I will be blunt. If as an artiste you are sharper in thought and idea processing, than your artiste manager, what you have is an Ordinary Assistant. Your artiste manager should be light years ahead of your goals. He or she should be the person who gives your ideas wings. The person who makes things happen. The person who smells out opportunities. The person who realigns your career anytime it seems like it is derailing. Many artistes just have employees who receive salaries from what the artiste's weight can pull. At best, they are just your staff. Don't go about parading anyone as your artiste manager when the person is just an assistant. The artiste manager must be in sync with your dreams and aspirations. He or she must buy into your strengths and fold up his or her sleeves to erase your weaknesses or at best turn them to positives. @soundsultan years back went for a meeting with his artiste manager at Celtel/Zain and a call came in for the Manager. The manager's ring tone was Gongo Aso... of course he was let go. I see many artistes whose careers are in slow mo... and I meet their managers and immediately I know why. I had met one artiste manager once at Muson Center. I asked after his artiste. He said, "Bros, him no dey get show again. I been even wan ask if I fit come work with you." Abeg na new year, make I no come let them sack some people. But let me just say this, when you were employed as a manager of an artiste, you must show how you plan to increase his performance, personality, business network, quality of thought, manage circle of friends, protect Artiste's interests, improve his knowledge of life and society, encourage positive vibes, good PR and maximize potentials... amongst other things. Picking up cheques and ensuring he or she gets his or her fees paid is the least of what you are. An executive assistant can do that... and more. In Nigeria, as the artiste manager you need to be in charge of the creative drive and growth of your artiste. Not to be on the pay roll and be claiming title and flexing swag up and Dan. I don commot

The Book Of Ali