FIFI FOLSON

Hi for those of you who have been wanting to know more about me..And how I got to THIS LEVEL here we go. If u don’t have 5hours to spare don’t even start reading…lol.
I was Born on the 21st of May 1982 ooops so now u know my age. lol it was a FRIDAY.I was given the name Kofi Folson. Yeah that was to be MY English name. Hahaha but traditionally being a Fante from Elimina (where the white men first settled when they came to the Gold Coast (Ghana) I was given the local name for a boy born on Friday – FIFI. Hence, the name FIFI FOLSON. Wow isn’t that name ROMANTIC…its so BEAUTIFUL and catchy TRUE OR CORRECT? lol
After Primary and Junior High School education at FIELD ENGINEERS,I went to ADISADEL COLLEGE in Cape Coat..the Best College in Ghana..U should see that school. Don’t know whatwould have happened to me if I didn’t go there .Thank God I am a SANTACLAUSIAN..period. So from there I went to Ghana Institute of Journalism and then to United Artist Training School where I learnt a little bit of acting and so much of Media.. Infact, that was where I got the strongest passion to do radio.
All along in life, I loved to talk, read and write so all my friends knew I was going to end up writing reports for maybe the print/electronic media or become a preacher…lol but deep down my heart I wanted to become a Graphic designer or an Engineer..Hhahaha. Isn’t this amazing?
I was born a shy guy but with time I built my confidence in Church, you know singing in the Choir and dancing in front of the ‘I AM TOO GENTLE 4 JESUS FOLKS’
Right after my 1 and a half year studies at U.A.T.S., I started looking for work…hmmm it just wasn’t easy..I started with wanting to write reports for the print media but all attempts proved futile…In fact, along the line I abandoned my dream of getting into the media to become a sales man at Forewin Ghana Ltd. and that was for almost a year. One day at Okaishie market- one of the Biggest if not the Biggest Market place- in Accra Central, I met a colleague ’s mother who advised me not to kill my dreams of wanting to work in the media to follow money….(oh boy those days the money was good….that was when I first bought a mobile fon..hahahaha! the chip was around 45gh cedis how much is it now?)lol

Heading to the lady’s advice, I took my future ambitions to God in prayer..if I say prayer I mean real prayers with fasting …those were the days I used to tell God that, DADDY, if you really want me to work with the media then please show me a sign before I turn 24 years. Around that time I wasn’t too sure of what I wanted to do whether to write stories or reports or to be an on air personality.
One day at Church, My Pastor sent for me and said that he wanted me to manage his INTERNET CAFE because of the knowledge he has heard I had in computers!!! wow that was a miracle..It meant I was going to get the chance to browse for free and get paid in the end..lol Now that was the turning point in my life. Bless u Bishop Bart Plange.
Around this time I had started following gospel music, you know, going to find lyrics of songs and getting to know the artistes better. Of course all this while I wasn’t too sure which path in the media I was taking, BUT one day..Yes one day, I believe God just directed me to the right place; it was a website. Guess! its www.pauldenton.co.uk- wow this is where I got convinced that God wanted me to do radio…the website taught me a lot about radio, u know the jargons, the things Presenters must do and not do and most importantly how to do a demo..sounds like how to prepare a cv huh!!!lol this really got me to decide that hey i’M GONNA DO RADIO come what may. That evening I went for an alnight service and all I said was God, I thank you that you have made me discover what I want to do but please in about 6 months, I will be 24 years so kindly order my steps to get there quick or that will mean you didn’t purpose for me to be there.
As if I had received some divine grace, by this time I had learnt how to download music and how to even present a radio show. My Pastor had a studio for recording messages for radio and around the same time had decided to teach me how to record his messages on tape for radio broadcast because he was travelling abroad. Praise God this was indeed the Lord’s doing….whiles away, I decided to go do the recordings in the evening after closing from the cafe and one EVENING I discovered something that has blessed me till today. I discovered that I could play music, talk over it like a radio presenter and record it at the same time. May God forgive me? This was the time I started stealing my Pastor’s audio tapes for my personal use..some one please remind me to go and replace them because I never did…well he never asked…(BUT I’VE CONFESSED)SO THANK GOD..lol.
I remember that the cafe closed at 9pm so sometimes I could stay in my Pastor studio recording my own stuffs till dawn, hmm it wasn’t easy but it was worth it..a couple of times all I did was crap..I just wasted the tapes…hmmm I also quite remember we had alnights in Church every Monday and being a Monday prayer warrior I’d make my prayer partners listen to some of the recordings I had done..some didn’t believe I did them but I guess most were impressed and supported me in prayers but of cause some also threatened to report me to Pastor because they knew his studio was a no go area..hahahah.

