Showing posts with label M-Net West Africa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label M-Net West Africa. Show all posts

Friday, August 5, 2022

MultiChoice Africa and M-Net also lost its top West Africa content boss Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu who jumped to Amazon Prime Video as head of Nigerian Originals.


by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice and M-Net have also lost Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu, one of its top content bosses in West Africa to Amazon Prime Video, as part of the ongoing exodus of top executive talent at the pan-African pay-TV operator.

Not widely reported, Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu who was the regional director of M-Net West Africa, jumped ship to Amazon Prime Video a few months ago as head of content acquisition for Amazon Prime Video in Africa, after which she was appointed in the role of head of Nigerian Originals, a position that Amazon advertised 

Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu joined MultiChoice and M-Net in 2012 as M-Net West Africa regional manager.

Neither MultiChoice nor M-Net said anything when Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu left to Amazon and didn't announce her exit, with her jump to greener pastures which is similar to the flurry of other MultiChoice and M-Net executives and staffers who have continued to leave in a steady stream for jobs at video streaming companies like Netflix Africa, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video over the past few years and which are beefing up their staff and content roll-out plans for Africa.

MultiChoice of course upped Busola Tejumola as head of content and West Africa to replace Wangi Mba-Uzoukwa but never explained her "disappearance".

Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu got the job as head of Nigerian originals that Amazon advertised in April 2022. At the time, Amazon Studios said that it was looking for execs and someone in the position as head of Nigerian originals who has "a deep knowledge of the Nigerian production landscape, including talent". 

Another MultiChoice top exec, Gideon Khobane just left MultiChoice in South Africa as well after several years, and is also joining Amazon.

Wednesday, May 4, 2022

Bonang Matheba and IK Osakioduwa to co-host 2022's 8th Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards on 14 May in Lagos.


by Thinus Ferreira

South Africa's Bonang Matheba and Nigeria's IK Osakioduwa will co-host 2022's 8th Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards (AMVCAs) on Saturday 14 May in Lagos, Nigeria which will be done as a live broadcast across M-Net's various Africa Magic channels on DStv.

MultiChoice and M-Net West Africa's AMVCAs, marked year after year by shockingly bad production values, problems and amateurish on-air gaffes, return after a year's absence due to the global Covid-19 pandemic.

MultiChoice and M-Net West Africa last held its Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards, the 7th edition on 14 March 2020 with a packed hotel auditorium audience, after which MultiChoice had to warn its thousands of MultiChoice and M-Net guests who physically attended in Lagos, Nigeria that they were likely exposed to Covid-19.

In 2021 MultiChoice and M-Net didn't organise any Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards due to Covid-19 and never officially announced that it's cancelled for this year.

MultiChoice didn't have the AMVCAs in 2019 and revived it for 2020 after a year's absence,  meaning that the pan-African awards show for the continent's film and TV industry has been an on-off, on-off event for 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Although the Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards is supposed to include and represent the entire film and TV industry of sub-Saharan Africa, the MultiChoice and M-Net awards remains an overwhelmingly West African and specifically Nigerian-centred exercise with the 2022 nominees across categories once again stacked with talent favouring predominantly Nigerian television and film.

The Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards continues to get little exposure and publicity effort in East and Southern Africa with many producers in the pan-African industry outside of Nigeria not aware when entries open or that they can enter work.

Although called the Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards, viewers get to decide only a third of the category winners since MultiChoice doesn't think viewers make the best decisions.

2022's 8th Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards now has a total of 33 categories, with a whopping 21 categories decided by the AMVCA panel of judges. Only 12 categories are voted for by the public - 36%.

Although still shockingly low, this is an improvement on the 25% of 2018 in which Africa's viewers only got to decide the winners in 7 out of the 27 categories at the AMVCAs.

Saturday's 8th Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards (AMVCAs) will be the first time that Bonang Matheba is co-hosting this awards ceremony, with returning AMVCA presenter IK Osakioduwa. 

