Project Fame West Africa

*Project Fame West Africa*
Project Fame West Africa
Also known as	Project Fame
Genre	Reality, talent show
Created by	Gboyega Ayoade
Presented by	Joseph Benjamin; Bolanle Olukanni
Judges	Praiz; Tee-Y Mix; Bibie;
Country of origin	Nigeria
Original language	English
No. of seasons	9
No. of episodes	5 per season
Production
Executive producer	MTN Nigeria
Producer	Ultima Limited
Original release
Network	TV3 Ghana; Clare TV (Liberia); AIT (Nigeria); GET TV (Nigeria); MiTV (Nigeria); NTA (Nigeria); Nigerzie (Nigeria); ONTV(Nigeria); Silverbird (Nigeria); SoundCity (Nigeria); ABC TV (Sierra Leone)
Release	18 July 2008 –; 2016

Project Fame, also known as Project Fame West Africa or MTN Project Fame West Africa (for sponsorship purposes), is a music talent TV reality show filmed in Lagos and aired in the West African subcontinent.^[2] It is a regional version of Star Academy reality series that was developed and is licensed worldwide by Endemol. The show used to feature contestants from Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, but Liberia and Sierra Leone have been dropped since the 2014 Ebola Outbreak. The show is broadcast by networks in these four countries and across the African continent.

Run by Ultima production,^[3] Project Fame's inaugural season began in 2008. The production format consists of gala evenings held each Sunday night in prime time and hosted by Joseph Benjamin and Adaora Oleh. In season 7, Adaora was replaced with Bolanle Olukanni. Additionally, there's a weekly recap show and the Eviction night on Saturday night.

The jury is formed by three judges; Praiz, Bibie Brew and Tee-Y Mix, and Faculty members of the Academy which include: Joke Silva, Lovette Otegbola, Dupe Ige, Ben Ogbeiwi and Mr Gboyega Ayoade.

The show is notorious for its winners struggling to make a name for themselves in the industry after they win. Of all the contestants in the 9 seasons, only Iyanya, Chidinma, Praiz, Niniola and Johnny Drille have gone on to make various degrees of success in music; season 5 winner Ayoola went on to become a thriving TV star^[4]

Winners & Runners-up

Season	Year	Winner	Runner-up	Country
1	2008	Iyanya		Nigeria
2	2009	Mike Anyasodo		Nigeria
3	2010	Chidinma		Nigeria
4	2011	Monica Ogah		Nigeria
5	2012	Ayoola	Marvellous Odiete	Nigeria
6	2013	Olawale		Nigeria
7	2014	Geoffrey Oji		Nigeria
8	2015	Jeff Akoh		Nigeria
9	2016	Okiemute Ighorodje^[5]		Nigeria

Season 1 (2008)

Season 2 (2009)

Season 3 (2010)

^[6]

Candidate	Age	Residence	Result
Adebola Kester	29	Ghana
Chidinma	22	Ikorodu, Nigeria
Christian	22	Ashanti Region, Ghana
Eyo	29	Lagos, Nigeria
Kesse	24	Ghana
Ochuko		Lagos, Nigeria
Tolu Adesina	29	Kaduna, Nigeria
Yetunde		Ibadan, Nigeria
Joecelia Gbondo		Freetown, Sierra Leone	10th Evicted
Rhoda	26	Lagos, Nigeria	9th Evicted
Vwede Akpoguma		Benin, Nigeria	8th Evicted
Helen Pajebo-Jackson	23	Monrovia, Liberia	7th Evicted
Shehu	30	Kaduna, Nigeria	6th Evicted
Monica	24	Enugu, Nigeria	5th Evicted
Samuel Stryker		Monrovia, Liberia	4th Evicted
Modele	22	Abeokuta, Nigeria	3rd Evicted
Lindsey		Abuja, Nigeria	2nd Evicted
Gold	21	Lagos, Nigeria	1st Evicted

Gala evenings

1st Live Show - Contestant's choice^[7]