Thank you then Rita Yarteley Anann (Now Mrs Apentsui of Acs, Pastor Courage Torkonoo, Bro Kwabena Frimpong, Sister Mabel, Mr Annan, Bro Abaya etc..wow little did we all know that was the beginning for me, hmmm do u guys remember how I could just decree and declare that one day I was going to be seated behind the console at Sunnyfm and present a programme..Yeah! Sunnyfm was and is still my favourite station. Most of the songs that I used for my late night recordings were from the overnight log..hmmm the music flow was just on point.
With about 4 months to my 24th birthday, I had started listening to different radio stations and picking up so many things..I mean the flow of some great presenters lyrically and musically..right from morning show to brunch and the drive time…I imagined that it was going to be difficult for me to go replace a presenter since I was made to believe that most stations had a tall list of great presenters who were always available to sit in for others who couldn’t make it to work any day. Based on this, I started preparing for my own show.I remember I wanted it to be called ‘DIVINE TIME OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP WITH FIFI FOLSON’hmm how does it sound..would u have tuned in to listen during Sundays? lol
Talk of my wanna be show reminds me of my first experience on radio..yeah I spoke on radio live..and this was because CDQ, the then Host of SPICES of life had mentioned on the show that she wanted 5 studio guests to join her the following week just to talk about some of God’s creation that makes u wanna say wow when u think about them. Amazingly I couldn’t send my mail on Saturday because then, the net was down in the whole area, guess it was dial up everywhere..lol I was able to send my mail on Sunday and amazingly I was selected.
So was in the studio to talk abt it and guess my 2 points were about how the thumb print is so unique to everyone and how mothers are able to give birth to children who eventually grow bigger than them sometimes. Infact, this was my 1st day on radio and guess what, I did some free style rhyming to the surprise of all especially CDQ. U wanna know what I said? Hope I still remember. Guess what I said..Keep Listening to the Only STATION in the NATION with a VISION and Mission of winning souls or so. Well it was something to that effect and guess what, CDQ asked me to repeat it. After the show I asked her to teach me some of the uses of the machines and equipments in the studio.
Before I left I told her with all confidence that In the Name of Jesus I will work at Sunnyfm one day…guess she thought I was joking. After some years, she returned from a trip and when she got to the studio there I was after some years presenting the Sunset drive. She was so surprised that, she said, indeed this guy practically spoke his way here by Faith, Hallelujah!
By God’s grace, after my experience on radio, I met a friend by name J-BLIZZ who had a small interesting studio in his house. He was the one who helped me to do my 1st radio demo..wow something amazing happened that day and guess what? That contributed to my coming thus far in the industry. Right there in the recording booth I guess I made a mistake with pronouncing the name of the artist who did the song I was going to play, I quickly corrected myself and said the right name..
I was hoping he was going to ask me to redo it but he rather kept it and mixed it down for the final work.. When I asked why he did that, he simply said..well keep it and let them know you are human and capable of making mistakes but also know how to correct yourself and move on..wow!! Who would want to take a jingle with a mistake to a radio station to look for a job..(since its pre-recorded, it must always be perfect right? Well mine wasn’t, but scored me some points.