The 2022 awards will honour work done between 1 December 2019 and 30 November 2021 - a two-year period that is bigger than usual due to the shutdowns and interruptions which were caused by the Covid-pandemic. 

Busola Tejumola, MultiChoice's head of content and West African channels, says in a statement "We are excited to have Bonang join IK as co-host for the 8th edition of the AMVCAs".

"They are both extremely talented and have attained continental acclaim having both hosted some of Africa's biggest shows. Together they will keep the crowd entertained on the biggest night to celebrate African film and TV stars."

Bonang Matheba in a prepared statement says "It's always such an honour to host live productions and I think after Covid we haven't had the opportunity to be outside to have these big, big productions with live studio audiences".

"So it's lovely to have all of that back. It's also an honour. Any single stage I get to step on is an honour. I've always wanted to work with IK. I am a huge fan of his. So, I'm looking forward to that too."

IK Osakioduwa says "I feel really honoured to be hosting the AMVCAs again. I'm also really excited about the decision to honour the social media content creators with a category of their own. Trust me when I say, without a doubt this year is going to be another amazing outing for the African film industry."


Tuesday, May 3, 2022

With $1 million investment the past year MultiChoice Ghana and M-Net West Africa mark first anniversary of Akwaaba Magic channel on DStv that created 5 000 jobs in Ghana's TV and film biz.


by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice's regionalised DStv Ghana and M-Net West Africa celebrated the first year anniversary of their Akwaaba Magic channel on DStv on 1 May with MultiChoice and M-Net working on boosting the development of Ghana's local film and TV industry.

Over the past year, MultiChoice and M-Net invested in ramping up specific Ghanaian local productions, using Ghanaian crews, ranging from Inside Out and Ghana's first telenovela Dede currently in its second season, to the crime drama series Inspector Bediako, Ghana's first medical drama series Accra Medic and reality shows like Sankofa and Date My Family Ghana

MultiChoice's video streaming service, Showmax, recently commissioned the first Ghanaian Showmax Original, ENO.

Filming in places like Ada, Asosombo, Takoradi, Kumasi and Aburi, the creation of Akwaaba Magic has created over 5 000 direct and indirect jobs in Ghana's film and TV industry over the past year since the channel launched in March 2021.

The one year anniversary media event of Akwaaba Magic that took place on Sunday comes as MultiChoice and M-Net West Africa added Akwaaba Magic Abusua as a new TV channel on DStv as a lower-tiered rerun channel to make the content produced for the channel available to DStv subscribers on lower DStv and GOtv packages after a premium-tier run.

On Sunday 1 May DStv Ghana and M-Net West Africa marked the one year anniversary of Akwaaba Magic with a media event that was held in the country.

With up to 20 productions running concurrently and over 300 jobs created for writers, camera operators, lighting technicians, directors, production managers and editors, Akwaaba Magic channel head Kennedy Dankyi-Appah, said that M-Net created the channel to help support Ghana's film and TV industry both in funding and content distribution.

"Our fulfilment lies in the awareness the channel has brought to Ghanaian content in general - we love our own especially when it's produced well."

Alex Okyere, MultiChoice Ghana managing director, said at the event that a year later the Akwaaba Magic channel has re-ignited the interest in authentic Ghanaian storytelling, with MultiChoice and M-Net that have made an investment in the sector of over $1 million in the past year.

He said that the availability of the Akwaaba Magic channel on the MultiChoice's Showmax streaming service extends the audience for Ghanaian content to a much wider audience.

Busola Tejumola, MultiChoice's head of content and channels for West Africa, at the event noted that MultiChoice had set a high target for Akwaaba Magic content.

Richard Darko, MultiChoice Ghana chairperson, said Akwaaba Magic is part of MultiChoice's strategy of launching local channels in various African countries that are relevant to the developmental needs in these specific countries.

