It was in Nigeria and I was in Ghana. I was not prepared and all that but something just kept telling me to go. I finally went and two months later, they called me for the job. So there were no connections, I did not know anybody there. I was even late for the auditions and they were not letting me in until I begged and they were gracious enough to say because I had travelled all the way from Ghana, I should audition.

Are you making good money from Studio 53 Extra?

I am making more money than I’ve been making in Ghana for a while. It is awesome.

And what is your guy saying about you working in Nigeria?

Which guy?

The one dating you, your lover

I am not dating. It is true.

Why aren’t you dating?

Is it mandatory to date?

No. But there should be a reason you aren’t dating considering your looks, guts, fame and all that

Well, I am not saying there are no suitors or applications coming to me. It’s just that I am not dating at the moment.

What should we expect from Sika in 2014?

Expect more visibility to make people know who exactly Sika is. I’ve been an underdog for a while. I’ve been hustling and that is what people do not know. I’ve been turned down too many times for a job.

And that is your definition for hustle?

Hahahaha yes. What I mean is that people should stop thinking I just burst into the scenes. It’s been a hustle, where I’ve been passed over and jobs given to rather more popular faces. Unknown people are not given chances in Ghana and this is something I experienced a lot and it brought me down a lot. They want popular faces but how do you become popular if they don’t even give you a chance.

What did you train in?

I did my first degree in political science and sociology. I did political science because I wanted to go into political journalism. I had always wanted to be like Christiane Amanpour because I am also called Christine. I decided to now use Sika because though Christine is a very beautiful name, it could be anybody’s name. But Sika is more personal and makes you stand out. People ask why my name means money and that starts a conversation. I just finished my LLB as well. So I am a solicitor. I did my LLB at GIMPA.

Is it that you look young or you are young?

I have a young face but I am not young. Young is relative. I am in my twenties. I started this job early.

You are an achiever

Thank you. But honestly I have much more to achieve. My dreams are big. My vision is huge and people would be shocked. If they are shocked now, then well…They would be extremely shocked in a few years to come.

Final words?

I feel a lot of the times our personalities are detached from the public. There is an image people want to create. They want to look perfect each time they move out. Branding is important but I feel we are losing the human aspect of it. I want people to get to know the real me and not just what the tabloids say. I am very open and always laughing and happy. I do get down but I am mostly happy. I want to get to a place where I can say this is Sika, I am Ghanaian, I am African and I am a lady with curves. That is the confidence that would make us rub shoulders with the Christiane Amanpours.

It’s been a privilege talking to you

You are welcome.