Television, TV, monitor, 72″ 8K HD TV (if your delight is to flex on your opps), whatever you choose to call it, serves and continue to serve one general purpose – bringing the world to our eyesight from the comfort of our home/abode.
TV shows, news, movies, music videos and all other sorts of programmes we indulge in frequently all comes thanks to the invention of the television and the role it has played in spreading those programmes.
For sure the past decade — 2010-2019 — gave us a lot of reality TV shows we enjoyed and are thankful for; from MTN sponsored Project Fame West Africa to the Peak Talent Show to Nigerian Idol and a host of others, reality TV shows have become a staple in many Nigerian household connecting them together.
Sadly, some of these shows, many of which we have become fond of and tag as our “fave” or “favourites” are no longer airing and have been scrapped while few have gone to assume a new identity or a change of name/brand. Now let’s dive into some of our favourites reality TV shows that got scrapped in the past decade.
1. Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? (WWTBAM):
The Frank Edoho hosted and telecom giant sponsored show – Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? – is a reality TV game show with aims of making the participants a millionaire (just like the name suggests) through general knowledge quizzing. WWTBAM aired from October 8 2004 – June 25 2017.
The star prize of ₦10 million was the bull’s eye if the contestants answered all 15 questions correctly. The ultimate winner of show is Aroma Ufodike by answering “Peace” to the question: “Professor Maathai Wangari won the Nobel Prize for which of these?”
Contestants are picked from their ‘fastest fingers’ ability and allowed 3 options – ‘Phone A Friend’, ‘Ask The Audience’ and ‘50-50’. Viewers are also get the chance to win ₦20,000 if they answer a trivia question left by Frank Edoho at the end of the night’s show (20 winners are picked weekly).
2. Gulder Ultimate Search:
Parents always clamour on their children to go and read their books and study after the day’s schooling activities but not when it comes to Gulder Ultimate Search as it was beloved nationwide by both adult and young ones.
Gulder Ultimate Search is an adventure-filled reality TV game show where qualified participants are treated under military-esque conditions: no light, life in the wilderness, rigorous and gruesome (but under trained professionals) workouts and training, food are prepared using just firewood (no stove/gas/electric means) and water is gotten from sources like streams and rivers.
The show requires the contestants to survive under those conditions and if they can’t or violate stated rules and commandments or fail a task by coming last, they are evicted until it comes down to 2 conquerors who battle for the top prize by searching for the hidden artifac/treasure in reference to given clues. The winners are always males (with a Last Woman Standing) given Gulder Ultimate Search required a lot strength and endurance.
Gulder Ultimate Search went for 11 seasons from 2004-2014.
3. Maltina Dance All:
Maltina Dance All was that unique show, in that unlike its peers or predecessors in dancing competition worldwide, it is the only show to actually find a way of involving family members directly in the competition. 10 different families are chosen after series of auditions are carried out nationwide which involves just one – usually the most talented dancer of the family – coming forth to dance his way into the Maltina house and sponsored competition. After winners are picked, then their families get involved — usually 5-8 members (ranging from nuclear to extended) who dance quite well.
Although already good at what they came to do which is dance, they are housed, given luxury treatment and coached on different dances around the world from our traditional dance to salsa to pantomime.
The winners prize range was around ₦5 million to ₦10 million depending on the season in question. Apart from the Finale always standing out as the highlight episode to watch, the Hip-Hop dance and Salsa episodes always turn out to be viewer’s choice and favourites.
4. Project Fame West Africa:
MTN Project Fame West Africa was the highlight reality TV show of the past decade. From their funny audition clips circulating social media to the gifted performance by the serious ones, down to the main show which airs everyday on different channels starting from 6-8 PM daily, providing a 30-minute round-up of activities in the house and good ole Uncle Ben (who can ever forget him), Project Fame West Africa really proved to be worth the while.
Singers had to sing their hearts out as they vie for the prize money, car and a one-year recording contract. The first episode was 18 July 2008 while the last episode aired in 2016, lasting a very impressive 9 seasons.
MTN Y’ello Star seems to have replaced the show. Praiz, Chidinma, Iyanya and Ayoola and Bisola (who are now flourishing actors in Nollywood) are all alumni of Project Fame West Africa.
MTN Project Fame West Africa featured Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ghana and Liberia but Liberia and Sierra Leone got outcast due to the infamous 2014 Ebola outbreak.
The house counsel – Joke Silva and Cobhams Asuquo, the judges, guest artistes all made the show a memorable one and a Nigerian TV classic.
5. Peak Talent Show:
Peak Talent Show gave participants the national audience opportunity to potray and sell their unique talent to the world.
Dancing, singing, joggling, playing instruments, body contouring, no boundary set on the term “talent”; any form of talent is welcome on the show.
Notable past winners include UK-based Kida Kudz, Yemi Alade and Amarachi (the child dancer who later ventured into music).
Other reality TV shows that got scrapped and deserves a mention at least are – Nigerian Idol, Nigeria’s Got Talent, Malta Guinness Street Dance and The Apprentice Africa.