The Richard C Nyathi Experience!

Meet Richard Nyathi (above) – half South African, half Zimbabwean, born and brought up in Zambia, Richard has spent the past fifteen years or so in the far north of Norway – if that doesn’t make him truly Zambian then I’d better look for another reason! Got it! Richard arrived at the studios of Zambezi 107.7 fm to feature as the Guest on our radio show about ten minutes after we’d gone on air with the latest edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient, featuring Jay Hillz last Sunday. Truly Zambian as I said! Milli Jam stood in for Richard at the start of the show telling us about his son’s gold and bronze medals in an Under 16’s athletics meeting in Botswana. Great stuff!

The Chanters Lodge Experience airs every Sunday night from 20.30 – 21.30 hrs on Livingstone’s leading local radio station. At the top of the show Milli Jam wanted to know how Richard and I had come to know each other, and we explained to listeners that Richard was one of the first Guests at Chanters Lodge when we opened way back in 1998.

I went on to tell Milli Jam that Richard, and one or two of his friends, were very keen on a group of Norwegian volunteers working in Livingstone back then! The Norwegian girls spent a lot of time at Chanters accompanied by Richard and his friends – so much so that Richard ended up marrying one of them – Marianne Olsen (who has also been a Guest on our show) – and moving to Tromsoe in the far north of Norway. Richard, a civil Engineer by profession, now works in maintenance for Moi i Rana town council. Mo i Rana is a town and administrative centre of the municipality of Rana in Nordland county, Norway. It is located just south of the Arctic Circle. Richard told us that socially Norway is a non racial country but professionally it can be difficult for people with non-Norwegian qualifications to get ahead. Things, however, had been better for him since he moved to Moi i Rana.

The music on the show was good with latest tracks from Mr Probz and Indiana at the top of the show, followed by tracks from KCee, Owl City, Katy Perry and Chiko Wise. Our oldie of the week was Beyonce’s ‘Naughty Girl’ and the prize we give to the first person to text us the name of the artist on the track was quickly snapped up. My pick of the week was MNEK’s ‘Every Little Word’ and we closed with a new track from Joel Compass.

Richard told listeners that he had definite plans to move back to Zambia and revealed that he had recently remarried – his new bride was Zambian and the couple were busy trying to finish building their house in Livingstone. Richard had also acquired a plot in Kazungula on the banks of the Zambezi. Milli Jam and I were happy that for once we had a fellow ‘Gunner’ alongside in the studio. Richard revealed that he had been to the Emirates Stadium many times to watch Arsenal ‘live’. His favourite player at the moment – Tomas Rosicky, favourite all time – Dennis Bergkamp. About the manager. “Why can’t he re-invent himself?” was Richard’s question! Music wise Richard is into jazz and reeled off a list of favourite artists, unknown to the rest of us!

Asked where he would like to be and what he would like to be doing ten years from now our Guest said he would like to be retired, living in his house on the Zambezi and fishing! Milli Jam, who had stood in for our Guest in the early part of the show said he wanted to be the owner of a radio station. “This one?” I wondered. “Why not!” The reply. It was a good show.

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Stephen Gillespie and Mark Scarbrough

Meet Stephen Gillespie (above left) and Mark Scarbrough from Indiana and Tennessee, USA respectively, Guests on the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Jay Hillz. The ‘Experience’ is our radio show that airs weekly every Sunday at 20.30 hrs on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station. Stephen and Mark told our listeners that they had only arrived in Livingstone by coach two hours before the show started, they had been ferried quickly to the lodge from the coach station, fed and then whisked off to the studios of 107.7 fm. Actually and surprisingly they showed no signs of tiredness and were only too happy to explain why they were in town. It was Mark’s 15th visit to Zambia – he has been involved in many projects in the past – but for Stephen it was his first time in Zambia and first time in Africa too!

Stephen and Mark explained that they had already been in Zambia for about five days and had spent time in Lusaka and Mazabuka. Their goal is to build a clinic in Pemba, Southern Province in an area where the nearest medical facility is some 50 kms from the the village. The clinic would aid the poor and needy and would include medical, dental and optical facilities. Financed through donations and fund raising in USA, the clinic would be staffed year round by medical and nursing staff from USA on a volunteer basis, but would of course employ some local personnel as well. “How did you link up?” Milli Jam wondered and Mark explained that they had met at a conference held at Two Rivers Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. The purpose of this particular visit to Zambia was to receive all the planning and other permissions necessary for their venture, as well as to make a video of the proposed project which would assist in raising funds and attracting volunteers. Video making is Stephen’s area of expertise, construction Mark’s.

