Vanessa Obioha
The Royal Box Event Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos, was transformed into a celebration of innovation, entertainment and glamour on Wednesday evening as MultiChoice Nigeria, a Canal+ company, unveiled new packages for its DStv and GOtv subscribers.
For months, speculation had surrounded the company’s future following its acquisition by French media conglomerate Canal+ last year. From a change of leadership to an executive reshuffle, the transition signalled that things were changing. At last, consumers got a glimpse of what the new ownership has in store with the introduction of the revamped packages.
During her presentation, MultiChoice Nigeria CEO, Kemi Omotosho, identified three major factors driving the changes: new ownership, changing consumer habits and the company’s evolving content offering, stating that
“A lot has changed in our world.”
She described the coming together of Canal+ and MultiChoice as an opportunity to strengthen the company’s global reach while retaining its African identity.
“When we talk about the Canal+ Group, it’s a global giant. So, bringing Canal+ and MultiChoice together, we can celebrate being one global media and entertainment company. The benefit is we have scale, from content to global partnerships. We can do things the broader and bolder way. We’re going global, but we still keep Africa and Nigeria at the heart of everything we do,” she added.
Under the new structure, DStv packages will comprise Starter, Select, Sports and Premium, while GOtv customers can choose from Easy, Starter, Select and Sports. Starter (N6,000) adds SuperSport KICKOFF and Africa Magic+ for football and drama. Sports (N21,000) covers every Premier League and Champions League match, plus WWE and UFC.
To usher in this new era, MultiChoice, as always, ensured that the evening was an experience in itself.
The dimly lit hall was filled with celebrities, former Big Brother Naija housemates, media professionals and other guests, who were treated to an assortment of finger foods and drinks. At the centre of the stage was a screen designed like a mobile phone, which executives used to present the new packages and showcase promotional videos. Guests also had the opportunity to explore the new packages in themed rooms featuring memorabilia from various programmes.
The evening opened with an energetic performance by dance group Dance Na The Main Thing. Dressed in colourful costumes representing Nigeria’s diverse ethnic groups, the dancers moved to a musical medley celebrating the country’s cultural heritage. From Urhobo and Ibibio to Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba, the performance brought together a variety of traditional dance styles.
Their performances were made more lively with the appearances of masquerades representing Igbo culture and the Yoruba Eyo festival.
But they were not the only performances of the night. As the Senior Vice President, Tope Oshunkeye unveiled the packages, a themed performance accompanied them. For instance, the Premium package, which includes Formula 1 coverage, was introduced with models dressed in racing gear, female cheerleaders and champagne to complete the atmosphere. The Sports package featured SuperSport presenter Chuey Chu, who spoke about the range of football competitions available to subscribers.
For Select, which offers family and entertainment programmes, spoken-word artist IB Quake delivered a stirring performance, while a magician entertained guests with his tricks during the unveiling of Starter.
The night’s biggest highlight, however, was the Loud Urban Choir. Their renditions of popular songs soon had guests on their feet, singing and dancing along.
Among those at the event were media executive Darey Art Alade and his wife, Deola; filmmaker Tola Odunsi; actress Enado Odigie; and costume designer Yolanda Okereke.