Order	Contestant	Song (Original Artist)	Result
1	Tolu	"When a Man Loves a Woman" (Michael Bolton)	Safe
2	Rhoda	"For You I Will" (Monica)	Safe
3	Lindsey	"Time After Time" (Cyndi Lauper)	Safe
4	Joecelia	"Breathe Again" (Toni Braxton)	Safe
5	Helen	"Nothing Compares To You" (Sinéad O'Connor)	Safe
6	Vwede	"Coast to Coast" (Westlife)	Safe
7	Yetunde	"You Gotta Be" (Des'ree)	Safe
8	Eyo	"I Just Called To Say I Love You" (Stevie Wonder)	Safe
9	Chidinma	"Stickwitu" (The Pussycat Dolls)	Safe
10	Shehu	"Careless Whispers" (George Michael)	Safe
11	Modele	"Same Old Love" (Anita Baker)	Safe
12	Kesse	"Rock Me Tonight" (Freddie Jackson)	Safe
13	Gold	"Smooth Operator" (Sade Adu)	Safe
14	Samuel	"Lady In Red" (Chris de Burg)	Safe
15	Adebola	"Where Do Broken Hearts Go" (Whitney Houston)	Safe
16	Monica	"Still the One" (Shania Twain)	Safe
17	Christian	"No Matter Why" (Boyzone)	Safe
18	Ocuhko	"My Girl" (Temptations)	Safe

2nd Live Show - Aṣa & Tracy Chapman^[8]

Mentor: Aṣa

Order	Contestant	Song (Original Artist)	Result
1	Yetunde	"Eye Adaba" (Aṣa)	Safe
2	Eyo	"Change" (Tracy Chapman)	Safe
3	Joecelia	"Fire on the Mountain" (Aṣa)	Bottom Five
4	Shehu	"Kiss the Rain" (Tracy Chapman)	Bottom Five
5	Modele	"You're the One" (Tracy Chapman)	Bottom Five
6	Tolu	"Jailer Man" (Aṣa)	Safe
7	Rhoda	"For My Love" (Tracy Chapman)	Safe
8	Lindsey	"Give Me One Reason" (Tracy Chapman)	Eliminated
9	Chidinma	"Fast Cars" (Tracy Chapman)	Safe
10	Helen	"Sorry" (Tracy Chapman)	Safe
11	Vwede	"If You Want Me" (Tracy Chapman)	Safe
12	Christian	"360 Degrees" (Aṣa)	Safe
13	Ochuko	"She's Got Her Ticket" (Tracy Chapman)	Safe
14	Samuel	"Peace" (Aṣa)	Safe
15	Adebola	"Iba" (Aṣa)	Safe
16	Monica	"Why?" (Tracy Chapman)	Safe
17	Gold	"Waidi" (Aṣa)	Eliminated
18	Kesse	"So Beautiful" (Aṣa)	Safe

3rd Live Show - Reggae^[9]

Mentor: Samini

Order	Contestant	Song (Original Artist)	Result
1	Ochuko	"Rock Me Baby" (Johnny Nash)	Safe
2	Christian	"I Shot the Sheriff" (Bob Marley)	Safe
3	Joecelia	"Cherry Oh Baby" (UB40)	Safe
4	Monica	"Pass the Dutchie" (Musical Youth)	Safe
5	Modele	"Rat Race" (Mandators)	Eliminated
6	Eyo	"Romba Stylee" (Ras Kimono)	Safe
7	Tolu	"Get Up, Stand Up" (Bob Marley)	Safe
8	Chidinma	"Gnashing of Teeth" (Mighty Diamonds)	Safe
9	Helen	"Just Don't Wanna be Lonely" (Freddie McGregor)	Bottom Five
10	Rhoda	"Mama Africa" (Peter Tosh)	Bottom Five
11	Vwede	"Kpobaro" (Evi Edna)	Safe
12	Samuel	"Don't Turn Around" (Aswad)	Eliminated
13	Adebola	"I Wanna Wake Up With You" (Boris Gardiner)	Bottom Five
14	Shehu	"Back To My Roots" (Lucky Dube)	Safe
15	Kesse	"Land of my Birth" (Eric Donaldson)	Safe
16	Yetunde	"I Need a Roof" (Mighty Diamonds)	Safe

4th Live Show - African Night^[10]