The music on the show was good featuring tracks from Kiesza, Chris Brown, Emily Sande, Elyar Fox as well as DJ LBC, Zero, Katy Perry and Macky 2. A great mixture of Zambian and international tracks to reflect the eclectic nature of the music on our show. The prize we give each week to the first person to text us the name of the artist on our oldie of the week was very quickly snapped up by Emma. She won a dinner for two at the lodge for texting us speedily to tell us that Lou Bega recorded Mambo No 5. A track and an artist totally lost on yours truly! You live and learn!

Milli Jam wondered how Mark was always able to bring Richard the latest Charley Pride music whenever he stayed at Chanters and Mark explained that he is a friend of Danny Hutchins. Danny Hutchins is a lead back-up musician with the Charley Pride Band. He plays strings and keyboard with Charley Pride, a country music recording artist who is a member of the Grand Ole Opry and the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Mark revealed that he is single with two grown up daughters, Stephen is married and also has a daughter. Whilst in Livingstone Stephen would be editing the material he had recorded in Pemba for the video, he also hoped to visit Victoria Falls and to go on safari to Chobe NP in Botswana. The guys had also brought soccer kit with them from the States as a donation to one of Livingstone’s local teams. Mark showed some interest in UK football and revealed support for Manchester United. Fairly normal for our show guests. Jay was cock-a-hoop that his beloved Liverpool show every sign that they will be EPL champions in UK this year, Milli Jam and I were happy that Arsenal had won.

Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be doing in ten years’ time, Mark said he would like to be in Livingstone with his daughters Melanie and Jennifer staying at Chanters Lodge, Stephen would like to have led multiple visits to Zambia and to have seen their clinic project staffed, thriving and fulfilling a desperate need.

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DJ Obby Sims

Meet DJ Obby Sims, (above) leading DJ and supervisor at Livingstone’s hottest night club East Point, and guest on the most recent edition of our weekly Sunday night radio show, the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Jay Hillz. Obby’s real name? Obrien Simbwalanga, Tonga by tribe! ‘The Experience’ is sponsored weekly by Chanters Lodge and airs for a hour every Sunday at 20.30 hrs on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s best loved local radio station. The show is popular with local residents, partly because it offers the chance to win dinner for two at the lodge, to the first person to text us the name of the artist on our regular ‘oldie of the week’ spot. The prize on this show was quickly snapped up when we dropped Tina Turner’s classic ‘I Don’t Wanna Lose You’.

Obby told listeners that he had been DJ at East Point for about two years since the hot spot opened, prior to which he had been at Fairmount Hotel in Livingstone as entertainment manager. He still regarded the Fairmount disco as East Point’s major competition especially since their recent renovations. He recounted to listeners how he had started in the entertainment business in Lusaka at Moon City night club in the 80’s with the help of the late Eddy Groove who had taught him how to DJ with vinyl – “nothing like CD decks in those days!” He said. (This stirred some of your writer’s memories!) Later Obby had worked at Lusaka’s huge Black Velvet night club. This was a controversial place in the end, but in its’ heyday it had held more than 1200 revelers at one time! After working for Hanif Adams and Clouds in Lusaka, later Obby had come back to Livingstone and, as mentioned, started work with the Fairmount Hotel.

The music on this show was good. We opened with latest hits from Tinie Tempah and the Chainsmokers. Milli Jam and Jay chose tracks from Stevo, Shaggy featuring Ne-Yo, Lorde and Karasa with Cleo Ice featuring Zone Fam. Our pick of the week was ‘Dangerous Love’ from Fuse OGD featuring Sean Paul, and we closed with a hit from Enrique Iglesias’s latest album.

Obby sadly revealed that his fiancee had passed away the previous month and that he was still enduring the grieving process. He did not have any children. He also told us proudly that he had done the bungee jump and that he was a regular on sunset cruises on the Zambezi. His football team is Arsenal (as shown by the above photo!) and his favourite all time player Thierry Henry. He was really hoping his team would win the FA Cup this year. His favourite music is tracks from the 80’s and 90’s – his favourite international artist the late Michael Jackson, Petersen his Zambian pick. We were surprised at the latter choice as his first cousin is B1 – also a famous Zambian musician.

