By LukmonAkintola
With the sixth season of Nigerian Idol heating up and finalist showing the stuff they are really made of, music pundits are hoping that the judges consisting of Obi Asika, Seyi Shay, and DJ Sose, will not produce another mirage for a winner.
Over the years, the Nigerian Idol music reality show has been nothing but a farce, with judges churning out less than average talents as winners.
While the show has hardly struggled for sponsorship with Etisalat sponsoring for five straight seasons, the same can hardly be said of the hustle of the winners of the show in a bid to become successful in the industry.
From the first season to the fifth, it has been same of the same, as the winners have hardly proven to be idols of any kind.
Except for Mercy Chinwo the sophomore winner of the show who has gone on to become a successful gospel artiste, the same cannot be said of any other winner.
Music pundit will categorically state that aside from Mercy Chinwo, no other winner of the show has gone on to make a serious impression despite all of the hype tied to the show.
The obvious truth remains that the Nigerian Idol has simply been making millionaires of young boys and girls without a hoot about what becomes of them after the show.
Those who know the music scene very well will emphasis that life after the show is the real deal, as whatever coaching acquired in the academy comes to play at the end of the day when the talent is all by him or herself.
The unfortunate incidence of not being able to rise like a phoenix after each edition of the music reality show is fast becoming an omen of a sort, as to date supposed idols such as Moses Obi Adigwe, Evelyn “Evelle” Zibili, Kunle Ogunrombi are only remembered as the winner when their names are searched on the internet.
But why have products of the Nigerian Idol simply refused to fly, as compared to their counterpart in other music shows?
Many would remember the stars produced by now-defunct Project Fame West Africa, a classical music show that churned out talents who are either still rocking the music scene or have left indelible marks on the sand of time of the music industry.
The likes of Iyanya, Praiz, Chidinma, Chike among several others have had their reign in the industry with Chike currently enjoying rave reviews as one of the last winners.
Without a doubt, the inability of supposed winners of Nigerian Idol to fly has seemingly touched on the sponsors of the show with Etisalat eventually withdrawing its sponsorship.
Then, came Rite Foods Limited, with Bigi unveiled as the headline sponsor, leaving many wondering the audacity of the beverage brand to splash hugely on sponsorship rather than strengthening its market presence.
Come July 11, when the sixth Nigerian Idol is named from the 11 finalists namely Kingdom Kroseide, Emmanuel Elijah, Clinton Francis, Beyonce Ajomiwe, Francis Atela, Dotun Deloye, Faith Onyeje, Comfort Alalade, and Akunna Okey, pundits will hope that it has been a beneficial journey for both the talent who walks away with 50, 000,000 in prize money and Rite Foods, a company of barely four years, still trying to find a balance in the Nigerian market.
Most importantly, music pundits will hope another winner without a serious passion for music has not been produced.
Post Views: 1,161
