Encomium
Valentine’s Day was only a few weeks ago, and the internet was ablaze with couples sharing an overdose of cuteness. Gift vendors sold out, and Africa Magic supported the ‘booless’ with several romantic stories throughout the month of love.
Big fans of the special day know that Valentine is celebrated throughout February, not just on the 14th. To this end, Africa Magic, the leading provider of premium and authentic African entertainment, ensured to keep viewers (in love or not) surrounded by love stories, chaotic and otherwise. With twenty box-office films depicting every kind of love imaginable and four original TV series – Manfriend, The Theory of Breakfast, Unscripted and Masquerades of Aniedo – they had viewers sated throughout February.
The box office films – from The One Who Got Away, Special Assistant, Kambili, and Just Before Christmas to Wild Emotions, Blossom, A Heart To Love, and more, told many beautiful love stories. Then the broadcaster took it a step further and aired a movie about a man finding love despite severe scarring from an accident in ‘Beautiful Scar’ on Valentine’s evening. This meant couples across the country who couldn’t afford to or didn’t want to get stuck in traffic were able to spend the evening basking in their love while enjoying a simple movie date.
However, the icing for viewers in February was the many series. If a viewer struggled with unrequited love, then they could find comfort in knowing they are not alone while watching Zinachidinma, Ndidi and Abaeze pine for Muna, Afam, and Urenna Nwokoye respectively on Masquerades of Aniedo. Even though the show is centred on Muna’s journey to becoming Ofuobodo’s Masquerade, the show is peppered with several love stories. Fans have continued to rave about Afam’s love story with Nmesoma even though he is married to Ndidi. Then there is Muna, ready to climb all the mountains in the world to be with Chizitaram when Zinachidinma is crazy about him. His sister, Urenna, was in love with her childhood friend, Nkem, for the longest time despite knowing Abaeze has always held a torch for her. Finally, the show highlights the forbidden love between aunt and nephew, Ojoma and Chris, and all their sneaking around.
Unscripted isn’t a love story, but what’s a drama series without some romance to spice things up, or should we say secret affairs? Unscripted is a series set against the backdrop of a highly anticipated reality show’s reunion. It unfolds as past conflicts, hidden truths, and unexpected revelations reignite tensions among the former housemates, the host and the crew. There is the producer (Jamila) who is caught in a triangle between her husband, the show’s floor manager (Deji) and the host (Frank). The housemates also have so much relationship drama between them – from Olamide, who was threatening Cassie not to end things with him unless he’d share her nudes, to Dozie, who tried to use a fake ship with Tamara to get fans on the show despite still being legally married to his manager (Brenda).
On the other hand, The Theory of Breakfast is a love story. Better still? It’s several love stories intertwined into each other, but as the name connotes – love stories that ‘end in tears’. Viewers who were nursing heartbreaks would have been comforted knowing even fictional characters feel the same pain. Still, many fans were invested in Laolu’s love triangle between father (Chief Atakhere) and son (Ebitimi). Then there is the on-again-off-again love between Mandela and Vodka and the sordid relationship between Vodka’s dad, Ebitimi’s mom, and Vodka’s ex-best friend.
Manfriend perhaps had the sanest relationships, but even that is questionable. The show revolves around the ‘King’ women, from their mother (Wandoo) to her daughters (Dooshima, Doosur, and Mimidoo), and their messy relationships with men. Fans of the show watched in February as Wandoo realised that her ex-husband made her his new side chick. She then made a roundabout and began a cute relationship with a man 10 years younger. Her firstborn, Dooshima, is in love with a married man who scams her and uses the money to relocate his family to Canada. Her middle child is in love with her ‘bestie’ and, despite both of them fighting their attraction, end up cheating on the latter’s girlfriend. The last born (Mimidoo) is just as bad as she’s over the moon for a man old enough to be her father.
So, maybe Africa Magic wasn’t all about pure love in February. Still, no one can deny that there is beauty in diversity. While the box-office films radiated the cheesiest and sweetest of love, the series told the most torturous stories.
Thankfully, the series has not wrapped up and will begin the final set of episodes this March. In the spirit of continuing the movie galore, Africa Magic will be premiering over 300 movies, with a new movie showing every day in March, across their channels. The campaign has been tagged ‘A Movie A Day Unleashed’. Viewers can catch up with all the madness from the series on DStv Catch Up or Showmax and take advantage of the Step-Up offer to catch all 300 films airing on Africa Magic in March.
