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Bradleys Events & Decor profile

BRADLEYS Events & Decor is a full function décor company that provides function/event decor services, party hiring and set up. The company has been formed against a backdrop of the vast experience and desire to provide excellent services for events and function décor in Zambia.

BRADLEYS Events & Decor is the fastest growing function décor specialist Company in the country. We pay particular attention to detail from conceptualizing, designing and setting up of any sort of function: birthdays, corporate, weddings, bridal showers, kitchen parties, product launches or any type of event that needs exquisite décor solutions.

BRADLEYS Events & Decor has done notable functions such as the wedding for Zambia national football team footballer, Felix Katongo and TV presenter, Mwaka Nakweti. We have also worked with MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya.

We have also done decor for TV Advertisements and programmes.

We aim to be the leading events and function décor company in Zambia

Mr Vezzy's new video

Immabadboy Part1 - Mr Vezzy Feat. Nox

LULU HAANGALA – MY PREGNANCY WAS MY BIGGEST CHALLENGE

LULU

 As I write this article, I have never physically met Lulu Haangala. Infact I will only be meeting her for the very first time this evening when we meet to discuss a TV project that we plan to launch. 

However, thanks to social networking sites, I have known Lulu for almost two years now. Unlike most media personalities that I know, she actually strikes me as an intelligent, well educated and humble person. She has it all and can easily flaunt it, but Lulu believes otherwise and prefers to be the ordinary, grounded girl

I had a question and answer session with her on BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) and for some reason I freakishly deleted the chat. When I told her what happened, she was more than willing to do the interview again and nonchalantly went out of her way to give it to me. 

 Luyando Haangala, popularly known as Lulu, is the first born daughter in a family of four. She is a well known TV personality and is currently working as a consultant for a bank in Lusaka.

“I come from a closely knit family of four and I am the first born. My siblings are really my friends and the whole family support and encourage me. My young brother, David, is my financial adviser”, says Lulu.

She attributes her grounded lifestyle to the norms and values inculcated into her by her parents.

“My mum and dad are a great inspiration to me and have done a lot to shape me into the person I am today”.

She says she is a woman with a goal to make a difference on the Zambian media scene.

“I come alive in front of the camera. I call TV my playground; it’s where I have fun”.

Lulu did two years of her primary education in Zambia the rest of it, including secondary education, was done in Zimbabwe.

“I have a BA Communications/Business degree from Heidelberg in Cape Town”

She also has a certificate in diplomatic practice, protocol and international relations from the Zambian Institute of Diplomacy.

Lulu was mainly raised in neighboring Zimbabwe. She was a bit adventurous and had a stint at Baraton University in Kenya where she did her first year of University. This, however, did not work well and she instead relocated to Cape Town, South Africa, where she studied for 4 years.

One would think Lulu had it all rosy as she lived outside Zambia most of the time but that’s not true. It would shock many but her first job was being a maid for some white missionaries at Mwami Hospital in Chipata.

“As the first born my parents instilled the working rule quite early for me. My first job I worked as a cleaner for pocket money for some missionaries at Mwami Hospital. They later promoted me to work in the A.D.R.A (Adventist disaster Relief Agency) office at the hospital. I did so well that they sponsored my first year of high school”.

Lulu also tried a number of income generating projects whilst at school. She ran a hair Salon in her university room, worked as a student librarian, student English tutor and was also a production assistant for the Hope channel.

It’s only after her graduation that she heard MUVI TV was looking for a team to start Zed kids News. She made an application and subsequently got the job.

Her family, to a very large extent, inspired her to pursue a career in the communications field. Most of her family members are in the Zambian media industry and some of them are notable politicians and musicians. More still, her father holds a Masters degree in Media.

“My family greatly inspired my love for the media field. My grandfathers, Mainza Chona and Mark Chona, were in politics, DJ Luchi (cousin) is on Radio phoenix , the late Flava FM DJ Brian Haangala and late musician, Smokey Haangala, was my uncles. My other uncle, Swithin Haangala owns Zambezi Radio station in Livingstone”.

Lulu says she always thought she would end up in front of the camera inspite of the fact that she can be quite shy.

“One of my lecturers in the fourth year told me I was made to be in front of a camera and so I tried it and never looked back . Once I knew where I was headed I did an internship with Hope channel and that gave me a great jumpstart into the industry”

Her biggest challenge was falling pregnant outside wedlock. It impacted her career and family lifestyle. She credits her family for being supportive and helping her pull through this turbulent period.

“My family did not reject me at all, they were very supportive. It was just the backlash. Dads a pastor so of course church members were talking. With my career and being in the limelight, people thought I was a teenager because of the kid shows I presented so you would find someone stopping me I public to give me a lecture. At that time my family lived out of town and I lived on my own. My mom moved to Lusaka to live with me and that gave me the confidence to venture out of the house”.

