Kutlwano Magazine

Marraiage shapes Ntsoro

Source : Kutlwano

Author : Pako Lebanna

Location : Gaborone

Event : Interview

As we enter a home in a prime area of the capital city, an area a particular generation ofGaboronedwellerswould refer to as “Tshaba Ntsa” (Beware of the Dog) because of the signage at the gate, we locate our subject, relaxing with fellow industry player Shanti Lo and two other friends.We are ushered into the living room, where we settle and admire the lovely décor, including the family pictures that adorn the smartly organised home of the national star while he bids his guests adieu. The last time Kutlwano visited Joel Keitumele, aka “Ntsoro” to his legion of fans, was around the time of his wedding a couple of years ago. Since then, says Joel, his marital life has been going on well.

“I haveahappyfamilylife,”hesays. Back then I already had a child, Katlo, a girl, and now I have an eight-month old boy, Tlotso,” he says with a broad smile.

Unlike back then, Ntsoro says marriage has had a positive effect on him. His life is nowmorefocused. Hiswife, Amogelang, helps to organise his finances, and manages his life a lot better.

“There were times when I would be the master of ceremonies at a function, earn P5000 and then call a friend of mine like Vee and we would go and blow this money in one sitting, or even end up in Johannesburg or Francistown,” recalls Joel while bursting out laughing.

Now that he has a family, responsibilities have developed and he credits his wife for his. “If I make P8000 from a function, she helps to organise a budget so that we spend on things that we really need for the family. I am not able to spend more on myself, things I really need, as opposed to just splashing it out there with the boys,” he says.

He says it helps that he now has a “Finance Manager” in the form of his wife, who has made him get that focus he needed.

Apart from having a more organised outlook and carving out a better life for his family, he feels that in life greater blessings are bestowed upon those who have tied the knot, and live in holy matrimony.

He says that he feels God blesses one within marriage, and while one could acquire blessings outside the institution, a union that undertakes the responsibility of building a home is likely to be blessed more.

The energetic Joel, who burst into local popular culture as a presenter of Melodi ya Kgalalelo and as a gospel singer says his marriage is sustained by his Christian beliefs.

“There have been challenges within my marriage,” he says. “But what has helped is that I want to do something mature, I am waiting for the next offer but I want to see myself doing a mature programme, something along the lines of Molemo wa Kgang, which reaches out to a more grown-up audience.

I am a church person,” he says standing up to pull out a few Christian DVDs from one of his drawers, with titles such as Celebrating Marriage by TD Jakes, as well as others by TB Joshua besides other leading international preachers.

He continues to serve the ministry through music, as he is set to go to Stockholm, Sweden this year with the group Jam in Christ.

Life After Mokaragana

Meanwhile, there is no doubt that the country’s bourgeoning entertainment industry has produced many entertainers over the past decade but very few have had the sort of impact that Joel has had especially during his time at Mokaragana.

Saturday evenings many Batswana gather around their television sets to watch Mokaragana, a Botswana Television (Btv) show that for over a decade has enthralled many with charismatic presenters such as Miso “Mega V” Mmereki, and of course the bubbly personality that is Ntsoro.

Now, that he has finally left the how, and though his immediate past replacement, stage actor Gabriel Modise has proved to be a good replacement, maintaining the energy that harks back to the Mmereki era, there will still be many loyal fans who will miss Ntsoro.

This is because of his particular panache, the particular charisma that he brought to 2K the show.

K“I had really enjoyed myself presenting Mokaragana,” Ntsoro tells Kutlwano, reclining on a comfortable sofa at his house, in a prime area of Gaborone, just behind Gaborone Secondary School (GSS) but close to Princess Marina Hospital.

“After many years of doing the show, there came a time when I felt I needed to do something more mature. IwrotealettertoBtv,aroundJuneorJuly 2011,askingtoleave. TheyrequestedthatIstay on until the end of the year, so that a replacement could be sought and I could help mentor him, and on December 31, when I did the Booster Bash, that was my last show,” he reveals. He mentions that though some of the programmes he had recorded towards the end of 2011 were aired in the new year, he had severed ties with the programme by year end, and 2012 was always about turning a new leaf, a new chapter in his life.

“Iwanttodosomethingmature,I am waiting for the next offer but Iwant to see myself doing a mature programme, something along the lines of Molemo wa Kgang, which reaches out to a more grown-up audience,” quips Ntsoro.

In the meantime, Ntsoro plans to continue with his business - producing films and marketing them, as well as running his music business of managing artists.

“I own a company, Rhythmic Harmony, which does films and has produced the likes of O bone o ja Sereto, and we have sold some of our products to Mzansi Magic (DStv channel 107),” the bubbly personality recounts.

They also produce music artists and are busy working on 2012 productions.

Glowing, with the radiant smile so familiar to Batswana, Ntsoro says his company has worked in tandem with Dargie Digital Studios (DDS), and they are busy marketing their business in Botswana and South Africa.

“We have sold some projects to Btv, we had come up with five programmes, a magazine, comedies/sitcoms, drama and a ocumentary,” the animated Ntsoro notes. However, he still has a passion for doing a talk show, which he says is in line with his true vocation. “I am a social worker, that is what I studied at university.

I did a course in Adult Education, and I want to be involved in educative programmes. Since graduating I have not done anything in line with my studies, and that is why I have an ambition of hosting a programme similar to Sedibeng and Molemo wa Kgang,” opines Ntsoro.

In the meantime, he works with his fellow director at Rhythmic Harmony, Batho Matlhaku, in producing television adverts, radio jingles, and engaging in the official launch of products for the likes of Barclays Bank, Orange and Choppies stores. Healsohashishandsfulltryingtoraiseafamily.

With a mother from Shoshong who was married into the Keitumele family at Kanye, raised mostly in Ramotswa and earlier on in Broadhurst, Gaborone neighbourhoods of

Tsholofelo and Segoditshane, Ntsoro has travelled places, both in the literal and metaphorical senses.

His father bought him a piano from an early age, and his mother supported him throughout the time he was a part of the Reetsanang drama group. Nowthatheisafamily man himself, he sees an opportunity to give support to his offspring.

As we leave his residence, Ntsoro’s mother has just made way with her grandson returning to Kanye where they reside. Meanwhile, the multifaceted star takes his wife and daughter out to their swimming pool, and they make a lovely picture as family at home, while we make our way on a cloudy, Gaborone day.