By Elizabeth Chukwuma
Between 2018 and now ,the United Bank For Africa, UBA plc, regarded in banking circles as the Pan African Bank, under the close watch of Kennedy Uzoka , had funded the , RED TV Men’s Club, TMC, which was said to have provided opportunities for talented African Youths in the Creative industry to excel. The REDTV TMC, appear to have thrown up a lot of talented African Youths who were said to have won the Gage awards over the last two years.
The highly anticipated African online series which is powered by the Pan African Bank Lifestyle and Entertainment channel, REDTV, was had launched one of its Web series, the Assistant Madams, in January 2020, that was said to have been watched at the prestigious Ebony Life Palace in Lagos, by the crème la crème of the African Entertainment industry.
The story was said to have revolved around three aspiring female Lagos Socialites and their Journey to the big girls’ status. It was a hit which many had said would win International award any day. Given that RED TV Men’s Club , have never disappointed any of its followers with its Web series, it was therefore not very surprising why it has emerged the winner of thGage’s 202o awards.
Following a thorough audit by the organisers of the awards, TMC which was nominated alongside four other popular online shows, had clinched the highly coveted Gage award, and was thus, announced as the winner in an elaborate virtual event which was held on Saturday, April 24th,2021.
Being the third year of the awards, the TMC, has remained one of the top hits from REDTV, producers of other popular shows like Our Best Friend’s Wedding, Inspector K, Assistant Madams, Red Hot Topics, Hotel Boutique and a host of other entertaining content.
According to informed Entertainment sources the RED TV Men’s Club has continued to enjoy a huge following since its launch in 2018, taking viewers on a roller-coaster ride with Africa’s hottest screen men – Ayoola Ayoola, Efa Iwara, Daniel Etim and Baaj Adegbule along. Their adventure filled with love, friendship, fear, betrayal and Romance has had viewers clamoring for more. The show also stars top actors like Sharon Ooja, Mimi Chaka, Folu Storms and features some of Nollywood’s finest legends like Sola Sobowale and Shaffy Bello.
Executive Producer, REDTV, Bola Atta, had thanked the organisers of the Gage awards for the recognition as she elaborated on the mission of the REDTV Men’s Club since it was birthed five years ago. “REDTV was set up to support Africa’s creative industry by developing and nurturing talent which is what we are most focused on as we make available opportunities for the creative people across the continent’’ she had said. She further said, ‘’We do this through the creation of compelling and positive stories about Africa and Africans’.
Acknowledging UBA’s continuous investment in REDTV and Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, SMEs, Atta who is also the UBA’s Director of Corporate Communications, said, “REDTV was birthed by the United Bank for Africa, to support the youths and the creative sector in Nigeria and across the African continent, noting that for over five years they have been creating employment through entertainment.
An elated Atta disclosed that at the Money Deposit Bank, MDB, they aim to empower talented and creative professionals in the pursuit of their dreams as it continues to make its contribution towards the AfricanContinent economic growth.
She may have gladdened the heart of those in the African Entertainment Industry when she disclosed that the online platform will be launching more pan- African content in the next few weeks, which she stated, will further connect African talent to the world, providing the best in entertainment and story- telling to its teeming fans.
The,Organisers of the Gage awards, may have taken advantage of it to give an insight about the aim of it, which is in its second year, stressing that ‘’it is to recognise institutions that have added value’’towards making the internet a haven for the development of African content’’.
Many believe that the REDTV is a fast-paced lifestyle channel that had put the African Continent on the global stage. Proudly powered by the UBA, the network, according to an inside, aims to entertain and inform, through the rich and engaging content that feature the very best of Africa focused on fashion, news, music, sports, drama, travel and much more’’. There is no gainsaying the fact that the REDTV collaborates with the most talented visionaries and creative minds who dare’’to believe in a New Africa, putting together content that reflect its vision’’.
