Jubilation greeted the long-awaited launch of an Igbo channel on Africa Magic during the week which is designed to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the Igbo nation. The 24-hour general entertainment channel follows the success of the Africa Magic Hausa and Yoruba channels and will go on air from April 2. The launch of AfricaMagic Igbo which will be available on DStv channel 159 could not have come at a better time. M-Net, owners of the AfricaMagic channels that avail Africans with platforms to tell their stories from their perspective, is following a tradition of excellence that has long trailed its operations. The launch of AfricaMagic Yoruba was hailed as a highly strategic move which helped to display the rich Yoruba culture in all its glory to a global audience. Thereafter followed the launch of AfricaMagic Hausa, a development which surprised quite a few people who were hitherto unaware that a vibrant movie industry existed in the northern part of the country. Ohanaeze Ndigbo Nollywood coordinated by Chief Harris Chuma has congratulated Africa Magic for the establishment of Igbo Channel on its platform. Chief Chuma said, the launch of the Igbo Channel will help to boost the Igbo language film industry as well as encourage many into producing Igbo contents which have been on the decline. “We solicit film makers of Igbo extraction to see this medium as a veritable platform to showcase our rich cultural heritage, promote and project our cultural values. We have over the years clamoured for the establishment of an Igbo channel on Africa Magic, now that is a reality, we are hopeful that it will serve as a catalyst towards revitalising the dwindling fortunes of Igbo language films,” he said. With the launch of Africa Magic Igbo, which brings to eight the total number of Africa Magic channels, follows the redefinition of the Africa Magic channels in 2014 and the recent refreshing of the Africa Magic Urban channel. Speaking on the launch, the Managing Director, M-Net (West Africa), Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu, said: “We are thrilled to announce the launch of Africa Magic Igbo. Igbo language entertainment content has always played a prominent role in the Nigerian film and television industry and we are glad to offer a platform where this rich content can be showcased to the rest of Africa and the world. Popular Igbo language content like Living in Bondage, Nneka the Pretty Serpent and many others set the trend for the modern Nigerian film and television industry, or Nollywood as it’s called; it is thus only fitting that such content should be given a platform where it is easily accessible by audiences around the continent. With the launch of Africa Magic Igbo, we have once again proven our commitment to providing content made for Africa by Africans