He said that MultiChoice will continue to support Ghana's film and TV industry with the Akwaaba Magic and Akwaaba Magic Abusua channels as well as on Showmax, to "project the rich, authentic and diverse stories from Ghana to the world".


Wednesday, December 8, 2021

MultiChoice and M-Net revives the 8th Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards for 2022 as entries open for TV and film productions done across Africa over the past 2 years.


by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice and M-Net West Africa are reviving its Nigeria-centric Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards after a year's absence due to the global Covid-19 pandemic with the 8th Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards that will take place in 2022.

The 8th African Magic Viewers' Choice Awards will once again be staged in Lagos, Nigeria with the awards introducing "Best Online Social Content Creator" as a new category.

In October MultiChoice revealed that it would bring back the AMVCAs in 2022 after a year's absence, with the 7th edition that took place on 14 March 2020 with a packed hotel auditorium audience, after which MultiChoice had to warn its thousands of MultiChoice and M-Net guests who physically attended in Lagos, Nigeria that they were likely exposed to Covid-19.

MultiChoice's Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards is usually panned for its bad production values year after year, shoddy presenters, and multiple awkward mistakes during the broadcast on M-Net's Africa Magic channels on DStv that neither MultiChoice nor the production company seems able to improve and fix. 

In 2021 MultiChoice and M-Net didn't organise any Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards due to Covid-19 and never officially announced that it was cancelled for this year. 

MultiChoice didn't have the AMVCAs in 2019 and revived it for 2020 after a year's absence,  meaning that the pan-African awards show for the continent's film and TV industry has been an on-off, on-off event for 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Likewise, MultiChoice South Africa and M-Net also didn't have any DStv Mzansi Viewers' Choice Awards in South Africa in 2021 and failed to communicate that it was cancelled for the year, with kykNET that didn't want to say that there won't be any Silwerskermfees in 2021 either. 

Submissions can now be made for the 8th Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards in 2022, with the entry period that will close on Friday 14 January 2022.

Work created and screened by Africans in Africa between 1 December 2019 and 30 November 2021 can be entered, with films, made-for-TV movies and TV series previously entered or nominated for an award, or awarded a prize in another film and television competition that are eligible to be entered for the AMVCAs.

This is a much broader eligibility window for work that had been produced to make up for the absence of the AMVCAs in 2021.

"Following the 7th edition in 2020, plans for the next instalment were put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the attendant concerns on the health and safety of all stakeholders. The AMVCAs will now take place in Lagos, Nigeria in 2022," MultiChoice Africa says in a statement.

John Ugbe, MultiChoice Nigeria CEO, says "The 8th edition of the AMVCAs once again demonstrates our commitment to spotlight the immense talent we have in the African film and TV industry and promises to leave a much bigger impact than previous editions".

Dr. Busola Tejumola, MultiChoice Nigeria's head of content and West Africa channels, says "We are very excited about the Best Online Social Content Creator category as we believe this will further underscore our commitment to represent all content creators and inspire new talent".

"There is no better time than now to recognize and celebrate this growing digital community as we stage the eight edition of the awards."

The 8th AMVCAs will also see the return of Best Africa Magic Original Drama Series, Best Africa Magic Original Comedy Series as well as the Best Dressed Male and Female, which will be voted for on the night of the event.

The 8th Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards will now have a total of 33 categories. 

Although the competition has "Viewers' Choice" in its name, a whopping 21 categories are decided by the AMVCA panel of judges, with only 12 categories that are voted for by the public - 36%.

Although still shockingly low, it is an improvement on the 25% of 2018 in which Africa's viewers only got to decide the winners in 7 out of the 27 categories at the AMVCAs.

People and production companies that want to enter the 8th AMVCAs must prepare a 5-minute long showreel under 300 MB and log on to the Africa Magic website at www.africamagic.dstv.com, click on the AMVCA 8th edition banner and go to the submissions page where the submission form must be filled, and the clip uploaded.

A participant can submit multiple entries in different categories.

