Mmamoribos unmasked

Sharon Mathala
RADIO PERSONALITY: Rebaone Tumagole

Yarona bring an end to 12-year secret

One of the best-kept secrets in radio came to an end on Monday night as, after 12 years of speculation, Yarona FM unveiled the identity of Mmamoribos, the presenter behind the station’s popular ‘The Two-Minute Tabloid’ segment.

So, just who is the only person in local media that comes close to Shaya at uncovering juicy gossip?

Mmamoribos is in fact Rebaone Tumagole, a happily married 35-year-old mother-of-four.

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Tumagole’s identity was revealed as part of Yarona FM’s 21st birthday celebrations, in which the station are running a ‘Best of 21’ campaign.

The initiative honours some of the greatest musicians and on-air personalities to grace Yarona since 1999.

Unsurprisingly, Mmamoribos was identified as one of the favourites.

Paying homage to the character, however, meant bringing an end to the mystery and unmasking Mmamoribos’ true identity.

Speaking to Voice Entertainment on Tuesday, Tumagole, a PR Manager at Incepta, was in a nostalgic mood.

“In celebration of the station’s 21 years on air, we decided it was time to reveal who I, or who Mmamoribos, really is. Mmamoribos came about as a character to present a show called ‘The Two Minute Tabloid’. I was on my way home from university and heard a call for the slot and I tried it out. The name is actually from my real name Rebatho then shortened to Reba, Ribos, and eventually Mmamoribos,” reminisced Tumagole, adding her love for radio dates back to the Radio Bob days.

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“What especially caught my ear was a radio jingle for the show, ‘Morebo wa Africa’,” she says, admitting that keeping her role under wraps has been a ‘tough journey’.

“It was such a hard secret to keep! It was important to keep the identity a secret to add to the mystery of the entire show, from a creative point of view we believed it made the show nicer,” continues Tumagole, who likens her character to The Voice’s Shaya.

“Most of my scoops were a bit scandalous, so for my own personal safety, it had to be secret who Mmamoribos was. Just like Shaya! I actually want to meet Shaya one day. He is like the male version of me!”

Becoming slightly emotional as she talks of Yarona’s show of appreciation, Tumagole says, “I was honored to be included in the Yarona FM Hall of Fame. I was also humbled by the recognition. It is very fulfilling to see the impact the show has had over the years.”

But what does the big reveal mean? Have we heard the last from ‘the sister with the scoop’?

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Mmamoribos is cagey with the answer.

“We only die when we stop growing, when we stop living.”

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