Nigerian TV Programmes: The Top Eleven

As TV stations continue to feed in more local contents in their programme menu, there is a question of whether some of them are in alignment with the cultural values of the people. According to some experts in content production, a good content is a constellation of quality picture, good scripting based on the peoples cultural values and creativity on the part of the producer and director. Blessing Nwobodo in this report examines

Eleven Nigerian TV programmes that could be regarded as top of the range. 
Anyone who is abreast with Nigerian TV stations would have noticed a remarkable change in terms of local content in the last seven months since the directive from the National Broadcasting Commission to stop airing foreign programmes during the prime time belt. This is a reversal of what it used to be when Nigeria had an influx of foreign programmes from Mexico, England and the United States. 
Presently, independent producers have taken advantage of the opportunity to fill the vacuum with local programmes. Greg Odutayo, who directed Edge of Paradise, believes that the last seven months have offered independent producers a platform for improvement which they never had before. “Since the NBC directive, the quality of TV programming has improved. Independent producers can now boast of a platform for them to improve on their creativity. We are almost getting there; we only need to work on the quality of scripting, picture and production; we need to invest money in that to meet international standards,” Odutayo says.  
That opinion seems subjective as most experts in TV production are far from impressed with the quality of programmes that have taken the place of the foreign soaps. Some of them pointed to the dearth of professionalism and lack of funding, as the major challenges facing the industry. “Some producers are not properly trained, especially the TV producers. If you look at the programmes produced by members of the Independent Television and Radio Programme Producers Association of Nigeria (INTRAPAN), amongst the lot on TV, you will notice that they are good programmes. Look at NTA for example; they are still making use of analogue cameras when other stations are making use of digital cameras. Some producers cut corners. Rather than stay under the tutelage of renowned producers, they just set up quack studios all in the name of producing,”   Jibe Ologeh, CEO, R-well Media and Ad Company, says.  
But has the directive made any significant impact? Some of the best Nigeria programmes on TV this year didn’t come as a result of the regulation. Some of them existed before the regulation and still commands decent viewership because of their quality and creativity.  
Some of the programmes, though products of foreign franchises, have remarkable input from Nigerian producers. For example, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire is a British concept franchised to Ultima Studio, but it has been very successful in Nigeria, largely due to the talents of Nigerian personnel. The same is true for Project Fame West Africa.  
So, which are the top eleven Nigerian programmes on TV?
M2 spoke to a cross section of Nigerians after making a shortlist. The following programmes came tops.
 
Who Wants To Be a Millionaire
This programme is a general knowledge television quiz programme that has been adjudged the biggest TV programme in the world, with Nigeria being the 104th country in which it is aired. The programme debuted on ITV in the United Kingdom in 1998 and has since become a global phenomenon. It was first aired in Nigeria on NTA on October 8, 2004.  
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire is based on a simple concept of one contestant winning cash prizes as he or she answers questions correctly. The cash prize to be won gets bigger with every question answered correctly, with 15 consecutive correct answers winning the contestant a whopping sum of N10million. So far, the Nigerian version has had a N10million winner, Mr. Ufodike Chimuanya, who became a national celebrity after he correctly answered all of the 15 questions thrown at him on the September 18, 2009 edition of the programme.  
Like in most countries, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire is one of the most watched programmes in Nigeria with a weekly viewership figure of 44million. This has been made possible partly as a result of the charisma of the presenter, Frank Idoho.  
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire is one of the primary sources of wholesome family entertainment in Nigeria. In 2006, it won an award as the best TV programme in Nigeria. The programme presently has MTN as its major sponsor and is a production of Ultima Studio.
 
Super Story
This is a programme that has been able to retain audience viewership since its inception. The programme which is aired on the network stations of NTA commands huge followership from Nigerians, especially women and children. The programme, from the stable of Wale Adenuga Production, stormed the airwaves with a captivating and touching story of a man who forgot his family when things became rosy for him. The series titled “Oh Father Oh Daughter”, had casts like Suara, Toyin Tomato, Abike among others. These names have since become memorable ones for many Nigerians.  
The family-oriented programme which teaches factual lessons about life to every member of the family and society at large was first aired on NTA and has Unilever as its major sponsor. “I’ve discovered that Africans love and appreciate stories with good morals, that any story without a moral colouration doesn’t tickle people’s fancy. So from day one, I incorporated that. All the series come with a lesson,” Adenuga says. Super Story, which debuted in 2001, is clearly one of the most popular TV programmes in Nigeria and this is reflected in the number of TV stations on which it is aired. However, due to the rise of Mexican Soaps in Nigeria, Super Story played second fiddle at a point, at least compared to the popularity it enjoyed in its early years.  
 
Edge of Paradise
For viewers who yearn for a TV drama series that touches on the real conflicts that people face in today’s Nigeria, Edge of Paradise is a classic drama that will take a long time to knock off. The director of the soap, Odutayo, told M2 that despite the efforts made to knock it off and introduce a new soap, the audience still keeps calling for it. “We are making efforts to knock off Edge of Paradise so we can push My Mum and I into the scene. It will take a while for us to do so, but we will,” he said.  
Edge of Paradise, a 26 episode drama series, was first aired on the MNET channel on the DSTV bouquet in April 2006. The Drama is about a Nigerian family going through the challenges and joy of daily living. It has a bit of comedy and reflects the modern Nigerian family life in Lagos.  
Written and conceived by Femi Kayode, the drama starring Nobert Young, Caroline King, Kora Eddie Obiakor and Ayomide Oyedele, has Debbie Odutayo as producer and Gregory Odutayo as Director.
 
