Nigerian Event Host and Wedding MC, Derekumor Ebiaremene Claude, popularly known as Shadow_mcfr has expressed his disappointment in the way some friends take advantage of his craft (business).
In an interview with CONVERSEER on Tuesday, February 14, 2023, Shadow_mcfr lamented the rate at which his supposed friends prefer paying outsiders for the job done but would rather want him to do the same job or even more for free – without considering the value he brings to their events.
“I’ve made a lot of sacrifices for a lot of friends on their special days, some during corporate events hosting, all for free. Why? Because they feel you owe them that favour (because they knew you before you got to the limelight), so, they see it as a privilege, meanwhile, I am going down as a business personality.
“I recall one time I had the offer to host the wedding ceremony of a very prominent youth in Lagos State, Nigeria which was a 7 figure deal but I had to turn it down just because a very close friend was getting married on the same day – and if I didn’t make it, it would have resulted to a saga between us. Mind you, at that point in time, I really needed the money because my house rent was due, and trust me, it was one of the most difficult decisions I’ve ever made in my career and from that day, I told myself that I was never going to host any event for free”, Shadow_mcfr said.
The Event Host and Wedding MC further added that people should learn to appreciate and support their friends in the entertainment industry rather than put them through difficult situations for their selfish interests.
READ ALSO | Ekpei Ukam Bags United Nations Peace Award
Speaking about his plans for the year 2023, he said “This year, we are looking forward to hosting more events and making more impact in the entertainment industry than we did last year. Last year (2022), I hosted over 40 events which includes Social and Corporate events, so, this year is probably going to be 80. LOL”.
When asked about the Abuja wedding Industry, he said “I’m really proud of how the wedding industry here has become, from the planning companies to the DJs, MCs, Lighting companies, Decorators, Hype men – everyone is putting in so much work to make sure the industry is very attractive for investors and stakeholders”.
CONVERSEER learned that Shadow_mcfr’s rise to prominence in event hosting began while he was an undergraduate at the prestigious Novena University. That helped him to become a household name by the time he graduated from the university. Over the years, he has hosted more than 200 events across Nigeria.
Shadow_mcfr hosts corporate events and weddings, serving a clientele based exclusively to the elites. He has showcased his talent in over 20 states of the federation and hopes to cover the entire country.