A reference number will be allocated for every completed online submission. A hard drive of the submitted project must then be sent to the head office of the relevant African region (Nigeria in West Africa, South Africa in Southern Africa, Kenya in East Africa).

Nigeria
Busola Komolafe, Africa Magic, 4 Industrial Street, Ilupeju

South Africa
Sibongile Mabel Nkosi, Magic Center, 137 Bram Fischer Drive, Randburg, 2123

Kenya
Margaret Mathore, 2nd floor, M-Net offices, Local Production Studio, Jamhuri Grounds off Ngong road

Monday, October 25, 2021

MultiChoice and M-Net will hold the 8th Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards in Nigeria in 2022, will add DStv channel showing live festivals and events from across West Africa.


by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice and M-Net West Africa have announced that that it plans to hold its 8th Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards in 2022 with the Nigerian-centric awards show that will return after another year's absence in 2021 due to the ongoing global Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, with MultiChoice that will also add a DStv channel showing live festivals and events from across West Africa.

MultiChoice and M-Net West Africa last held its Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards, the 7th edition on 14 March 2020 with a packed hotel auditorium audience, after which MultiChoice had to warn its thousands of MultiChoice and M-Net guests who physically attended in Lagos, Nigeria that they were likely exposed to Covid-19.

In 2021 MultiChoice and M-Net didn't organise any Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards due to Covid-19 and never officially announced that it's cancelled for this year.

MultiChoice didn't have the AMVCAs in 2019 and revived it for 2020 after a year's absence,  meaning that the pan-African awards show for the continent's film and TV industry has been an on-off, on-off event for 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.

At MultiChoice Nigeria's MultiChoice Content Showcase event that was held on Thursday in Lagos, Nigeria, the pay-TV operator announced that the 8th Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards will be taking place in 2022 again.

Busola Tejumola, MultiChoice Nigeria executive head for West Africa content and channels, also announced that MultiChoice will be adding a new DStv channel in 2022 showcasing live festivals and events from across West Africa.

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

MultiChoice either lied then - or is lying now - about the reason why SMS voting was stopped for M-Net West Africa's Big Brother Naija.


by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice either lied to the DStv subscribers and Africa's TV industry in July - or is lying now - over why SMS voting was stopped for M-Net West Africa's Big Brother Naija camera-house reality series, having given a different reason a few months ago than the reason suddenly given now.

In July, TVwithThinus specifically asked MultiChoice Africa why SMS voting has been dropped for what was to be the 6th season of Big Brother Nigeria that just concluded with Hazel "Whitemoney" Onou as the winner.

MultiChoice Africa publicists told TVwithThinus very specifically in writing, in response to the media query, that MultiChoice and M-Net decided to do away with SMS voting for the 6th season of Big Brother Naija "in order to make it possible for viewers in countries outside of Nigeria to vote".

That is not the reason that MultiChoice Nigeria and M-Net West Africa are giving now - a reason in October that differs completely with what MultiChoice told the press just 3 months ago.

In a press conference with media following the conclusion of the 6th season, John Ugbe, MultiChoice Nigeria CEO, now says that MultiChoice and M-Net decided to drop SMS voting because the public would use the number of SMS votes to calculate how much money M-Net West Africa and MultiChoice Nigeria had allegedly earned in voting revenue, by multiplying the number of votes with the cost of a SMS vote.

John Ugbe said the public was wrong for trying to calculate Big Brother Naija revenue by tallying up SMS revenue, and that MultiChoice therefore decided to drop SMS voting although it was one of the most popular ways to vote for housemates.

With an SMS that cost N30 naija, previous seasons of Big Brother Naija lured over 100 million SMS votes alone.

"We stopped the SMS voting because it raises an eyebrow whenever we announce the total number of votes received at the end of previous editions," John Ugbe said.

"Whenever we announce the number of votes polled through SMS, viewers are always quick to calculate the cost and gains for organisers, so we decided to stop SMS voting this season."