Mentor: Lagbaja

Order	Contestant	Song (Original Artist)	Result
1	Eyo	"Lady" (Fela)	Safe
2	Shehu	"Coolu Temper" (Lagbaja)	Eliminated
3	Joecelia	"I Shall Sing" (Miriam Makeba)	Safe
4	Monica	"Nigeria Go Survive" (Veno)	Eliminated
5	Kesse	"Dambebi" (Ofori Amponsah)	Safe
6	Chidinma	"Ipi Tombia" (Miriam Mekeba)	Safe
7	Rhoda	"I'm Burning Up" (Yvonne Chaka Chaka)	Bottom Five
8	Helen	"Taxi Driver" (Mandy Brown)	Safe
9	Vwede	"Rhumba Dance" (Mike Okri)	Bottom Five
10	Tolu	"Palava" (Fela)	Safe
11	Adebola	"Thank you Mr. DJ" (Yvonne Chaka Chaka)	Bottom Five
12	Yetunde	"Wombo Lombo" (Angélique Kidjo)	Safe
13	Christian	"Wo Se Keta A Bae Mu" (Daddy Lumba)	Safe
14	Ochuko	"Konko Below" (Lagbaja)	Safe

5th Live Show - Soft Rock and Soul^[11]

Mentor: Frank Edoho

Order	Contestant	Song (Original Artist)	Result
1	Adebola	"You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman" (Celine Dion)	Safe
2	Yetunde	"Big Girls Don't Cry" (Fergie)	Safe
3	Eyo	"Three Times A Lady" (Kenny Rogers)	Safe
4	Joecelia	"It's My House" (Diana Ross)	Safe
5	Kesse	"Knocking on Heaven's Door" (Bob Dylan)	Safe
6	Rhoda	"Runaway" (The Corrs)	Safe
7	Vwede	"Take My Breath Away" (Berlin)	Safe
8	Tolu	"First Cut Is The Deepest" (Rod Stewart)	Safe
9	Ochuko	"One More Night" (Phil Collins)	Safe
10	Christian	"If You Don't Know Me By Now" (Simply Red)	Safe
11	Helen	"Lake A Prayer" (Madonna)	Safe
12	Chidinma	"I Want To Know What Love Is" (Mariah Carey)	Safe

6th Live Show - Classic Duets & Evergreen Disco Songs^[12]

Mentor: Yinka Davies

Order	Contestant	Song (Original Artist)	Result
1	Eyo	"Same Girl" (Usher & R. Kelly)	Safe
1	Kesse	"Same Girl" (Usher & R. Kelly)	Safe
2	Christian	"Two Wrongs" (Wyclef Jean & Claudette Ortizt)	Bottom 5
2	Helen	"Two Wrongs" (Wyclef Jean & Claudette Ortizt)	Eliminated
3	Vwede	"Love of My Life" (George Benson & Roberta Flack)	Eliminated
3	Adebola	"Love of My Life" (George Benson & Roberta Flack)	Safe
4	Joecelia	"I Got You Babe" (UB40)	Safe
4	Ochuko	"I Got You Babe" (UB40)	Bottom 5
5	Tolu	"My Boo" (Usher & Alicia Keys)	Safe
5	Chidinma	"My Boo" (Usher & Alicia Keys)	Safe
6	Rhoda	"Frankie" (Sister Sledge)	Bottom 5
6	Yetunde	"Frankie" (Sister Sledge)	Safe
7	Eyo	"Cassanova" (Gerald Levert)	Safe
8	Kesse	"Ladies Man" (Kool & the Gang)	Safe
9	Helen	"Ain’t Nobody" (Chaka Khan)	Eliminated
10	Christian	"Rock The Boat" (The Hues Corporation)	Bottom 5
11	Vwede	"Night Shift" (The Commodores)	Eliminated
12	Adebola	"Staying Alive" (Bee Gees)	Safe
13	Joecelia	"I'm in Love" (Evlyn King)	Safe
14	Ochuko	"Wet My Whistle" (Midnight Star)	Bottom 5
15	Tolu	"Caribbean Quee" (Billy Ocean)	Safe
16	Chidinma	"I'm Every Woman" (Whitney Houston)	Safe
17	Yetunde	"Somebody Else's Guy" (Jocelyn Brown)	Safe
18	Rhoda	"Ring My Bell" (Anita Ward)	Bottom 5

7th Live Show - Afro-Caribbean night^[13]

Mentor: Onyeka Onwenu

Order	Contestant	Song (Original Artist)	Result
1	Adebola	"Halleluyah" (Onyeka Onwenu)	Bottom 5
2	Eyo	"Ifeoma" (Felix Lebarty)	Safe
3	Joecelia	"Baby Let Me Love You" (Bonny Macs)	Eliminated
4	Kesse	"Searching" (Bongos Ikwe)	Safe
5	Christian	"Bonsue" (Joe Mensah)	Safe
6	Yetunde	"Jafunmi" (Sunny Adé)	Bottom 5
7	Chidinma	"Ekwe" (Onyeka Onwenu)	Safe
8	Tolu	"You & I" (Onyeka Onwenu)	Safe
9	Rhoda	"Hot Hot Hot" (Mighty Diamonds)	Eliminated
10	Ochuko	"Afro Juju" (Sir Shina Peters)	Bottom 5

