The desired shift began in 2003 with the inaugural Big
Brother Africa, which brought a never-before-seen television reality
programming experience to its local audience.
This was quickly followed up by the launch of Africa Magic
on DStv the same year, running a few hours daily as a channel dedicated to
showcasing indigenous content. With Nollywood, the Nigerian movie industry,
fizzing with creative energy and beginning to slowly attract attention beyond
the shores of Nigeria, especially in immigrant enclaves around Africa and
elsewhere, Africa Magic arrived to speed up the process.
Africa Magic extended its broadcast hours, launching in
South Africa in 2004, becoming an instant hit and in no time, it hit 41 other
African countries. Nigeria is a strategic market for the MultiChoice brand as
Africa’s largest population, and even with the enviable success of Africa
Magic, MultiChoice Nigeria saw nuanced opportunities to further widen the
appeal.
Since airing content in local languages was the way to go. The
company didn’t wast time to tent in Yoruba language as a spoken in Lagos’
southwestern region and which had its own thriving movie scene that was turning
out flicks in the language. MultiChoice company was already broadcasting, in
sparing fashion, Yoruba movies on another channel, MagicWorld, on its DStv
platform. In 2010, Africa Magic Yoruba and Africa Magic Hausa were unveiled as
24-hour channels, offering Yoruba movies, music, talk shows and lifestyle
content. Africa Magic Hausa similarly zoomed in on Hausa entertainment
programming, scooping productions from Kannywood, the Hausa film industry.
Africa Magic Igbo would come along in 2015, winking at
Nollywood’s prodigious era in the early 90s making movies in Igbo. Movies like
Nneka the Pretty Serpent and Living in Bondage not only shaped the industry’s
trajectory for local success, but held a blueprint in indigenous language
filmmaking. Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa are the three most widely spoken languages
in Nigeria. With subtitles in English, these indigenous channels could also be
viewed throughout Central, East, and West Africa.
Underlying the creation of these content properties, though,
is the corporate mandate from MultiChoice Nigeria and its GOtv platform to
promote and preserve local languages. They have become important components to
the company’s branding, gaining competitive advantage in the process. Languages
are crucial to the heritage, culture, and identity of a people. But alarm has
been raised over the endangerment of local Nigerian languages, facing real
threats of extinction. Igbo, in particular, has been predicted to disappear by
the end of the century, not to mention minority languages.
Colonialism, imperialism, and even modern globalization have
been held responsible for the regression of local languages as well as the
outsized emphasis on English, Nigeria’s lingua franca. Policy interventions on
the local language crisis are limp, leaving concerned private entities to take
it upon themselves to resolve.
With the widespread appeal of its programming, MultiChoice Nigeria is uplifting indigenous languages and culture in its own way. The company has doubled down in this capacity, working with local creators to churn out original content and expanding its library. Period drama Ajoche was a bold picture that explores tensions, war, conflict in Idomaland, and so does Riona, set in 12th century Itsekiri Kingdom.
Drama series Halita looks to Northern
Nigeria — it’s about a young farm woman whose condition forces her to leave for
the big city. In March this year, MultiChoice Nigeria premiered new drama
series, Elenini, on Africa Magic. The series tells an intriguing story of a man
who runs a thriving business with the support of his wife, until his past
re-emerges and causes things to escalate and threaten the foundation of his
happy life. It airs on Africa Magic Yoruba (DStv channel 157 and GOtv channel
5) at 6pm WAT. The show is one of the channel’s latest offerings, joining its
catalogue of scripted dramas.
Language and culture preservation can be achieved in many
ways, and MultiChoice Nigeria has expressed an overall drive towards incubating
filmmaking talents with its Talent Factory, especially creating a West African
Academy. Through these efforts, the company isn’t just aspiring for market
share, but also preserving Nigeria’s local languages and ethnic identities for
future generations
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