It's not clear why MultiChoice Africa blatantly lied to the media in July with PR spin, or decided to lie now in October about the reason why MultiChoice and M-Net stopped SMS voting for Big Brother Naija.

John Ugbe said that the 6th season of Big Brother Naija cost N4.3 billion (R158.3 million) to produce and employed 12 000 people. The 12 000 number sounds completely unrealistic and wrong and never appeared on the Big Brother Naija end credit roll.


Monday, October 4, 2021

CORONAVIRUS. M-Net West Africa and MultiChoice Nigeria show callous disregard to enforce mask wearing or social distancing safety protocols at its media event for new Africa Magic series.


by Thinus Ferreira

While the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic rages in the country M-Net West Africa and MultiChoice Nigeria showed a callous disregard to enforce anything like the mandatory requirement for people to wear masks in public or at events in Nigeria, or practising any form of social distancing protocols at its Africa Magic media event.

People keep getting infected and keep dying in Nigeria from Covid-19 as in other African countries.

With the Delta-variant that is now the dominant strain in the West African country, wearing a mask in public or at events is compulsory in Nigeria, where people are also implored by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to adhere to social and physical distance protocols in public and at events.

While MultiChoice and M-Net do lip-service in public statements to supposedly supporting and adhering to Covid-19 safe protocols, in reality it's very clear that what MultiChoice and M-Net say they do isn't practised or enforced at the pay-TV operator's public and media events with a shocking flouting of Covid-19 safe regulations from Ethiopia to Nigeria, and from Zambia to South Africa.


On Thursday MultiChoice Nigeria and M-Net West Africa in Nigeria held a media event to tell the media more about its 4 upcoming new TV shows like Dilemma and Venge that will start from October on its various Africa Magic channels on DStv.

Tosin Igho (Venge executive producer), Atinuke Babatunde (M-Net channel head for Africa Magic Showcase, Urban & Epic), Busola Tejumola (MultiChoice Nigeria executive head for West Africa content and channels), Uche Ikejimba (Dilemma executive producer) and Mike-Steve Adeleye (head of content for West Africa ) had absolutely no problem to shockingly pose maskless side-by-side at the Africa Magic media event on Thursday.

Meanwhile the media, cast, producers and other guests leisurely packed the inside venue at the Africa Magic event held in Lagos, Nigeria, and crammed close together without masks or any social distancing observed with VJ Adams as the event's host.


Neither the Nigerian media, Africa Magic executives, MultiChoice Nigeria executives, show producers or the actors who attended the event apparently think that they have Covid-19, can get Covid-19, or can infect other people with Covid-19, or that it's necessary to make absolutely sure that people are wearing masks as prescribed and keep their social distance at physical gatherings.

Besides Dilemma and Venge another new show that will start is Music Buzz from Wednesday 6 October on Africa Magic Urban (DStv 153).

Mercy, what's next?, a spin-off of the Mercy & Ike Show, will start on Sunday 10 October on the Africa Magic Showcase (DStv 151) channel. 

The shows Turn Up Friday and Owambe Saturdays also return for new seasons on Friday 29 October and Saturday 30 October to Africa Magic Family (DStv 154).

Thursday, September 30, 2021

M-Net West Africa adds Dilemma and Venge as two new telenovelas to DStv's Africa Magic Showcase channel and Showmax from 4 October.


by Thinus Ferreira

M-Net West Africa is adding two new series from October - Dilemma and Venge - to its Africa Magic Showcase (DStv 151) channel on MultiChoice's DStv.

The telenovelas Riona and Enakhe are ending with the two new half-hour dramas replacing them from Monday 4 October.

Dilemma will broadcast at 20:00 on weeknights on Africa Magic Showcase and follows the lives of two estranged lovers as they find their way back to each other and deal with a history they would rather forget. 

The Dilemma cast includes Nigerian actors like Shan George, Bob-Manuel Udokwu and some new faces.

