Reality Check

What’s the hottest craze in Nigeria right now?

No, it’s not designer lace. It’s not the new Range Rover sports. It’s not MTV base or MI. What’s in vogue right now, is not Alanta or Fashola-ism or Mikano Generators. No. Nigerians love cars and cable TV and razz dance discoveries. We like pro-active leaders and intelligent rappers. We even like to determine your status, these days, by the kind of diesel generator sitting in your compound. Oh, you use the China-made 2.7KVA Honda petrol generator? Step aside please – this gathering is for those in the Mikano, John Holt, FG Wilson or Jubaili league.

But, really, what’s taking over the country right now, through TV and the internet, are poorly-adapted and over-flogged concepts called reality shows. Apart from a few, most of the shows are, at best, a shame and an embarrassment – to the producers, the sponsors, and the broadcasters. There’s been everything – from a facebook talent hunt, to hundreds of music hunts, dancing contests and Nollywood reality shows. There are shows for kids, for women, for actors, dancers, and what have you.

And, unlike developed industries where the primary aim is to develop content for TV, radio and other media platforms, Nigerian reality shows are mainly about contests and prizes. Suffice to say, the prizes almost always never come. Elusive recording contracts. Never-to-be-seen cash prizes. Foreign deals that never see the light of day. Between the sponsors and organisers, there appears to be a conspiracy to rob consumers of quality concepts and productions; at the same time robbing desperate young talents who are searching for every possible means to make their voices heard. Idols West Africa and Nokia First Chance are just two of these projects. Timi Dakolo, winner of the only Idols West Africa ever held is still battling to find his feet, over two years after the contest. Just like Darey Art Alade, who never enjoyed the promised international recording contract, after emerging second runner-up at the Project Fame Africa contest in 2004, Dakolo was stranded, after discovering his ‘international’ record deal may never materialise after all. The talented singer is only now just putting his debut album together, working with a fresh team to put his career in motion and leave the Idols drama behind.

Because of the lure of possible income from subscriptions, forms sales and sponsorship, the field of reality shows is getting busier by the day; with more players lacing their boots and heading into the game. It is important for the media, TV houses, consumer protection agencies, professional organisations and corporate Nigeria to painstakingly look into the disturbing situation and ensure that innocent Nigerians do not lose their time, money and other resources investing into projects that are nothing short of fraud. Brand managers must be sure of the integrity of the facilitators, before committing their brands to these shows, and professional bodies like the Association of Movie Producers, Actors Guild of Nigeria, PMAN, NANTAP, ANTP etc, must be on the lookout for crooks who want to defraud potential or existing practitioners in the name of talent contests.

And while there may be nothing wrong with organising reality shows in form of contests, it is high time producers and concept creators begin to think outside the box. Let’s have some quality entertainment too. Don’t we deserve it?

In the mean time, the organisers of some of the biggest ‘reality shows around may need to take a cue from Nigeria Breweries PLC (which owns Star Quest, AMBO, Gulder Ultimate Search). The company, through promoter Sheila Okonji, has facilitated a major collaboration between 2009 Star Quest winner The Pulse and American hip hop vet Busta Rhymes. Busta has laced exciting rap bars on the remix of The Pulse’s debut single ‘So Te’. The song, which NET obtained last week, will be on The Pulse’s upcoming album (on the Kennis imprint). A video is expected to be made during Busta’s upcoming visit to Nigeria for the 2009 Star Megajam.