Asked where he would like to be and what he would like to be doing in ten years’ time (Milli Jam’s favourite question to our weekly guest) Obby said he would like to be in Livingstone, running his own club with his own workers, married to a beautiful woman and to have lovely children. We wished him the best of luck and told him to keep on rocking his patrons!

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The Last Kaufela Experience!

The latest edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring George da Soulchild Kaufela (the two guys featured in the photograph above, George is on the left), was rather sad – and not just because Liverpool had thrashed Arsenal 5-1 the day before – something that made Milli Jam and I sad but George ecstatic! No, it was sad because it was in fact George Mukwita’s (aka Soulchild aka Kaufela) last show, for the time being anyway.

George was therefore the Guest on, as well as the co-host of, the programme. Fired because of his Liverpool affiliations? Not a bit of it! As he explained to listeners he has been accepted on a three year course at the Co-operative College in Lusaka to study for a diploma in Agric-Business Management. “So you’re going to be a farmer?” I speculated, but George replied that he was more interested in the business management aspect of the course which would include accounting, marketing and economics amongst other subjects.

“What’s brought this on?” Asked a glum Milli Jam who has co-hosted our show with George since 2009. George replied that he felt it was time for him to further his education, seeing that it was not really safe for a young Zambian man to rely on radio presentation and music to make a good living in years ahead – he wanted more strings to his bow. George told us that initially he was being helped through college by his aunt, but that he hoped to secure part time work, possibly on radio in Lusaka, to help with the substantial college expense. He also hoped to be able to play some shows to raise funds – George is an accomplished musician amongst his many other talents. He would be a boarder at the mixed gender college.

We played one of George’s tracks on the show – ‘Took You’ by Roberto featuring Kaufela, back to back with Chiko Wise ft B1 with ‘Kumwanda’. We opened the show with ‘Dibby Dibby Sound’ by DJ Fresh vs Jay Fay featuring Ms Dynamite back to back with the latest from The 1975. Tracks from Beyonce featuring Jay Z, and Toni Braxton with Babyface also graced the show. The prize of a dinner for two with drinks that we offer to the first person to text us telling us the artist on our oldie of the week, went unwon for the second week running, prompting someone to text asking us to play another track so that there could be a winner. We declined. They didn’t know Paolo Nutini sang Candy, so that was that!

George told listeners that he would be leaving Livingstone the following day and that he had already co-hosted his last breakfast show on 107.7 fm. He said there was so much he would miss about Livingstone including friends and colleagues and of course co-hosting the Chanters Lodge Experience. We said we would only reveal George’s replacement on the programme the following Sunday. George thanked all the listeners as well as the owner of the station Swithin Haangala for ‘helping him grow’ as a broadcaster and presenter. He had been in Livingstone for nine years and had loved it!

Asked where he would like to be and what he would like to be doing ten years from now, George said he wanted to be alive and breathing, opening doors for himself and others. We thanked him for his inspiration and hard work on our show and wished him all the best for the future. Then we sat down and cried because Arsenal had lost 5-1 to Liverpool!!

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The Australian Experience

We were delighted to welcome bank Isaac Mwanza (above) to the latest edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring George da Soulchild Kaufela. It was Isaac’s second time to be our guest on the programme. Why then ‘The Australian Experience’ you’re wondering about the caption above? Well, Isaac is a Zambian but for the past year he’s been studying and working in Australia so, as he was back in Zambia for a short holiday, we invited him on to the show to tell us all about his Australian experience. Before leaving for Australia in January 2013, Isaac had been a full time employee and presenter at Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station which hosts our show every Sunday night for an hour at 20.30 hrs.

Isaac told listeners that he was in college in Townsville, a city on the north-eastern coast of Queensland, Australia, adjacent to the central section of the Great Barrier Reef in the dry tropics region of Queensland. He is studying for an Advanced Diploma in Information Technology and hopes to finish the course by the end of this year. From there he wants to remain in Australia and go to University for a degree in IT. “How are you financing the project?” Milli Jam wanted to know and Isaac explained that he had been lucky to get a part time job in a warehouse belonging to a big company dealing in building supplies. He was involved in occupational health and safety with the company and he hoped, eventually, to be able to persuade the company to sponsor his further education. It did mean that he had a very busy life fitting in both work and studies.

