Bonang to co-host Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards
SOUTH Africa’s Bonang Matheba has been revealed as one of the hosts of the 8th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA), which are happening in Nigeria on May 14.
The award-winning media personality will co-host the awards, which seek to award the best entertainers in West Africa, with Nigerian broadcast personality IK Osakioduwa.
It will be Matheba’s first time hosting the AMVCAs. She hosted the South African version, the Mzansi Viewer’s Choice Awards, in 2017 and 2018.
The AMVCAs are one of the biggest celebrations of film and television talent across Africa, first held in 2013.
Minnie Dlamini previously hosted the awards with IK from 2016 until 2018.
Announcing the awards’ hosts, executive head of Content and West Africa Channels, MultiChoice Nigeria, Busola Tejumola, said: “We are excited to have Bonang join IK as co-host for the eighth edition of the AMVCAs.
“They are both extremely talented and have attained continental acclaim, having hosted some of Africa’s biggest shows. Together, they will keep the crowd entertained on the biggest night to celebrate African film and TV stars.”
In a statement announcing her hosting duties, Matheba said she is honoured to be hosting a live show with a live audience after the Covid19 pandemic made it difficult for live productions to take place.
“It’s always such an honour to host live productions, and I think after Covid, we haven’t had the opportunity to be outside to have these big, big productions with live studio audiences.
“So, it’s lovely to have all of that back. It’s also an honour. Any single stage I get to step on is an honour.”
Matheba also mentioned that she had longed to share the stage with IK and was looking forward to working with him.
“I’ve always wanted to work with IK. I am a huge fan of his,” she said.
Matheba has a presence in the continent, having built her career with a focus on being a celebrated African star.
In a 2008 interview with the IOL Lifestyle’s sister newspaper, the Sunday Tribune, she revealed that making inroads in the continent, especially in Nigeria, was always a career goal.
“Nigerians are very patriotic, and they support each other before anything else. So now being able to have that support from Nigeria is really great,” she said.
“It’s always been the plan for me to grow my brand outside of South Africa and make inroads into the rest of the continent.
“It’s been one of my strategies, and I’m ecstatic that it has worked so well.
“I see doors opening because the continent has embraced me and not just Ghana and Nigeria, but Kenya too, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, of course, Botswana, and more countries on the continent.”
Matheba recently hosted the Johannesburg leg of The Real Housewives of Lagos premiere.
“Just a few days before the premiere, she was in Lagos, where she was seen catching up with her friend and talk show host, Toke Makinwa, and Young, Famous & African star and stylist, Swanky Jerry.
The AMVCAs will begin its eightday festivities on Saturday, launching with an Opening Night, and a fashion show taking place on Sunday.
The awards ceremony is next Saturday, May 14, and will air live on Africa Magic Epic (DStv channel 152) from 5pm, SAST.