...IT STARTED AS A THOUGHT; NOW A BELIEVE The story of Campus Glitz Magazine in One Year as Narrated by the Raconteur

In a world like ours, education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. That’s why we have beaten our chest to give y’al (at least we are now in campuses across Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon. And if you haven’t seen us yet, no wahala, because the train is not stopping until we have touched every campus in Africa and beyond) a magazine with the aim to avoid blanket reportage of campus issues.

If you have come across September/October 2011 edition of Campus Glitz Magazine, our editorial headline was coined as this: “LET’S TODDLE THROUGH THIS SEMESTER IN BLISS.”  we didn’t waste much time bringing to the notice of the world that we are ONE, thus I thought of what will I write to really show all my readers (JHS, SHS, College of Education friends, Polytechnics friends, University friends, youths across the globe, I almost forgot my big uncles and aunties), that I care. We started the page like this:

“Hello FRIENDS,

It is of my warmest zest I write to y’al once again... LoL, sounds like a love letter.

In my entire years of doing youth publications, I have never been as happy as this moment, taking time to scribble to you, you and you. The simple truth is because we are all alive to witness the progression of that bold step which we took some twelve months ago. Hurray, we are ONE! We appreciate all your prayers, support, encouragement and cuddling smiles.”

We’re very good at drawing friends and foes together so we guessed again that we reminded these friends of how ‘crazy’ we could be not minding our post in the society, as if anybody cares, not funny though; we actually felt like reminding them all of how we would party hard, so we went on with our sweet talks;

“Few months ago it did start as a conception and today, this is where we have gotten thus far. You have been behind us throughout the turbulent days and we sincerely value all those who have come through thin and thick with us. As much as I love telling the next person in another school (be it far or near) about the fun and excitement in your own school, I shall not relent in that evangelism this academic year. Last semester was full of gyration and personally, I love to gyrate as long as it doesn’t hurt. This academic year will surly continue and believe me that I got my dancing shoes ready to rumble.”

We aren’t preachers but we quickly pushed on letting them know that, “… the first two quarters of the year is gone and yet we still have a more prevailing grace to continue with our life, enjoying our swag and dancing our way through stardom like nobody’s business. For the past months of our coming into your lives, we can boldly say that we have touched some lives if not all. We have tried in our possible best to make sure that we cut across all nooks and crannies though we still have more to do. Through the grace of God, we shall never come less than what y’al expect. We believe that this new semester will provide positive recounts and at the end, just as it is at the Bernabeu, ‘impossibility is nothing.’ This edition promises to be another buzzing -keep for a life time- piece. It will make all the girls go gaga and the guys go gugu ‘cos we charily killed it off as Tsutsu eating his fufu.”

Just as every daydream twitches from a mere conception, this’ the story of how what now is Ghana’s Hottest Youth Magazine kicked its butt started. After about one full year of study into the Ghanaian market just to see what it was like to kick what will later gain much competition because as of the time before our coming, not many publications on youth issues were rampant.

We have come this near to all where we saw in that first tinny dream, though it looked blurring but today this is our story of fervency, hope and believe. The journey so far as been somewhat rough, smooth, rough and back to smooth; well what do you expect from a tot trying to gain its first step by being that ‘aggressive’? We have stepped on so many toes, we have eyed so many people, we have come face to face with humiliation, backstabbing, nagging, discouragement, deceit and lies on this short journey, na wa ooo. We have never allowed all those to set us back rather all these have sharpened us to this level we have gotten. Dis journey never even start sef. We have also been stood by, encouraged, assisted and taught what it means to grow from a boy to being a man, no be joke, no be small thing. Our appreciation will never be complete if we don’t call names, besides se police go catch us sey we say, ‘ooooose’ ni!?!

The roll call train will start first to all our advertisers who have associated with us, to those who have deemed it fit to take us as their own. I will beseech to call few names of those we hold high honor; to Joshua Bolatito Olalere & Tope Aileru – they were there and are still here. They have supported this whole vision from the word Jack. Their resources and time can’t be equated to those guidelines we got – in our world; they are ‘special.’ They did what a father will always do to a growing child and that’s give necessary assistance, they did it from thence and are still here for us. Kehinde Adegbola Moruff (who we fondly call ‘Sir K’) has never relented in the dream. He has and still is there as the rock of Gibraltar seeing to it that no plummeting takes place. Na mister nice guy be it in rain or sun. Who will say that the saying ‘friends for life’ isn’t true? Chinika Iwuoha has shown that that phrase is for real. Get close to him and you will hear this, ‘let’s make it happen’, sure we have made this happen through that grace from above. This is a young man who we can’t stop calling his name ‘Cookey’, nothing less than hundred times in a day, so you see what we’re talking about? To Anayo and Don (No Wahala), our moral supporters we cannot but tell the world of their benefits. To Kol-Tek, Mawuena Make Over, Manuel photos, Fabiana photos in the UK and all those who understand that this journey no be one man thing. We cannot finish the script of appreciation without mentioning one certain ‘fair guy’ whose artistic cranium beats our wits. He is a whizz kid. He is part of the family tree. His name is simple. Laak. As we read, we shall keep appreciating all those who have held our hands and showing the beauties of life. Those who have gamboled with us.