The music on this show was latest. We opened with Clean Bandit’s huge hit ‘Rather Be’ featuring Jess Glynn, back to back with a new release from The Vamps. George chose tracks from Tk and Izeal as well as Bobby East, while Milli Jam went for Lorde’s ‘Royals’ song of the year at the Grammies. He also featured Ellie Goulding’s smash ‘Burn’. Our oldie of the week was a local track – ‘Juju Lover’ by Daddy Zemus and the prize we give of a dinner for two with drinks at the lodge to the first person to text us the name of the performing artist, was quickly snapped up! We closed with Neon Jungle’s ‘Braveheart’.

Isaac told listeners that he was too busy in Australia to spend much time missing Zambia! He was still a full time Arsenal supporter but the time differences and his busy schedule made it difficult to watch every game on TV. He told us that Australians are fanatics about rugby and he had subsequently developed an interest in the sport. “Are you married in Australia?” Milli Jam wanted to know. Huge laughter followed and eventually the answer ‘no’ was heard! Isaac said he would be in Livingstone until February 3rd and while he was in town he was appearing on radio on Friday and Saturday nights. So far he had not had the chance to DJ or to appear on radio in Australia, but he hoped eventually that that would be a dream come true.

Asked where he would like to be and what he would like to be doing ten years from now, Isaac said he hoped to have his own IT business, to be happily married with children as well as a lovely house and car. Given his drive, personality and hard work we were sure he would succeed and observed to young people listening that they should follow Isaac’s hard work and determination to succeed.

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The Chanters Lodge Experiencee

The latest edition of our weekly Sunday night radio show on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station – The Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring George da Soulchild Kaufela – really was a Chanters Lodge experience as the two guests on the show, pictured above, are both workers at the lodge – Susan Timwendila (left) and Phostinah Siabona. Susan told listeners that it was the second time she had appeared on the show but for Phostinah it was a first time experience. Susan is a ‘receptionist’ at the lodge but I mentioned on air that that job at the lodge is much more than it sounds as it also involves stores control, bar sales and control, as well as purchasing together with the normal duties of a receptionist/cashier. Phostinah told us that she was a chef. “What’s your favourite dish”? Milli Jam asked. “Chicken Schnitzel” the reply.

“How long have you both been working at Chanters Lodge?” Milli Jam wanted to know. Susan replied that 2014 would be her tenth year and that she had started work on Tuesday August 18th 2004 (she failed to mention the time). Phostinah told him that she had started work in the kitchen at the lodge on 14th May 2012. I’m sure if one went to the files, these exact dates would prove correct! Susan took the chance to greet her mum at home (“Hi mum!”) and told us that her family are regular listeners to the show. Phostinah said that her mum and dad were in Zimba.

“Is it true” George wanted to know “that Chanters Girls dance in the kitchen when the show airs each Sunday night?” “Yes!” The girls admitted. “We gather around our little radio and rock!” “Richard” George continued “do you want to know which Chanters Girls were dancing in which clubs for how many hours over New Year?” I agreed to buy the info after the show! We opened this show with ‘Do It All Over Again’ by Elyar Fox back to back with the latest hit from Shakira featuring Rihanna. George chose two Zambian tracks one by Shyman and the other from Angozed. Milli Jam picked Pitbull featuring Ke$ha and one of our favourites at the moment – ‘Rude’ by Magic. No-one won the prize we give each week to the first person to text us telling us the name of the artist on our oldie of the week – the track was Joan Osborne’s ‘What If God Was One Of Us?’ My pick was a new track from Rascal Flatts.

The guys wanted to know what the girls did when they were not working. Susie said she loved reading and house work, Phostinah said she liked cooking and listening to the radio. Both girls told listeners they were ardent Arsenal supporters mainly because it was not safe at the lodge to admit to supporting another team. The mood at work also often revolved around the Arsenal result, so the team needed the support. Just imagine! Music wise Susan said she liked R&B and country while Phostinah likes One Direction (is there a teenage girl anywhere in the world who does not?). Both girls said they were on Facebook ‘but not very active’.

Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be doing ten years from now, Susie and Phosti both hoped to still have good jobs and to be doing well. “Marriage and children?” asked Milli Jam. “That too!” They said. The girls are a great asset to the lodge and their bright vivacious personalities came over well during the programme.