Elimination chart

Elimination Chart
	2	3	4	5	6	7
Adebola	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN
Chidinma	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN
Christian	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN
Eyo	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN
Kesse	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN
Ochuko	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN
Tolu	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN
Yetunde	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN
Rhoda	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	OUT
Joecelia	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	OUT
Vwede	IN	IN	IN	IN	OUT
Helen	IN	IN	IN	IN	OUT
Shehu	IN	IN	OUT
Monica	IN	IN	OUT
Samuel	IN	OUT
Modele	IN	OUT
Lindsey	OUT
Gold	OUT

The contestant won the show

The contestant lost in the final

The contestant was in the Bottom Five, but saved by the jury

The contestant was in the Bottom Five, but saved by the academy

The contestant was in the Bottom Five, but saved by the students

The contestant was eliminated

Season 4 (2011)

Season 5 (2012)

Season 6 (2013)

Season 7 (2014)

Season 8 (2015)

Season 8 is being broadcast on TVC, MITV, DBN, SOUNDCITY, ONTV and GETTV. the finalists are Ada, Anderson, Arewa, Deinde, Jeff & pearl.

 Jeffrey oji finished as the winner of season 8

Season 9 (2016)

References

^ "5 things you probably don't know about the charming TV host". 19 August 2015.
^ Simwa, Adrianna (2018-06-06). "All MTN Project Fame winners since inception". Legit.ng - Nigeria news. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
^ "Ultima". Ultima. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
^ "MTN Project Fame West Africa Archives". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. Retrieved 2022-12-07.
^ BellaNaija: And the Winner is... 25-year-old Okiemute Ighorodje Wins Season 9 of MTN Project Fame West Africa!
^ "MTN Project Fame West Africa's 'Lucky 18′ get their first taste of Stardom as the show begins and superstar Asa visits". Bella Naija. 19 July 2010. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
^ "Opening Gala Show". Project Fame. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
^ "Sunday Show 1......A night of bliss and fun". Project Fame. Retrieved 26 July 2010.
^ "REGGAE NIGHT". Project Fame. Retrieved 2 August 2010.
^ "AFRICAN NIGHT". Project Fame. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
^ "A night of Soft Rock and Soul". Project Fame. Retrieved 17 August 2010.
^ "Sunday's Show 6... A Double-edged Night". Project Fame. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
^ "Sunday Show 6…… Afro- Caribbean Night". Project Fame. Retrieved 30 August 2010.

External links

[1] "5 things you probably don't know about the charming TV host". 19 August 2015.

[2] Simwa, Adrianna (2018-06-06). "All MTN Project Fame winners since inception". Legit.ng - Nigeria news. Retrieved 2022-12-23.

[3] "Ultima". Ultima. Retrieved 2022-12-23.

[4] "MTN Project Fame West Africa Archives". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. Retrieved 2022-12-07.

[5] BellaNaija: And the Winner is... 25-year-old Okiemute Ighorodje Wins Season 9 of MTN Project Fame West Africa!

[Contestants-6] "MTN Project Fame West Africa's 'Lucky 18′ get their first taste of Stardom as the show begins and superstar Asa visits". Bella Naija. 19 July 2010. Retrieved 19 July 2010.

[1st_Live_Show-7] "Opening Gala Show". Project Fame. Retrieved 20 July 2010.

[2nd_Live_Show-8] "Sunday Show 1......A night of bliss and fun". Project Fame. Retrieved 26 July 2010.

[3rd_Live_Show-9] "REGGAE NIGHT". Project Fame. Retrieved 2 August 2010.

[4th_Live_Show-10] "AFRICAN NIGHT". Project Fame. Retrieved 10 August 2010.

[5th_Live_Show-11] "A night of Soft Rock and Soul". Project Fame. Retrieved 17 August 2010.

[6th_Live_Show-12] "Sunday's Show 6... A Double-edged Night". Project Fame. Retrieved 25 August 2010.

[5th_Live_Show-123-13] "Sunday Show 6…… Afro- Caribbean Night". Project Fame. Retrieved 30 August 2010.

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