When putting this together, we were asked ‘why all this appreciation?’ We responded that paying obeisance to those who truly deserve it is paramount in our tradition - it’s our culture.

Within our first twelve months, we have derelict our rivals, skeptics and yet we will never refuse to be put on the ground, amidst all this, we have also come in contact with new families in the industry, be they budding or seasoned, we have had to do one or two stuffs with Event EXP (we did partnered in the concept 100° Exposure Party at the Cinderella Night Club, the Reloaded version of the same 100° that was a blast at the Boomerang Night Club! We cannot sigh at the mind blowing event we held at the Aphrodisiac Night Club – Popping Champagne event), Optimum Innovations (we cannot forget in a jiffy how the whole Tema metropolis stood agog for what will go down history lane as the Yes We Can concept), Bismarck & Alhassan concepts, Pebble Kubes, and many others that we have given our little ideas on this and that.

We also in our own aptitude have put out events which we have received pats on our backs and this have manifested into firm relationship which we are still benefiting from:

A TIP OF LOVE came on the 14th of February which is a day slated for lovers all over the world, we respected it and yet turned our antenna towards the Osu Children’s Home. This is an Orphanage crossed as ‘dadabi orphanage’, yet we never saw them as that notion, we held an event that drew all the over 300 friends with guardians and teachers alike. We had that full fledge support from Sun Ripe fruit drink and Macedonia never relaxed in preparing all our meals from start to finish. Two months later we decided to put that long idea – FASHION NIGHT OUT, GHANA – into action. It was truly of night we were humbled by the attendance from the fans we never knew they were following. With over forty-five models who graced the run way, with over ten designers from Ghana (Kholyns Contemporary Collections, Dreams by Nana, Zedi & Kross, Original Couture, House of Eccentric, Klekleli, Chapter One, Afri-Ken Novelty among others) and Nigeria (Ambassador Kouture + Ejiro Amos Tafiri). We had a guest list of dignitaries with Kofi Ansah and Allan David all inclusive. It was a night of bliss from our judgment. It was night of encouragement from their judgment. And in totality, it was a night worth being part of. Special thanks to the Temple Social Centre (where we groomed all our models), to Salbani Art World (those guys are something else when runways are mentioned) and Karma Conference Centre (where the night was turned into day of screaming aloud at every swag and gait that strolled past the red carpet).

Now to the next point of call in our activity outline, is the baby we have nurtured thus far – the magazine. We have had different faces graced the cover page from Meg of Accra Poly to Rita of MSO, to Queen of Zenith University, to Maame of Legon and many more who have gone and the lots yet to come. When we are always asked on our choice of using mostly females on our cover pages, the answer is rhetorically simple, ‘se no be ladies dey rule dis world?’ LoL.

Now case open on the associates of the associates we have had to feature in the magazine they have acclaimed as the hottest youth magazine in Ghana campuses; from Zenith University College, UDS, Tamale Campus, UDS, WA Campus, Kumasi Polytechnic, KNUST, University of Ghana, Legon, Methodist University, Valley View University, Pan African University, Winneba, Ghana Telecom University, Cape Coast University, Institute of Professional Studies, Winneba College of Education, Takoradi Polytechnic, Regent University, Wisconsin University College, All Nations University, Koforidua, Winneba University, Catholic University, Suyani, Data Link University, Tema, Knustford, Central University, Jayee University, Accra Poly, University of Ghana Medical School, Sikkim Manipal University, Uni. of Edu. Mampong, Ho Polytechnic, many schools and friends of friends are outta there which we have not forgotten. We wouldn’t have gained access effectively into all these arenas without the supports of all our correspondents thrown wide open in all campuses. We must recount that we almost went blipping but we stood the tides of time. The storm at a point in time almost shook us off our feet but as battle men, we stood and never blinked. Thanks to the abundant grace from the Creator of the Universe. We still dey kampe.

Fast forward your mind to our present state of being, where we are now. We are now being published under a new family, a force to surmise, West Coast Entertainment Ghana Ltd. We have gathered and learnt the rudiments of success and thus we cannot but have new friends, enemies here and there but shall we remain where we are presently? The sky is and has always been the starting point but from our dictionary, cloud nine is the starter. We want to say God has been great and He shall grease that fighting spirit and push us thus further. We are ONE, yes but shall we be like this next additional year to come? Certainly if you know us, you will know that we have more than enough in our bowels to turn poignant atmosphere to bliss. Sure with your push and our guts, the future is certainly positive.

Even though the publishing world is swamped with all sorts of youth publications we pledge to bring education cum entertainment into one fold, edutainment.

Our Pledge:

We pledge to educate as well as entertain you.

We pledge of inspiring rather than imposing.

We pledge of advising rather than dictating.

We pledge of touching lives through love.

We pledge of portraying our abundant youthful values rather than cheapen it.