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The Flavor of The Experience

Meet Emmanuel Dodia (above), aka DJ Flavor, Guest on the latest edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring George da Soulchild Kaufela, hence the headline! The Experience is our weekly Sunday night radio show airing on Zambezi 107.7 fm for an hour at 20.30 hrs CAT and is a lively mixture of music, and chat with our Guest of the week.

Emmanuel told listeners that as well as being one of Livingstone’s top club DJ’s at night, he has a full time day job with Zambia Electricity Supply Company (ZESCO), Zambia’s much maligned power company for whom he works as a Customer Care Officer. “How do you cope with the abuse?” I asked Emmanuel, sure that given the amount of load shedding to which the Zambian population is regularly subjected, abuse must be pretty frequent. “We’re trained!” Replied DJ Flavor, laughing. “Please tell your bosses to let the water go over the Falls for an hour or so every day during the next dry season.” I urged Emmanuel. Laughing again he replied: “Do you want more load shedding?” I replied by advising him not to laugh at such a serious matter and that I felt most Livingstone residents would take an hour or so of load shedding, in return for a daily flow of water over the Falls for a limited period of time!

Emmanuel told listeners that he had been a DJ for about four years, a protege of PJMasterz he had started playing at ‘da Fusion’ and doing road shows, before officially opening ‘Ayoba’ one of Livingstone’s liveliest, busiest night clubs right in the heart of the city. Currently Flavor was playing Limpo’s pub (opposite the civic centre) during the week, and at Taonga Safaris on the banks of the Zambezi at weekends. When Milli Jam asked what music he played for his audience he replied that it depended on what they wanted and that he believed in ‘customer care’ in both his occupations! His own personal taste in music was towards R&B and House with Kendrick Lamar and Nicki Minaj being his favourite artists.

The music on this week’s show was good. We opened with tracks from Fuse ODG and Hardwell featuring Matthew Koma. George dropped numbers from Salma Dodia (Emmanuel’s first cousin) and Slap Dee featuring Kantu. Milli Jam chose Kid Ink featuring Chris Brown as well as Katy Perry featuring Juicy J. Our oldie of the week was Jay Sean’s ‘War’ and the prize we give each week to the first person to text us telling us the name of the performing artist was quickly snapped up. My pick of the week was Magic’s ‘Rude’ – George loved it.

Emmanuel told listeners that he’s been married to his wife Ivy for about eighteen months and that they have a baby girl Amelia, just eight months old. He supports Arsenal (hooray said Milli Jam and I), all time favourite player Thierry Henry, current star Theo Walcott. Emmanuel also loves basketball although he no longer plays. He told us he had undergone a course in public relations at UNZA before taking up his appointment at Zesco.

Asked where he would like to be and what he would like to be doing ten years from now, Emmanuel said that he would like to be ‘grown up with his family’, adding up to more than just something in music, and holding down a good job. We wished him the best of luck.

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The Experience On Call!

Meet Lonny Henderson (left) and Simon Tolmie (above), co-ordinator and trustee respectively of On Call Africa, an NGO founded in Scotland and very active in the Southern Province of Zambia in the field of the provision of mobile medical clinics to the villages in the province. Lonny, an American from Connecticut USA and Simon a Scot from Glasgow were Guests on the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring George da Soulchild Kaufela – that’s our weekly radio show on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station. The show airs every Sunday night at 20.30 hrs CAT and features latest Zambian and international music, combined with lively chat with our guests of the week. Chanters Lodge and On Call Africa met on Twitter! Is there any better place to meet?

Lonny told listeners that he and partner Ellen (an education co-ordinator with On Call) had been in Zambia since May this year and were thoroughly enjoying their time in the country and the work they were doing. Simon is a full time doctor in one of Glasgow’s largest hospitals and was using his two weeks’ leave to assess progress on the project. He revealed that he’s largely responsible for generating finance for the NGO through donations, and was happy that recently Rotary International and On Call Africa had forged links that should see the organization move forward and expand. Lonny had been recruited through an on line advert and subsequent interviews via Skype. How times do change!

