Entertainment
Africa Magic @20: MultiChoice Nigeria Rolls Out New Exciting Contents for Viewers’ Pleasure
In keeping to its promise of providing wholesome and mouthwatering programmes for its teeming viewers, Africa Magic, the home of movie entertainment, has unveiled a bumper chain of indigenous and international content for customers across DStv and GOtv channels for the new calendar year.
The exciting catalogue of content includes news, music, sports, reality TV shows, documentaries, drama series, movies, and children’s programmes, which were unveiled at the company’s Victoria Island office during a Content Discovery event.
Speaking at the well attended event held on Thursday, Executive Head of Content and West Africa Channels, MultiChoice Nigeria, Dr. Busola Tejumola, said customers should expect a new and diverse set of captivating and relatable indigenous stories across Africa Magic channels.
“It’s been 20 years of Africa Magic and Nollywood growing together, building global careers and talents. In 2003, we began the journey of telling authentic Nigerian stories on Africa Magic to build a platform where everyday Nigerians see themselves in relatable stories reflecting our culture. In 2023, we are celebrating 20 years of creating and telling Nigerian stories.
“This year, we intend to break more boundaries and find new frontiers in local storytelling. We look forward to ensuring Africa Magic remains at the forefront of Nigeria storytelling. We are adding 28 more series titles and 20 original Africa Magic movies for our customers, starting from April 2023. This year, we are also investing more in our indigenous productions across our language channels: Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo,” she said.
Touching on the investment by MultiChoice in growing content on its platform, Tejumola stated that Africa Magic launched with a single channel in Nigeria and has since expanded to a cluster of seven channels
“From April 2022 to March 2023, we had over 2,500 hours of production and licensed 10,000 hours of authentic Nigerian stories.We have stories in English, and indigenous languages, Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo, broadcast to over 42 African countries,” she added
Highlighting some of the new content customers can look out for, Head of Production, West Africa, MultiChoice Nigeria, Victor Aghahowa, said the new roll call of content includes, The Residence, Ripples; Igbo drama series, Ugwu and Iwe; Yoruba series, Apo (The Bag), among others.
He disclosed that Africa Magic will now premiere new 130 episode series every six months as opposed to 260 episode series every year. The list of new programmes also include brand new unscripted game show, ‘Mind and Body’, and new drama series, Simbirella.
Customers will also continue to enjoy local and international sport entertainment contents across SuperSport channels, including EPL, FA Cup, CAF Champions League, Europa League and UEFA Champions League matches and WWE specials.
Nigeria-born Afro-pop star, Joeboy, whose melodies now ripple across continents, takes centre stage this week on the Easter edition of African Voices, the Globacom-sponsored CNN magazine programme.
In a captivating session from Lagos, show anchor Larry Madowo drew out the rhythm of Joeboy’s journey, tracing the arc from a starry-eyed university dreamer to a maestro whose songs now traverse the globe like whispered secrets carried on the wind.
Born Joseph Akinwale Akinfenwa-Donus in 1997, Joeboy—affectionately dubbed Afrobeats’ “lover boy”—embarked on his musical odyssey in 2017 with a viral reinterpretation of Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You.
This pivot from rap to melodious crooning caught the discerning eye of Nigerian artiste and entrepreneur Mr Eazi, who, upon discovering him on Instagram, extended an invitation to join the emPawa Africa Talent Incubation initiative—a sanctuary for budding African talents where raw potential is nurtured into brilliance.
The partnership bore fruit in 2018 with the release of Fààjí, featuring Mr Eazi, and soon after, Joeboy was signed to Warner Music Africa. From there, his ascent became a symphony of milestones: the intoxicating single Baby in 2019, followed by Beginning, which amassed over 23 million views on YouTube, and Love & Light the same year.
Collaborations with Mayorkun yielded the spirited tracks Don’t Call Me and All for You, further cementing his place in the Afrobeats constellation.
Joeboy’s debut album, Somewhere Between Beauty & Magic, unfurled in February 2021, a melodic tapestry of youth, hope, and desire. By 19 May 2023, he unveiled his sophomore studio effort, Body & Soul, preceded by the evocative singles Sip (Alcohol), Contour, Body & Soul, and Duffel Bag. In 2023, he teased the world with Only God Save Me and the extended EP Body, Soul and Spirit, offering listeners a window into the essence of his artistic spirit.
February 2024 marked another milestone as he launched his own imprint, Young Legend, soon releasing Osadebe, a track that resonated nationwide with the familiar warmth of homegrown brilliance.
Joeboy’s dedication has been richly rewarded. He clinched Best Artiste in African Pop at the 2019 All Africa Music Awards and Best Pop at the 2020 Soundcity MVP Awards Festival. His music has earned numerous nominations, including at the City People Entertainment Awards and The Headies, affirming his status as a luminary of contemporary African sound.
The Easter edition of African Voices featuring Joeboy will air on DSTV Channel 401 at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, with repeats at 11 a.m.; Sunday at 3:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Monday at 3 a.m. and 5:45 p.m.; and Tuesday at 5:45 p.m. The schedule will be mirrored the following week, culminating in Monday at 3 a.m., giving audiences multiple opportunities to bask in the artistry of a musician whose voice carries the pulse of a continent.
Chuck Norris, the US martial artist and Hollywood action star most famous for his role in “Walker, Texas Ranger,” has died, his family said Friday. He was 86 years old.
“It is with heavy hearts that our family shares the sudden passing of our beloved Chuck Norris yesterday morning,” the family said in a statement on Instagram.
“He lived his life with faith, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to the people he loved. Through his work, discipline, and kindness, he inspired millions around the world and left a lasting impact on so many lives,” the statement said.
Norris reportedly fell ill on Thursday on the Hawaiian island of Kauai.
Norris turned 86 last week, marking the event with a video of him boxing on social media and saying, “I don’t age. I level up.”
Entertainment
South African Actress, Nomzamo Mbatha, Tells Success Story on Glo-Sponsored African Voices
Delectable South African actress, Nomzamo Mbatha, will this week on Globacom-sponsored Cable News Network International’s African Voices Changemakers, reveal her trajectory from the Rainbow Nation to the global stage of make-belief.
In the 30-minute magazine programme, show anchor, Larry Madowo, will engage Mbatha on her soaring career which earned her a mention in the prestigious TIME100 Next in 2025.
The thespian who has been featured in two Hollywood productions has also gained acclaim in the beauty industry as she has signed endorsement deals with Neutrogena and Cream of Nature, both global brands in skincare and haircare, respectively.
Madowo and Mbatha sat for the exclusive interview on set of the final season of the hit television series, Shaka iLembe at the historic Cradle of Humankind outside Johannesburg where she highlighted the cultural significance of Shaka iLembe, and why giving back to her society is at the center of her aspirations as well as the legacy she desires to build beyond the glitz and glamour of the big screen.
This edition of African Voices Changemakers will be broadcast on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. with additional broadcasts at noon same day. On Sunday, further repeats hold at 4:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. and on Monday at 3:00 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. The repeats continue on Tuesday at 5:45 p.m and Saturday, March 14 at 7:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m and Sunday, March15 at 3:30 a.m. and 6:00 a.m as well as Monday, March 16 at 3:00 a.m.
