Multichoice Africa on the spot over Naija infested content

Bebe Cool was attacked and rebuked by a paper in yellow when he attacked DJs for not playing enough local music on radios and places of recreation, some said he was definitely out of songs and staff to do thus was seeking for attention.
However, during the just concluded ‘Only the Best’ content showcase by Multichoice Africa, the war was reawakened, this time not by Bebe Cool but the African media at large.
It all started on the second day of the extravaganza during the Africa Magic showcase that was hosted by Big Brother Africa’s IK. On the panel was Nigerian actress Rita Dominic, actor Chinedu Ikedieze, director Mildred Okwo, actor Majid Michele from Ghana , former Big Brother housemate Uti and Multichoice West Africa regional director Wangi Mba-Uzokwu.
From the beginning, the panel of seven didn’t amuse many of the journalists since it was made up of over four Nigerians and three Ghanians, “generally Africa Magic is a West African affair,” argued a journalist from Zimbabwe.
But that was just the beginning; Mba-Uzokwo was tasked to explain if besides Nigeria, there were completely no films being produced in the rest of the African countries.
In the heat of the arguments, Mba-Uzokwo explained that she represents West Africa not the continent, she also apologized that other African countries felt sidelined.
Then it was General Manager Multichoice Africa Caroline Greasy to face the music, she’s credited for having put the Africa rising project together. The project was launched with a song that features a record of six artistes where three are Nigerians.
“How important is the rest of Africa to DSTV,” questioned a journalist from Botswana.
Others decried the various syndications that Nigeria has enjoyed over other countries; “They took Africa Magic and that wasn’t enough, they created Africa Magic Yoruba, Nigerian Idols, Big Brother Nigeria, Naija Sings..what’s in for the rest of Africa,” questioned one.
Even though different discussants tried, they never gave the right answers to satisfy the media.
Not even Ebony Life TV made things any better. This is a channel billed to be the BET of Africa, the only and major out doing is that 99% of their content is Nigerian produced in a small state of the country, I hear for Africa. The station runs with a tagline, Everything you know about Africa will change.
Immediately after they were done with their presentation, a Kenyan journalist questioned the relevance of the tagline noting that it should be changed to “Everything you know about Nigeria will change.”
By the time we went for the MTV Base briefing, the questions were predictable and we as well didn’t expect direct answers. People still questioned Nigerian dominance on the channel to which the MTV Base representative argued that the West is their biggest market.
Ironically, one Nigerian journalist expressed his detest towards the kind of music the channel plays; “when I tune in I see Nigerian and South African American wannabes, where’s the vision of promoting an African sound using your channel.”
He replied that it’s only a perception that artistes are wannabes and also noted that MTV Base doesn’t influence genres different acts choose to perform.
Caroline Creasy reaffirmed that the entire continent is within the plans of Multichoice and hinted on a new development that will see East Africa too, get a channel dedicated to its cinema.