The Maninga Experience

Alberto Maninga

Meet Alberto Maninga (above), manager of Baobab Communications in Livingstone, and guest on the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Jay Hillz. The Experience is the weekly radio show sponsored by Chanters Lodge, airing at 20.30 hrs CAT for an hour every Sunday night on Zambezi 94.1 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station. The show is a lively mixture of latest international and Zambian music, combined with chat with our guest of the week.

Milli Jam wanted to know how business levels were at Baobab’s internet cafe and Alberto told listeners that times were tough. The fact of more and more Zambians owning smart phones and therefore having less need of desk top internet facilities had taken its toll. However, the cafe was also the Livingstone agent for Coppernet, one of Zambia’s biggest internet service providers, so income was generated from that source. They also provide printing and photocopying services but the company was looking to diversify. Alberto had been in charge for the past few years.

Alberto told listeners that he had started in business as a cross border trader and in the days of Zambia Airways, Zambia’s national airline, wound up in 1992, had travelled world wide buying and selling. This had led him to England where he had spent some twenty years in various jobs and enjoying further education particularly in IT. Asked why he had decided to return to Zambia he said that the lure of ‘home’ had been too strong to resist. Although he hailed from Livingstone, his father had been a police officer so he had ended up being educated at various different schools across the country.

The music on the show was great. We opened with latest tracks from Wiz Khalifa and Omi. Milli Jam dropped tracks from Afunika, Nicki Minaj, Flo Rida and Macky 2. Our pick of the week was Sia’s ‘Big Girls Cry’ and we closed with ‘Can’t Stop Playing (Makes Me High) (Oliver Heldens Remix) (feat. Ane Brun)’ by Dr. Kucho! & Gregor Salto. There’s a mouthful! Alberto said his favourite music genres were country as well as rock and roll. Hhis favourite band? U2.

Even before he had gone to England to live, Alberto had been an Arsenal fan and had really enjoyed Saturday afternoons standing on the North Bank, Highbury supporting his team! Brought back memories for yours truly! His favourite all time players Dennis Bergkamp and Ian Wright – take your pick. His favourite current star? Alexis.

Asked where he would like to be and what he would like to be doing ten years’ from now he said he wanted to be a farmer with milking cattle and rabbits. We wished him the best of luck and thanked him for coming on our show.

 

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