He was one of the most popular voices on radio until December last year when he called time on his seven-year stint at 102.3 Kiss FM where he was presenting The Breakfast Show with Sandrine Isheja Butera. For many of their listeners, it came as a shock while others thought it was a prank. However, 31-year-old Arthur Nkusi, or ‘Rutura’ as some know him, seems to have moved on to other things and is not considering getting back on the airwaves soon. People’s Linda M. Kagire had a chat with him on what he is up to and his aims going forward. Excerpts; Take us through the journey as a radio presenter. Many times I say and think that the media chose me. Growing up, I loved different forms of art and media was never something I thought of until 2012 when KFM, under Nation Media Group, had a spot open and was looking for a drive presenter. I applied, and luckily, my comedic skills came in handy. I was offered the job in the evening drive show called the “Rush Hour with the Double A”. In 2015, when Kiss FM joined the Rwandan market, I made the move to join the family and it was my home until the end of 2021 when I took the decision to take a break from radio. For the seven years I was at Kiss FM, I was fortunate to work on both the evening show with Austin before moving to co-host the morning show with Sandrine. In brief, what was your experience working on radio? Radio is everything to me. It has built me into the person I am today. I have gained skills that I never thought I would need. It has contributed greatly to building my network and it opened doors to so many places. I would also say that radio contributed greatly to the development of the comedy industry, not only through event promotion, but also giving hope to many young aspiring comedians. Through radio I also developed my love for communication and marketing which pushed me to take further classes to sharpen my skills. As you mentioned, at the end of 2021 you decided to end your journey with Kiss FM. What prompted you to do so? That was actually the toughest decision I have had to make. (laughs) 10 years in the media is a long time, and I wanted to stop and breathe. I also wanted to take some time and map out other opportunities, and go back to school to learn new skills. I had also reached a level where I was involved in different business ventures and activities that needed more time and attention. Many people thought you would join another radio station. What are you up to now? I’m currently working as a creative consultant. My areas of expertise are communication, social campaign, marketing, events and art. I am now focusing on equipping and rebuilding my brand. I am still with Arthur Nation (a creative agency) as the creative director and the agency has been quite busy lately with some active projects including the upcoming Seka Live. I am also consulting for different organisations like Purpose PBC on an initiative called Kina Rwanda as the campaign director. And I am currently studying for my Masters in Global Digital Marketing at the University of Essex in the UK. Are you done with radio at this point? For now, I am not on the radio. But you never know where life takes you. You had built the perfect combination with Sandrine Isheja. How did it feel to leave the show? It felt bad to be honest. She and I had a connection that made our conversations flow so easily, and most of the time it did not feel like we were working. That is definitely one of the things that I will miss. Arthur and Sandrine had formed a perfect combination on radio. Nonetheless, we are still friends, I am proud to say that I am the fun uncle to her kids (laughs). She was among the first people I talked to about my decision to take a break from radio. She was prepared for it and was very supportive. Have your fans asked you to go back to the show? When I posted about leaving radio, most of my online friends thought I was joking. I still get messages from them asking me to go back. Even on a post that has nothing to do with radio, I still get emotional and heartfelt comments. I do understand them because it’s a transition that I am also adjusting to. How is life after radio? I am still figuring it out. But I now know how it feels to be free and independent. I have so much flexibility when it comes to planning my day. You seem to be focusing more on events and hosting. How sustainable is this? Hosting events is something that I love and have been doing for many years now. I am now focusing on building my brand and one way I plan on doing that is sharing more highlights and content online. Yes, hosting events can be sustainable, especially now that Rwanda is increasingly becoming a MICE (meeting, incentive, conference or event) destination. It all depends on how well you plan yourself. Have you quit comedy or you want to juggle it with everything else you do, including acting? I can never quit comedy. I just had to first skill myself in other areas before we kick-start comedy events again. I am constantly writing sets. And now as more people get vaccinated, we are hopeful and looking forward to organising one soon. Last year was an eventful year for you. It is the same year you got married. How is married life? I love being married. I married my best friend who knows and understands me and all my visions (laughs). Last year was indeed an eventful year and getting married was the main highlight after being in a relationship with her for seven years. The comedian on his wedding day last year. All photos/Net What do you envision for the future? I have an open mind and I am feeling very excited. All I am doing now is equip, plan and enjoy.
