Amstel Malta’s Showtime: Empowering the talented

Since the Amstel Malta Showtime  campaign hit the road, the programme aimed at spotting talents has been featuring big time artistes and youths. It has also been encouraging its fans to be the best in what  they do. WALE ALABI. writes

Brand builders and custodians are playing more prominent and visible roles in promoting growth, good causes and development . With the rising army of jobless and restless graduates, brands have embarked on some positive development programmes to encourage, motivate and empower the youth.

Regarded as the leaders of tomorrow, most youths graduated from schools with no job to do. However, some of them imbued with talents have found careers either entertainment or sport. With dint of hard work and in luck, most of them have not only grown to become successful, they are also being looked upon as role models by the upcoming ones.

Among the crop of these rising acts are Darey Art Alade, MI, Banky W, Buchi, Jenifa, D’Banj, 9nice, Wizkid, Tuface, Basketmouth, Gbenga Adeyinka 1st and Chimamanda. All of them have beaten the odds to rise to stardom. Impressed by their success, the beverage giant, Nigerian Breweries (NB) Plc, using the platform of entertainment has begun a motivational, inspirational and empowerment campaign aimed at encouraging the youths to be the best in whatever endeavour they do. Entitled: The Amstel Malta Showtime, the programme features dancing competition, comedy contest and musicals.

At the Abuja edition of the event held at the Thisday Dome, top acts, such as Darey, Banky W, MI, Wizkid, Buchi and the dance group, DNMT took the centre stage. The event, attended by students in Abuja and from other parts of the north opened, with the comedy competition. At the end of the hilarious contest, Ndubueze Neboh , a graduate of Mechanical Engineering emerged winner. Neboh, who came  from Enugu, went home with a brand new laptop, N100,000 cash shopping prize and a weekend getaway ticket for two at a reputable hotel in Lagos. He also had the opportunity of sharing the stage with the popular stand up comic, Buchi. Neboh, who said he runs a mechanical firm in Enugu, described the experience as life-changing. According to him, “this prize has changed my life. My life will never be the same. I have stepped up in the comedy industry. Although, I am a graduate of Mechanical Engineering from (ESUT), I am a motivational speaker. And before now, comedy was just my hobby. But after today, I will go full blast into comedy professionally. On his message to other youths, Neboh said: “First of all, you must discover your talent. But before you discover your talent, you must discover God. After this, you will know that there are lots of potential deposited in you. Actually, while I was performing today, I looked around the hall and I saw a lot of youths like me with huge potential. In fact, the average Nigerian youth is blessed, but the only problem is that we are being distracted.” Neboh thanked NB for organising the event.

A graduate of Fine and Applied Art, Martin Rock, won in the dancing category. He went home with the star prize of a brand new laptop, N100,000 shopping prize and a ticket for two in a reputable hotel in Lagos.

Rock from Delta State University (DELSU) described the show as exciting and excellent. A professional dancer, who started five years ago, said: “After this show, I am going to up my game. Because this prize would open doors for me, I will use the links and contacts I made today to develop my career as a dancer.”

Samuel Falowo, a rapper, who connected with the audience with his dazzling stagecraft, won in the music category. Before the Abuja event, the show had held in Enugu and Owerri. The grand finale of the programme holds in Lagos this month.