Venge will be shown on weekdays on Africa Magic Showcase at 20:30 as a "scandalous story of lies, secrets, betrayals, conspiracies, and a quest for justice and revenge". The Venge cast includes Michelle Dede, Uzoamaka Aniunoh, Obehi Aburime, Uche Mac-Auley, and Ian Wordi.

Busola Tejumola, MultiChoice Nigeria's executive head of content and West Africa channels, says that besides being on the Africa Magic Showcase channel, Dilemma and Venge will also be available on MultiChoice's video streaming service, Showmax.

Friday, September 17, 2021

MORE TV TRASH. MultiChoice pits more African women against each other with M-Net West Africa that commissions The Real Housewives of Lagos.


by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice is moving to set up and bring subscribers more African women in conflict and clashing with each other and has commissioned another regionalised format season of The Real Housewives franchise for Nigeria, entitled The Real Housewives of Lagos.

Yolisa Phahle, the MultiChoice Group CEO for general entertainment and connected video, said on Thursday's MultiChoice Showcase held in various African countries, that MultiChoice is bringing subscribers The Real Housewives of Lagos in 2022 and that South Africa's The Real Housewives of Durban will be back for a second season.

The Real Housewives, a format from NBCUniversal Formats, a division of Universal Studio Group, is a reality show that selects groups of materialistic women with troubled lives who don't all get along with each other.

Often looking for external validation and showing off their conspicuous consumption as they flaunt their wealth and troubled lives, cameras follow them while they fight and their various dramatic confrontations with other people.

The Real Housewives of Lagos will go first to MultiChoice's video streaming service Showmax, after which it will likely make it way to M-Net West Africa's Africa Magic channel. 

The Real Housewives of Lagos is the third African format adaptation of the reality show and will be produced by Livespot 360. 

It follows after South Africa's The Real Housewives of Johannesburg and The Real Housewives of Durban that is produced by Let It Rain Films with Thumeka Hlotshana who will be directing the upcoming second season.

"We are so proud to build on the international success of The Real Housewives of Johannesburg and Durban with our partner Showmax," says Ana Langenberg, the senior vice president, format sales & production at NBCUniversal International Formats, in a statement from NBCUniversal.

"The vibrancy of Lagos and its rich culture, fashion and opulence makes for the perfect setting for the show. We also can't wait to see the second season of Durban come to life and deliver fans all over the world even more extravagance and entertainment."

Candice Fangueiro, Showmax head of content, says "We've seen audiences across Africa devour The Real Housewives of Johannesburg and The Real Housewives of Durban".

"The Real Housewives franchise lends itself to localisation and we know our audience is going to love seeing the show reinvented Naija-style. We can’t wait to show the continent - and the world - another side of Lagos, with all the drama, high fashion and luxury you’d expect from The Real Housewives franchise."

Monday, August 16, 2021

Big Brother Naija housemate Gbolahan Ololade known as Kayvee exits 6th season of the reality show due to unspecified medical reasons.


by Thinus Ferreira

On Monday Gbolahan Ololade, known as Kayvee, the 26-year old photographer from Lagos has abruptly left the 6th season of MultiChoice Nigeria and M-Net West Africa's Big Brother Naija reality show due to undisclosed medical reasons.

The 6th season of Big Brother Naija, done from MultiChoice's studio complex in Lagos with the theme of "Shine Ye Eye" started with 22 housemates a few weeks ago on 25 July.

On 8 August 4 new housemates - Kayvee, Queen, JMK and Michael - were introduced as additional contestants.

The sad-looking Kayvee who also struggled to speak English, appeared nervous at times and uttered confusing and contradictory statements during his 11-day stay in Big Brother Naija, mostly kept to himself with several other housemates who noticed and commented on his apparent self-isolation within the Covid-19 safe bubble production.

In-show, Pere, this week's head of the house, announced and read out a statement from MultiChoice on Monday to the rest of the housemates.

"Housemates, Big Brother trusts that you are all well and settling into the brand new week," Pere read.

