Pombili bids ‘Whatagwan’ farewell

“I FEEL like I’ve outgrown the show. It’s been seven years and now I would like to see what someone else has to offer,” said Pombili Shilongo on her decision to step away from presenting the popular NBC TV show ‘Whatagwan’.

Having watched her grow and blossom on screen, it was a bittersweet moment for viewers recently when the bubbly TV personality said her final goodbyes to the show that made her a household name.

“I feel like most Namibians look at me like a member of their families because they have seen me grow up with them. This is an amazing feeling,” she said of the recognition she has received over the years.

Shilongo joined the national broadcaster as a presenter at the age of 19 and today, at the age of 25, she has gone from being a TV and radio host to working as a producer at the station’s content hub and is also actively involved in ad-hoc productions such as the Namibia Annual Music Awards (NAMAs).

Shilongo is a powerful force amongst young media personalities and has garnered an enormous following on social media. While some would call her a workaholic, Shilongo insists that balance in life is essential. “As a 25 year-old woman, I cannot say that it’s impossible for anyone out there to study, work and make it. But this also requires spiritual growth. I can’t say I’ve made it this far without God.”

Recalling her first year on ‘Whatagwan’, Shilongo says there were more presenters initially, which made synching the personalities somewhat of a challenge. “When we started, we had four presenters. Whenever we would record, and if our energy was different from each other, we were told to go outside and find it.”

Her best memories from the show are her opportunities to interview local and international celebrities. “The big one was obviously knowing that I had exclusive one-on-one interviews with international stars like P-Square and Davido. That was when I realised the privilege I had as a presenter.”

Although she has said her goodbyes to the show that built her brand as a media figure, Shilongo is not leaving the broadcasting industry and is working on a new show which she is hesitant to talk about just yet.

Judging by her social media posts, though, a fashion-related show might be up her sleeve. She is also taking her love for fashion to another level and has recently started working on a custom-made clothing line targeted at both men and women. She is determined to keep working hard to be a part of elevating the country’s broadcast media and hopes that Namibia can one day stand tall against regional TV giants like South Africa.

“Most Namibians look at South African media as a stepping stone to making it on TV but our own country has achieved things that SA hasn’t in terms of multimedia,” she said. Paul da Prince will stay on as presenter on ‘Whatagwan’ and the search for a new co-presenter will commence soon.