The music on the show was great and featured tracks from Bastille and Killers at the top of the show. Local tracks from Slap D featuring JK as well as Danny rocked the studio! Milli Jam chose Robin Thicke’s summer smash ‘Blurred Lines’ back to back with a number from John Legend. Our oldie of the week was a local track ‘Coca Cola’ by Oga Family and there was a host of text messages correctly telling us the name of the performing artist, so the prize of a dinner for two at the lodge that we give away for the first right answer, was quickly won!

Simon told listeners that he and his fiancee were planning to get married in June or July so 2014 would be a big year for them. He professed no real interest in football but told us that he followed rugby and cricket. Music wise he said his tastes were very broad. Lonny said the same thing, but in a surprise turn of events he revealed that he was a dedicated Arsenal supporter – ‘unusual for an American but very welcome’ thought Milli Jam! So, we discussed Arsenal’s current place at the top of the EPL while George, a Liverpool supporter, listened! The guys said they had enjoyed a night or two at some of Livingstones’ clubs since they had been in town and enjoyed Zambian music and night life.

As far as challenges were concerned they said that the biggest challenge for On Call Africa was distance. Both the distance that people had to walk to the villages to get basic medical assistance and the distance that the NGO’s not new Land Rover had to travel to meet the needs of the people. The NGO is very much involved in training clinical officers to help meet the rural peoples’ medical needs.

Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be doing ten years’ from now, both Lonny and Simon said that they would like to be part of a a very successful expanded On Call Africa. We thanked them for appearing on our show and for the great work they were doing for the rural population of Southern Zambia.

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Honeymoon Experience!

Meet Monica and George Thompson (above), she from Chingola, Zambia and he originally from Leeds and now from South London, UK. The couple were married in Zambia in September and whilst on their honeymoon staying at Chanters, were our charming and entertaining Guests on the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring George da Soulchild. The Experience is our weekly Sunday night radio show on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station, on which we play latest international and Zambian music, chat to our Guests and give away a prize of a dinner for two at the lodge – if a lucky listener can text us quickly telling us who’s the artist on our ‘oldie of the week’. Mutinta won the prize on this show telling us that ‘Lonely’ was recorded by Akon! We also give pertinent social media updates and international  chart news on the show.

George and Monica told listeners that they had met about two years ago on a dating site on the internet and had corresponded regularly throughout the intervening period. George had promised Monica that when he came to Zambia, if everything was well between them, they would get married and so it had come to pass! Monica is a nurse at the Nchanga School of Nursing on the Copperbelt though she revealed that she had recently resigned her appointment after 18 years of service. George is semi-retired though he still follows his passion of restoring classic British motor cycles of which he now has as many as fourteen in his personal possession. He revealed that his sons buy him old motor bikes for about 15,000 pounds which sell for as much as 35,000 pounds when restored. Before retirement George had been in the armed forces and then involved with heavy plant shifting for Britain’s sea defences.

The music on the show was nice with latest tracks from Storm Queen, Taylor Swift, Draf-X, Slap D, Miley Cyrus and Chris Brown. My regular ‘pick of the week’ was Future’s ‘Real and True’ featuring Miley Cyrus and Mr Hudson. We closed with Britney Spears’ ‘Perfume’.

We wondered whether George had paid ‘lobola’ to be able to marry Monica and she confirmed that he had – ‘under protest’ – but the amount was not revealed! We also asked whether he had been served the traditional food by Monica’s family that he could expect to eat once they were wed, together with the traditional washing of his hands and feet, and it was confirmed. We laughed when George declared that he could only eat nsima, Zambia’s staple food, when it was ‘treated’ with salt and tomato sauce! Heresy to those Zambians present in the studio! George told listeners he had two sons by previous relationships and Monica two boys and a girl. While they had been in Livingstone they had visited the crocodile park and had taken a game drive in the Mosi-o-Tunya NP as well as going to see the Falls. Monica had been excited to see a giraffe for the first time!

George revealed that his son takes him to watch Arsenal when he’s in London, but as he originated from the north of England he also cares about Leeds United and Manchester United results. He was queried by Milli Jam for such disloyalty to Arsenal! He told listeners that his favourite music is 60’s and that he had recently enjoyed a Rolling Stones concert in Hyde Park, London. Monica said she had no interest in football and when it came to music her taste was gospel music with ‘praise and worship’.

This lovely couple revealed that in ten years’ time George hoped to still be married to Monica, riding motor bikes and eating nsima, Monica that after some years working in UK that they would be happily settled together back in Zambia. We wished them the best of luck!

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