Glo to cease sponsorship of ‘Naija Sings’, as winners fade away

Winners of the GLO Naija Sings Season 1, 2, 3: Jon Ogah, Casey Edema, Christian Doherty

Globacom has ceased sponsorship of the television music reality show ‘Naija Sings’, putting its weight, instead, behind the debuting Nigerian version of the international music reality show, X-Factor.

The telecoms company was the title sponsor of all the three editions of Glo Naija Sings which saw winners emerge with mouth-watering prizes and enough money to launch a music career.

Globacom and the show’s broadcast company, M-NET headed by Biola Alabi signed a three-year sponsorship deal for Naija Sings with production handled by Nevermachine Entertainment.

According to information on Globacom’s website, the show was ‘aimed at discovering, developing and rewarding Nigeria’s brightest and boldest musical talents’, but it seems the objective has not been thoroughly been met.

Globacom is known to support a wide array of entertainment programmes including; the annual Ojude Oba festival in Ijebu-Ode and the Ofala festival in Onitsha; CNN International’s weekly half-hour magazine programme, ‘African Voices’; the Glo-CAF Awards, Nigeria’s Super Eagles, Ghana’s Black Stars, Nigerian Football League, Glo International Half Marathon and a series of other events and shows.

With the unveiling, two weeks ago, of the company’s sponsorship of X-Factor, it became glaring that speculation about cracks in the relationship with Naija Sings were correct.

No official comments yet from Globacom as officials told a NET correspondent to write and submit a proposal as regards the inquiry before an audience will be granted.

A rep who refused to give a name later told our reporter over the phone that Glo’s actions were based on the contractual agreement earlier agreed upon by the parties involved.

‘We had a three-year contract with the M-NET, and it’s just normal for the parties to either renew the contract or not. It is purely business and it doesn’t have anything to do with how the show has fared’, the rep said.

Some insiders however told us it’s likely the sponsorship contract was not renewed because of poor ratings. Despite the big budget and support of the telecoms company, and the involvement of big names like Denrele, Darey, Olisa Adibua and others, the show repeatedly recorded low viewership and followership within the Nigerian audience compared to other competitions like the Project Fame and Nigerian Idol.

And critics continuously condemned the format – a tricky model which lets studio guests assess and analyse contestant performances.

Meanwhile, not much has been heard of the show’s finalists and winners.

Spokesperson for Multichoice, Segun Fayose, who insisted on an email correspondence, didn’t respond to our emails as at press time.

Abayomi Awelewa, an executive at MNET’s PR agency XLR8, tells NET he has no idea why the show ceased.

‘Globacom and Multichoice will be in the best position to answer some of these questions. We were just consultants to them, and up till this moment we are fully not briefed as to why the show has been discontinued’, Awelewa told us Sunday night.

OAP Olisa Adibua, who participated in all three editions of the show as a host and later as a judge also says he has no information. ‘It’s been over a year now and I have no knowledge of the whereabouts of each of the winners. I suppose they are out there still trying to break even in the industry just like every other up-coming artiste.’

The show’s first edition was held in 2009 with John Ogah (Jon O) emerging its first winner, carting away a prize money of $100, 000 and brand new SUV.

NET gathered that Ogah has since moved abroad using his prize money to pursue an education in the US.

Season two winner, Casey Edema (Casey Ed) after releasing a few singles and an album under the management of Storm 360, fizzled out into oblivion from a career that had barely started.

‘Glo and I still have a working relationship but purely professional, that’s all I can say for now. Concerning what I have been up to, I have been trying to put my music in order for a re-launch because I’m working with an entirely new team right now and hopefully soon, we would unveil the new package ’ Casey said when NET reporters contacted him.

Then came 36-year old Christian Doherty (CeeDee) who won the last edition. He was awarded an ambassadorial position by the telecoms company, but has not been able to break-through even with the release of two singles, ‘Dem Go Know Me’ and ‘Sumomi Dada’.

When NET contacted a former host of the show, Darey Art Alade for comments, he had this to say, ‘I was just a host on the show. I cannot exactly speak on the impact that the show has had or the why it’s been difficult for the winners to find a feet in the music industry. The music industry in Nigeria is a very complex one and it’s very difficult to break through except with hardwork and dedication.’

Understandably, not many winners of reality shows have actually been able to break into the industry and become mega stars as expected, but compared to the other shows, Glo Naija Sings has not fared well at all which is possibly one of the reasons why Globacom would want to adopt the more globally recognized X-Factor.

Project Fame has two winners doing incredibly well: Iyanya and Chidinma, as well as one finalist, Praiz. Idols has Omawumi and Timi Dakolo to thank, even though Yeka Onka and Mercy Chinwo are also making minor impressions.

Will X-Factor go the way of these two, or fail to deliver the goods like Naija Sings?

Pundits say only time will tell.

We could not immediately confirm if MNET has decided to rest the show for good, or will soon be shopping for sponsors seen Glo has jumped into bed with a new lover.