By the special help of my friend Nana Kwadwo Prempeh..my demo cd got to the Programmes Manager at Sunnyfm K.O.J.O. I was told in advance that he didn’t really have time listening to demos because there wasn’t any vacancy at the station. But..somebody say BUT….He managed to listen to mine and I understand said..it wasn’t bad and that I had to work on my voice. Was he surprised I sent a demo with a (GBASHMENT) mistake? Hahaah I bet he was and what did he say…I think I must go ask him again.lol Yes that Demo found its way to Sunnyfm but didn’t guarantee a way for me on the airwaves, did I give up…Nope!!! I prayed more and sharpened my skills alongside also reminding God that I had about 2 and a half months to my 24th Birthday so if he really wants me to be on radio then he should help me out.
After about a month and a half of waiting patiently on God I got a call from Sunnyfm requesting that I should come over and pick a form for a talent haunt competition that the station was running. Initially I hesitated because I thought to myself, what if I don’t win…it means I won’t get a chance of working with the station ever again. But I believe His Excellency the Holy Spirit spoke to me so I got the form, rehearsed very well on how to sign in, come in after a commercial break and sign out, as was going to be the format of the competition. I was in the group of those who WANTED to host the evening drive.
On the day of the competition, when I got to the studio I realized that none of those in my group wanted to begin so with some confidence I went forth, started with a joke and immediately I got K.O.J.O Laughing. I knew I had started well..I did my best that day but unfortunately I didn’t get enough votes to push me to the semi finals.
The results came in on Monday, though the competition was on Friday..U can imagine what I went through over the weekend..Unfortunately, I didn’t qualify by votes so it meant I had lost out on the competition but guess what immediately after the results were announced, Kojo came to say that well for the 1st time in the competition, the in-house judges wanted to add their voice. I remember it was the Choir Master Eugene Arthur-Sam who came in to say that……. Yes Fifi didn’t qualify by votes but he gave an excellent delivery so they were going to promote me to the semi-finals. Wow u should have seen how I was jumping up and down in the house.
I went for the semi-finals and guess what I started with a joke again..gave my best and I signed out with my best rhymn ever…it took me 2 months to put that together that is “MAY GOD’S GRACE SEE YOU THROUGH EVERY LIVES RACE WITH AN EXTRA PACE THAT NO ENEMY CAN CHASE…” Till now that’s my sign out message. Right after the competition the phone lines were activated and guess what out of about 15 people who called, everyone said ”we want Fifi, we want Fifi..,………..
The finals was held on Friday and once I was part of the 3 who qualified for the finals, it meant I was going to be a part of those who were going to be trained and probably hired by the station after 6 months. It was a Friday and guess what? We were about to leave the station to our homes so we come in to start work on Monday and check out what happened.!!!.

We met Mr Eshun, the General Manager of the Station at the forecourt of the station and immediately he saw us he asked, “Are you the guys who qualified to do the sunset drive.” …we said yes and he asked? “Can u start today”… quickly I said yes (in case my friend was going to say other-wises).
All Glory to God so you see it was a Friday with a great testimony, it was the 19th of May 2007 check this out ( my 24th birthday was going to be on Sunday) so if i had started work on Monday..it would mean God put me on radio after I was 24 years but guess what????? HE showed me that He was God and God alone,,,2 days to my 24th birthday, quite unusual…I hosted the Sunset Drive and till date I’m still the driver…
In 2011, I won the BEST GOSPEL RADIO SHOW HOST in the 1st ever RADIO TELEVISION PERSONALITY AWARD GHANA.(RTP AWARDS).
In the same year, I got nominated for the BEST GOSPEL RADIO PRESENTER in the AGMA AWARDS in UK(Africa Gospel Music Awards).
I now host THE NUMBER 1 CHRISTIAN ENTERTAINMENT SHOW ON TV..its known as FOOTPRINT TV.
I also have a company known as Kristo-centric Entertainment and currently working on the Next Generation Gospel Ministers Project.We successfully organized Celebration of GRACE concert where Proceeds went into Youth Evangelism and then CELEBRATION OF LOVE CONCERT with proceeds going to throw a party for the Teshie Orphanage..