She says her employers, MUVI TV, were also very supportive and contrary to many rumors, she was not dismissed but made a personal decision to step aside from the cameras and the limelight until she gave birth.

“I was with MUVI for a whole year after I gave birth. I felt I needed to grow more in my field which is media and corporate communication, an opportunity came my way and I grabbed it. I left MUVI on good terms and that’s why they can call me back to do work for them. I have big dreams and I had to keep on moving”.

Lulu believes to be an exemplary success you need to be focused and have a well articulated plan for your life. She strongly believes that you need to know where you are going and not settle for mediocrity.

“ You need to stay principled because when you start to compromise you end up making wrong choices like I did. Now for those that end up in my shoes, it’s not the end of the road. God is amazing, he picks you up and turns what others may see as a curse into a blessing”.

She has learnt to surround herself with only people that truly matter and add value to her life.

“I hang around those that have my best interests at heart like my friends, my family, and Nzwisisa my man. He brings out the best in me”.

She says she is never bothered by rumors that usually do the rounds. She instead opts to lead a low profile lifestyle which revolves around her daughter, Asante, her man, family, few close friends and church.

Lulu doing a sound check at the Royal Livingstone

Currently she is a communications consultant for a bank in Lusaka and has just signed a deal with MUVI TV and AFRICA UNITE. 

She will be back on air in February.

Something that most people don’t know is Lulu is a very gifted singer.

“I plan to do a lot of singing this year (yes I sing), I did a gig at Royal Livingstone over Christmas with Blessington Malenga. I am also considering a radio gig so watch out”.

I have come across a number of young Zambians in the limelight and I can confidently state that Lulu definitely stands out from the crowd. She gives credence to the fact that we can all make mistakes but we certainly do have the opportunity to rectify our errors and lead an inspirational lifestyle. She defies the belief that life in the media is all about booze and partying. 

There is no reason that will definitely hinder lulu Haangala from riding the waves of success.

BRADLEY'S EVENTS FUNCTIONS

Have a look at some of the functions we have recently had below:

For bookings contact Bradley on 0978859911 or email bradleychingobe@yahoo.co.uk

HOT FM DJ "SOOSH MATIX" DIES IN CAR CRASH

Soosh Matix

Young and talented Hot FM DJ, Soosh Matix, real name Tendai Maswiswi died this morning in a tragic car crash.

Soosh, who fondly referred to himself as the baddest boy on radio, was a hip hop artist/producer/writer/radio dj with extensive experience in production.

Originally from Zimbabwe, Soosh was part of a Zimbabwean hip hop collective for about 8 years before he moved to Zambia to pursue a career in Radio Presentation.

Soosh was based in Lusaka and had a stint in the Copperbelt where he was working for YAR 89.8 fm, another private radio station in Kitwe.

At the time of his death , Soosh was working on a solo project titled The Unwritten Testament. He had released  two singles, "Close Your Eyez" and "Move Back".

Its evident that Soosh Matix was not only young and gifted but that he had a big bundle of creativity waiting to be unleashed. May his dearly departed soul rest in eternal peace.

Click the links below to view and listen to some of Soosh's works.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mCML4OMlVE

http://www.reverbnation.com/sooshmatix

Click on the link to Watch Mr Vezzys new video "Immabadboy"

Mr Vezzy feat Nox - Immabadboy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzTKS61OV3k

FELIX KATONGO WEDS MWAKA NAKWETI

The hightable

Last month, my company Chiku Events & Decor had the pleasure to decorate and setup Zambia national soccer team footballer Felix Katongo and former MUVI TV presenter, Mwaka Nakweti.

The glitzy wedding was held at Pamopdzi Hotel in Lusaka and was attended by over 200 guests.

The colour scheme was apple green and white. The centerpieces were a mixture of silver candalabra with floral arrangements and trumpet glass vases.

We would like to congratulate Mr & Mrs Katongo on their wedding and wish them all the best in their union.

GESH GROOVE - ZAMBIA'S FINEST!!!!!!

 I first encountered Gesh Groove at Fairmount nightclub in Livingstone in the late 90’s. I was a very young and budding Fairmount Nightclub resident DJ then. We had been looking forward to having Gesh as our guest DJ because of his reputation on the turntables.

I vividly recall how my co-DJ and friend Milli Jam, Milimo Mudaala, and I were excited when we heard Gesh would play with us coz we had heard so much about his skill on turntables. 

We held a DJ who could spin vinyl’s in very high esteem and at that time Zambia had very few DJs who could mix records. Most DJs preferred the easy option, playing CDs.

Sadly, even though Gesh came with some vinyl’s, he for some reason opted to play CDs. He, as usual, sent the packed dance floor into a hypnotic dance frenzy. I remember he did it so passionately and with so much ease.