Project Fame West Africa
Project Fame is one reality TV show that commands audience attention, especially from the youth to whom it is targeted. The show which is an annual event is a brain child of MTN Xtracool, initiated to encourage not just aspiring musicians but also the generality of youths in all spheres to reach out and make the best out of their dreams.  
The just concluded edition that ended in September, 2009 saw so many youths glued to their TV sets throughout the period it lasted. According to Remi Ogundeji, a ticketer with Arik Airlines, Project Fame doubles as an educator and an entertainer. “I got to learn so much from the show. Joke Silva and her team simply did a good job while they taught the contestants in the house; I was also gaining from their tutelage. I am proud to say that even though I was not a contestant, I also participated actively and have also learnt as much as what the contestants learnt as regards building a career in music.”
 
Gulder Ultimate Search
Nigeria’s foremost reality TV show, the Gulder Ultimate Search made its debut in 2004.  
The TV show, created and sponsored by Nigerian Breweries, is designed in line with what the brand stands for which is self confidence, drive, strength, youth, ambition and success. The show engages the mental and physical abilities of each contestant as well as their excellence in arts and creativity in a contest in which the “Last Man Standing” becomes the Ultimate Man.  
The reality TV show in the last five years since it started has been shot in different locations of the country with Omodo Forest in Ada, Osun State as the last location for the Gulder Ultimate Search 6.
   
Moments with Mo
Moments with Mo is a TV talk show that seeks to correct the downgrading publicity the African continent is associated with by celebrating and showcasing the greatness of Africans who against all odds have surmounted their difficulties. According to some TV experts, programmes like this have a way of sustaining audience loyalty as it touches the core areas of their day to day challenges; little wonder why it is in the fore front of preferred viewership.
Moments with Mo first took off on MNet as the first African syndicated talk show. The programme has since extended to the terrestrial stations and is aired weekly.
The show, which is the 1st pan African talk show, on each episode highlights the life and accomplishments of a usually well known personality but sometimes an undiscovered individual who by courage and determination has accomplished and overcome something that makes him a role model to others.
Produced and anchored by Mosunmola Abudu, the show is an interactive platform that offers the viewer a chance to be a part of the show to share his or her story via live participation or an online forum.

Soul Sisters Show
For Sylvia Udeogo, Laide Olaogun and Kehinde Bankole, presenters of Soul Sisters, a popular TV show, the concept of the show is to put smiles on the faces of the people and true to their words they have been able to achieve this. With the variety of segments it offers the people, the programme is simply the soul of family entertainment.
 
Designed for the youth and the entire family, Soul Sisters Show features exciting segments such as drama (Sisters’ Act), interview with stars (Star Cruise), music (Soul Sisters), fashion (Fashionista) and vox pop (Chat Line).  
The show is a 30-minute upscale magazine television programme from the stable of Wale Adenuga Production (WAP) and it is sponsored by Unilever Plc.
   
Maltina Dance All
When asked what it is she liked about this show, Tawa Temi, a Senior Client Service Officer with Walmart, said that the Maltina Dance All Show is a nice concept that should be applauded, adding that the programme promotes family bonding. “When a father dances with his daughter or a mum and her son, tell me if you won’t find it funny. The programme promotes unity in a family. Throughout the period it lasted I sat together with my family and I can assure you that we enjoyed ourselves.”
The Maltina Dance All show which made its debut in 2007 is the first and biggest family dance reality TV show in Nigeria. Interestingly, the show has recorded a huge success in the past three seasons it aired, the reason for its huge success hinging on the fact that it touches the soul of every Nigerian family. In the last edition of the show which saw the Ibiam’s family carting away the winning price of N2.5m and a brand new family SUV, some exciting dance styles like Hip Hop and Salsa were introduced.
The Maltina Dance All team, each year, since the inception of the show, spread their tentacles across six geographical locations of the nation, searching for the best talent in dance, along with a supportive and equally good dance family. The show is a concept of Nigeria Breweries Plc designed to aid family bonding.
 
Inside Out
 This is another talk show that offers a platform to discuss moral and socio-economic issues in the society.
Inside Out is one remarkable TV show that has commanded serious attention from viewers, especially the youths, since it started. The programme was rested for a while but was brought back on the screen early in 2009.
The Producer and Presenter, Agatha Amata, early in 2009, opened a new studio at Ilupeju area of Lagos where the programme is currently recorded.

This Life
This Life, from the stables of Wale Adenuga Production, is an extension of the company’s popular drama series, Super Story.
This life, just like Super Story, has different series that teach lessons about life and enjoys enormous viewership.
Apart from the fact that it is not aired on the network stations of the NTA like Super story, some of the people M2 spoke with says they see no difference in both of them. “Maybe Uncle Wale wants to use this as an avenue of making more money. All the same, I enjoy both of them,” Ogundeji says.
For Onyinye Okeke, a student of Queen’s College, Yaba, Lagos, who says she prefers This Life, “l like This Life because it is new and offers more lessons about life in general,” Miss Okeke thinks that Super Story is beginning to lose its taste since This Life came on board.

 Kakaki
 Kakaki (meaning Trumpet in Hausa language) is part of AIT’s initiative for reporting Africa in an African perspective and orchestrating African values to the world. The concept of the talk show was developed by the Late Ladi Lawal and was first anchored by the duo of Jika Atoh and Tosin Odukoya (now Tosin Dokpesi). The in-house morning talk show has grown to become one of the most popular programmes on TV. A magazine TV talk programme, the show helped position AIT as a leading TV station in Nigeria, being viewed all over the world.
Kakaki features interesting segments like news, politics, sports, personality interviews, entertainment, and is currently anchored mainly by Imoni Mark Amarierie and other presenters like Kunle Adewale, Tosin Dokpesi and Mitchelle Obi.