Nigerian idol is the real deal

For entertainment enthusiasts, and millions of talented but opportunity-challenged acts spread across the country, the next few weeks promises to be interesting, as the world's biggest music talent show Idols comes to Nigeria. Optima Media Group (OMG), one of Africa's biggest production companies, announced this week it has secured the right to produce Idol in Nigeria and across sub-Saharan Africa.

'We're starting with 'Nigerian Idol', obviously because Nigeria has the biggest market for us, and the Nigerian music industry is the biggest, and most promising on the continent right now' Chichi Nwoko, a spokesperson for OMG told journalists in Lagos early this week.

Nigerian Idol, Nwoko says, is 'a dream come true because finally we get to give millions of youths an opportunity to be heard - a genuine opportunity. Nigeria is blessed with such amazing talent!

Unfortunately, most of these people don't have a structured platform to make their voices heard. We want to say to them - accept no Limitations. You can make your dream come true!'

The stories of Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, or Jennifer Hudson, better explain the power and promise of the Idols platform. Before entering for the American Idols, they were just regular "wannabes", hoping to someday to be a music star, but with no clue on how to break into the mainstream music scene. Today, they're bonafide music stars, with a global audience and an assured career.

Nigerian Idol, the producers say, will produce the biggest music star this year. The man or woman who'll sing Nigerians to sleep and wake them up the next morning. The one singer that will in a matter of months, move from obscurity to celebrity; from shame to fame; the one singer who will move from the back seat to the A-league.

Forms will be available in July and audition held across Nigeria for persons aged between 16 and 28. A panel of four judges, will be faced with the daunting prospect of choosing 50 talented singers to face the viewing public who will decide, in a series of live shows, who most deserves the chance of stardom.

Nigerian Idol will be aired both on cable and terrestrial television across Nigeria between September and December 2010.