"As you have noticed, your fellow housemate Kayvee has been unwell for a few hours now. Based on this advice, Kayvee will no longer be part of the show for this season."

"Kayvee would like you all to know that he appreciates the time spent in the house with everyone. Your friendship, support, and love truly means a lot to him. Big Brother would like you to assist Kayvee with packing his bags and belongings and place them in the store room immediately."

In a statement to the media on Monday, MultiChoice Nigeria says "Kayvee, one of the housemates in the Big Brother Naija Shine Ya Eye Season, has been exited from the house on medical grounds".

"Prior to this, he had a consultation with Big Brother and the on-site medical team, where it was decided that he had to leave the house for a more thorough medical investigation."

"MultiChoice and the show producers are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all housemates in the Big Brother house at all times," the pay-TV operator said.

Monday, July 26, 2021

MultiChoice and M-Net West Africa kick off season 6 of Big Brother Naija with 22 housemates including a Dubai-based realtor and a Princess taxi driver.


by Thinus Ferreira

The 6th season of Big Brother Naija with the theme "Shine Ye Eye" has started with 22 new housemates ranging from a Dubai-based real estate agent, a doctor, models and even a princess who is a taxi driver, cloistered in the camera-filled, Covid-19 safe bubble-production.

Big Brother Nigeria, that MultiChoice and M-Net West Africa are doing from their studio complex in Lagos, Nigeria, is running for the next 10 weeks and 72 days on the Big Brother Naija channel on 198 in Nigeria and the rest of Africa, and DStv channel 197 in South Africa.

Highlight programmes will once again be shown on various Africa Magic channels on DStv, with MultiChoice's video streamer Showmax that is doing The Buzz as an additional programme with more content around the show.

SMS voting has been dropped from this season, with voting only taking place on the show's website and the DStv app.

The reality series introduced 11 male housemates in the first of two launch shows on Saturday night, followed by the second launch show on Sunday night as 11 female housemates were introduced and walked into the house. 

Notably, host Ebuka Obi-Uchendu encouraged viewers to interact with the show on social media on its official Instagram and Facebook accounts but conspicuously ignored any mention of its Twitter account with over 1.4 million followers that fell silent in June after the Nigerian government banned companies, like MultiChoice Nigeria based in the country, from being active on and using the social media service.

Here are the 11 men:

Boma
This housemate shows off his modeling skills on stage. He mentioned he has been modeling for 10yrs and he takes modeling opportunities as it comes.


Saga
He is 28-years-old but considers himself a 21-years-old. He mentioned he's a free spirit, as well as young and fun. He's an engineer but would love to go into the entertainment industry as he has a passion for art and other creative things.


Yousef
He loves looking good for the camera. He’s very confident and he’s from J-Town. He is looking to bring some fun, sexiness and entertainment to Big Brother and is "single and ready to mingle" and looking for a soul mate. He's a teacher in electrical technology.


Pere
This 36-year-old says he's not in the house to "sing kumbaya" - he prefers "gbas gbos". He loves drama and considers himself an actor.


Whitemoney
He's from Enugu and he plans on bringing fun to the house. He loves to entertain people around him and says he dislikes dirty people. He might be known in the house for saying "who dey breathe" constantly.


Niyi
He loves people happy and feeling comfortable. He's married with a child and also owns a business in South Africa.


Yerins
He's a medical doctor. People think he's introverted but he's the complete opposite. To sum up his personality, he says that he is creative, dramatic and "plain crazy" and is curious to see what parts of him come out in the house.


JayPaul
He is a 29-year-old from Calabar. He considers himself a social butterfly and a "complete entertainer" due to his acting, singing and TV presenter experience as well as the tourism company he owns. JayPaul says people assume he's a playboy due to his hairstyle. He dislikes people who can't stay true to themselves.