Despite not playing the records (vinyl’s) I cannot forget how hard he made it for us to play after his set. Appeasing a crowd after Gesh has played is never an easy task for any DJ; he is simply a celestial act.

Chishala Chitoshi, popularly known as Gesh Groove, had a very well-heeled upbringing whereas he acquired most of his education from abroad.

“Fortunately my pre teen years were very good. My parents really looked after us very well. I was sent to a boarding school abroad”, says Gesh Groove.

He, however, did not have it all rosy as the adversities of boarding school had their toll on him. 

“It was tough in the first year because in those days bullying was rife everywhere. The positive aspect of boarding school was that it taught me how to be independent at an early stage. This is something that has served me well through the years”, he said.

Gesh did his first half of primary school in the UK; he finished upper primary school at Itawa primary school. This was when his family moved back to Zambia from the UK. 

He further went on and did his secondary school in Botswana. He then did his college and university in the UK.

In the first two years of secondary school, Gesh was part of the “Nerd Herds”. A nerd is an anti societal person who devotes his or her time to technical or scientific endeavors instead of socializing with other people. A total contrast of who he is today.

“Gaining acceptance from the cooler kids was hard. We learnt to stick to our own kind and find other interesting things to do. This is how I fell in love with music”. 

Like any other person Gesh has had subdued moments in his life. He says the death of two of his family members had really affected him but thanks to a good support network, he managed to talk it through.

His father’s death, while he was in his second year at Law school in the UK, is the hardest thing he has had to face.

“I never got to mourn when I came back home because I had to be his pillar, being the first born. It hit me only a month later when I was back at school and almost had a breakdown. I worried about the finances and my family’s well being at home.” 

This did not hold him down. Instead of worrying constantly he instead became more determined to graduate so that he could take care of his family.

After self taught DJing lessons, he started moonlighting as a DJ to earn extra cash. He later became the school DJ. He subsequently lost his geeky look and was transformed into the Gesh Groove we have now come to know.

Gesh is a qualified and practicing lawyer. He practicised as a full time lawyer for seven years and then took some time off to concentrate on other activities.

“I never left the profession; I just took the back seat to pursue other interests. I am still a member of LAZ”.

Gesh Groove has presented shows on Radio phoenix, has been a Big Brother Africa TV presenter, has been field presenter for Studio 53 and directs and produces stories for Mnet.

As if this is not enough, he owns Flava FM radio, which employs 19 people on a permanent basis, and hosts the breakfast slot. The radio station has been in existence for the past three years.

He says Djing can be rewarding and can prove otherwise to others. He says it’s up to the individuals set objectives to make it work.

“It takes a lot of work, planning and focus to attain respectable measures of success. Some people fail because they into it for wrong reasons. I got into DJing coz I loved music, the passion for pleasing a crowd. It wasn’t for money. I only took it seriously as a business after a couple of years and even then I had to plan, invest in equipment, train other DJs to work for me etc…”

Gesh lamented the fact that he is not really appreciated in Zambia as he is in other countries.

“I am better appreciated and respected on stages in the US, UK, Australia, SA and Botswana. In Zambia am expected to DJ for next to nothing. Funny thing is that if my business fails, the same Zambians that refuse to pay what am worth will be the same ones laughing at my failure.”

 

Gesh says this is likely to be his last year on radio. He feels its time to empower the younger ones and give them a chance. He says he would prefer to take the back seat and work on company policy and strategies. He is setting his eyes on bigger things.

“Maybe (I will start) a TV station. You never know, I do want to quietly fade into obscurity and be there to pass on what I have learnt”.

For a man like Gesh Groove you never know what he has in store, all we can do is wait and see…..

 

GOVT TO BLAME FOR BAROSTE CHAOS

The recent activities in western province concerning the Baroste agreement of 1964 raises on a lot of concerns on the The Zed Verses.

President Rupiah Banda

We feel this situation shouldn’t have generated to this extent and to a large extent government is to blame for failing to bring the concerned parties to a round table.

The Rupiah Banda administration has certainly not treated this sensitive matter with the urgency it deserves. We state so because if they meant well they wouldn’t have opted to send armed police to quell the situation but rather use the dialogue mechanisms at governments’ disposal to restore order in the province.

They should have at least identified the leaders of the pressure groups, Barotse patriotic front and Black Bulls, and at least give them an ear so as to hear their demands.

What is government avoiding by suggesting that they can only meet the Baroste Royal Establishment to discuss the matter?

It’s not a hidden secret that the Litunga has been accused of misleading the British over the signing of this agreement and thus his position on the matter has been question by his subjects. There is reason to believe that his popularity is dwindling and thus govt should try to listen to these other groups involved.

It’s sad that lives were lost in the process. It’s not acceptable by any means that police had to use brutal force and live ammunition against defenseless citizens.

We urge the government to meet all the interested parties and reach an amicable decision to avert any future crisis. One Zambia One Nation!