Sistaz! reality show around the corner
by Akeem Lasisi
L-R: Uys, Jojo Stavro, Stephanie Coker, Ofoegbu, Eleni Starvo, Pris Nzimiro and Eko Hotels’ Marketing Manager, Roland Eze.
Lovers
of TV reality shows and the beauty of Africa have a date with Sistaz!, a
new series set to berth in Lagos. Akeem Lasisi writes
Viewers are due to enjoy a new wave of
television experience as the reality show, which is produced by
EbonyLife TV, makes its entry.
Directed by Heidi Uys, Sistaz! is
about two sisters of Greek-Nigerian descent, the Starvo sisters, who
decide to check into the Eko Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos, for a
long overdue holiday reunion. While there, they meet Stephaniene, a
British-born Nigerian friend also in to relax from a busy schedule.
Together, they set out on a 30-day
roller-coaster to rediscover afresh the passion of sisterhood,
friendship and the lively city of Lagos. However, their holiday soon
turns into a mission when they host a party at the hotel. When their
diverse worlds connect, their attitudes explode with a bang.
Although the producers describe the
series as a tight-budget production, they say it is a highly
professional one, with a first rated production team and crew,
“Sistaz! is bound to redefine paradigms in reality TV programming in Nigeria, Africa and beyond,” they note in a statement.
On the completion of the filming, the
Director, Reality Programming, Ebonylife TV, Pamela Ofoegbu, says, “It
has been an awesome, exciting and dramatic roller coaster ride as we
watched events unfold daily. This is truly reality at its max.”
Also, the Producer of Sistaz!, Priscilla Nzimiro, notes that this type of project is the first of its kind in this market.
She adds, “ It hasn’t been easy but we
are glad we were able to pull it off successfully. This is just the
beginning. We thank the Eko Hotel and Suites for their support on this
project.”
The series Director, Heidi Uys, notes
that in reality, making reality TV shows takes one on a huge adventure.
He says, “Every day, fantastic stories unfold as real people live out in
a landscape that has been designed for them. Neither they, nor the
director knows their destiny until it’s discovered on camera everyday –
it is riveting stuff and not for the faint-hearted.”
The producers are using Sistaz! as
one stone to kill two birds. Apart from thrilling viewers with
adventure, they are also exploiting it to project a nationalistic pride
and patriotism as it showcases a beautiful Nigeria and indeed Africa
that, they say, the foreign media usually ignores while showcasing dark
sides of the continent.
To buttress this point, Executive Producer, Sistaz!and
CEO EbonyLife TV, Mo Abudu , says, “We want to make Reality TV that
thrills, with a great storyline, with all the glamour the gloss. We want
to showcase the best of Lagos; that many would watch globally and say,
‘Is that really Lagos? Is that really Nigeria? Is that really Africa?’
And we will say, ‘Yes, it is.’ We wanted to reveal an Africa never
portrayed by most mainstream western media channels.”
Abudu adds that what people normally see
from foreign channels are projects and women in villages carrying
firewood on their heads.
“Of course, these societies and
realities exist, but so does the modern African city with all the
trimmings of glamour; with beautiful and chic women. The village setting
imagery portrayed by western media channels continues to undermine the
progress made in Africa by African brands! However, this is what
EbonyLife TV, through its programming, is poised to change. We are
positioned to give African brands, big and small, an opportunity to be
heard and seen, like never before, and in the light that they truly
deserve to be seen! That’s why our mantra at EbonyLife TV is ‘Everything
you think you know about Africa is about to change forever!”
EbonyLife TV prides itself as Africa’s
prime global black media and entertainment channel set to broadcast pan
Africa wide on the DSTV platform, Sky TV in the UK and DISH in the US.
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