Emmanuel
The 24-year-old is from Akwa Ibom state and he loves modeling, fashion, reading and exploring new cultures. He says that he is also very competitive. He says that he has "the mind of a hustler and the heart of a king".


Sammie
He's from the north Kaduna state. He has no strategy but he has a goal, which is not to leave the Big Brother Naija house too soon. He says his personality is a "vibe itself" and that he came to the house to enjoy himself.


Cross
He's a part animal and loves clubbing 4 days a week - Thursday till Sunday. He also mentioned he loves to workout, do yoga and craves drama.


Here are the 11 women:


Angel
She's 21 years old, and hails from Akwa Ibom. She considers herself to be friendly and interactive. However, she claims to be a bit bossy. Angel aspires to become a film producer.


Peace
The 26-year-old entrepreneur runs a fashion brand. She loves food and considers herself a nice person. She hopes to generate more exposure for her fashion brand after the show.


Jackie B
This single mum is from Adamawa state. She loves good vibes and spontaneity. She hopes to crush all the challenges that come with winning the money.


Tega
She's from Cross-river state. She loves to dance, and she believes that she has a fiery personality. Her mission in the house is to sell herself and add spice to the boredom.


Arin
She's a 29-year-old fashion designer who loves to read and research. She’s also an art curator. Arin hopes to bring energy to the show.


Maria
She's a Dubai-based Realtor who loves food and thrives in a bubbly environment. Her goal is to venture into the Nigerian market immediately after the show, as well as maximizing the opportunity.


Liquorose
She is a professional dancer from Edo state. She’s 26-years-old, but she started her dancing career when she was 12-years-old. She says that she has different personalities and she’s on the show to display all of it.


Beatrice
She's a fashion model, who aspires to sell her brand on the show. She owns a clothing brand and is working towards establishing a modelling agency.


Princess
She's a 30-year-old Taxi Driver from Imo state. She loves to cook and drive.


Saskay
The 21-year old artist and model is from Adamawa state. One of her dreams is to set up an art gallery.


Nini
She is from the Edo state. She loves challenges and looks forward to exploring more of them on the show. She's a model and owns a fashion brand. Her goal is to officially launch her fashion brand after the show.


Friday, July 24, 2020

PICTORIAL. Vibrant, colourful and done quickly despite rain during Covid: Take a look inside the season 5 Big Brother Naija camera-house with art director Olajumoke Ogunnaike.


by Thinus Ferreira

It was raining. The Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic was growing worldwide including Nigeria. But that didn't stop the Nigerian wall artist Olajumoke Ogunnaike from creating a vibrant, colourful splash inside the 5th season's Big Brother Naija house.

Olajumoke Ogunnaike, the CEO of Lefteye's Signatures in Lagos, Nigeria, is once again the art director for the latest season of M-Net West Africa's Big Brother Nigeria.

She is responsible for the look and design aesthetic of the camera-house reality show produced by Red Pepper Productions and broadcast on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV service in Nigeria and across sub-Saharan Africa.

Olajumoke Ogunnaike is once again sitting at the creative helm of the 5th season's look after Lefteye's Signatures came onboard for the 4th season of Big Brother Naija "Pepper Dem" season that was the first season since the first that was produced from and inside Nigeria again after the show used to be done from Johannesburg, South Africa.

For this season she says "the most challenging design I worked on in the house is still the garden area - the time it took to complete the beautiful mural, being at mother nature's mercy and praying several times that the rain stops."

"Also at this period, coordinating about 20 of my team members on a particular wall, with me not having control over the weather and with a slim timeline counting down. But I'm glad we pulled through".

As to this season's art design in the Big Brother Nigeria house, she says the colours and design bring ambience and warmth to the production. "This time we decided to keep it simple and soft." 

About the impact of Covid-19 on her business she says that "Just as it has its downsides, it also had its positive effect".

"When we sensed that the drop in demand for our services was solely because clients were scared of the pandemic and high on safety, we had to up our standards. We went and got appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) kits to keep both the team and our clients safe".