Zain Customers Win Trip to Kenya for Africa Music Awards

Leading mobile operator, Zain and MTV has opened an exciting window of opportunity for music lovers in Nigeria and millions across the world who were not able to attend Africa’s biggest music awards, to watch the programme on Television at the comfort of their homes.
The ceremony, the MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain, is the biggest celebration of music artistes in the African Continent. Several Nigerian artistes including MI, Dbanj, Tu Face and P Square won awards at the Show held in Nairobi, Kenya.
The ceremony will be broadcast on terrestrial and satellite television across Africa, and in other parts of the world including Asia, Oceania, Europe, and North America. 
Music enthusiasts in Nigeria will have a chance to watch the Show on local television stations including Silverbird Television and Africa Independent Television on Sunday, October 17, 2009. The broadcast of the programme into homes in the country will afford million of Nigerians a rare chance to see their favourite artistes thrill guests at the Indoor Arena, Moi International Sports Complex, Nairobi, Kenya.
Residents of many other Africa countries can also catch the programme on MTV base (on DStv Channel 322, Daarsat) and on terrestrial channels such as RTGA (DRC), ZNBC (Zambia), Citizen TV (Kenya), WBS (Uganda), TBC 1 (Ghana), and TV3 (Ghana) same day.
The MTV Africa Music Awards was held in Nairobi, Kenya.
Dr Saad Al Barrak, CEO of Zain, the co-sponsor of the MAMAs, said the Show confirmed the huge talent that Africa possesses and the influence it had upon the world of music. “Much of the music we listen to today has its roots in this great continent. I cannot emphasize strongly enough what a privilege it is for Zain to lend its name to such an event. In doing so, we are both keeping alive the flame of Africa’s cultural consciousness and delivering on our promise to bring you “A wonderful world.”
Winners have emerged from Zain’s MTV Africa Music Awards SMS Competition designed to reward loyal customers of the network.
The winners of the 2009 edition of the MTV Africa Music Awards are Sanni Olujuwon Eniola, Uche Olodu, Attah Edwin Ogbo and Edward Ojobo.
The winners were sponsored by Zain Nigeria to attend the MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain at the Indoor Arena, Moi International Sports Complex, Nairobi, Kenya where they were offered the opportunity to interact with several stars and enjoy music from some of the top performers from across the continent.
The winning customers were selected via an SMS (Short Message Service) quiz competition. Zain Nigeria’s Marketing Director, Mostafa Younes said the window of opportunity was created to reward loyal consumers, offering them a rare opportunity to associate with the very best of music talents in Africa and from outside the continent.
The winners were accompanied by Zain Nigeria’s Head of Segment, Ikechukwu Kalu who said the SMS competition is one of the ways Zain Nigeria reward, bond with and create memorable experience for its loyal customers. Such competition offers us the opportunity to interact or get closer to our customers and offer them unforgettable experience, he said.
In line with the mechanics of the competition, participants were prompted to send the keyword, MAMA to the short code: 37041, noting that winners were selected based on entries.
Participants emerged via number of entries, adding that the more a customer sent SMS to the advertised shortcode, the brighter his/her chances of qualifying were.
The SMS Quiz competition is offered in conjunction with one of Zain’s Wireless Application Service Provider (WASP).
This year’s edition of MAMAs with Zain featured multiple collaborations between artists from different countries and music genres – mixing up hip hop with R&B, alternative, soul and dancehall, among others.  Among the collaborations thrilling the 4,000 strong crowd was a three way tie-up featuring HHP, Brickz and 2FACE, and a stunning collaboration between Kenyan divas Amani and Wahu and Tanzania’s A.Y. and a dramatic hip-hop/rock mash-up between Zebra & Giraffe and Da LES.
The evening closed with a moving performance of Michael Jackson’s crowd pleaser ‘Wanna Be Starting Something’ with Akon and all the other performers.
The show was anchored by the urban music legend and hip-hop rebel Wyclef Jean. Wyclef and another music star, Akon brought their legendary showmanship, outrageous sense of humour and infinite enthusiasm to the Indoor Arena of the Moi International Sports Complex.
Nigeria’s fast rising rap sensation, MI also known as Mr. Incredible was one of the key performers at the awards.
The event will be brought to the home of millions of television viewers across the continent and other parts of the world.
The MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain was created in 2008 to celebrate the best African contemporary music. The TV show of the awards will be broadcast on TV channels around the world from 17 October 2009, including on MTV base (on DStv Channel 322, Daarsat) and on terrestrial channels such as RTGA (DRC), ZNBC (Zambia), Citizen TV (Kenya), WBS (Uganda), TBC 1 (Ghana), TV3 (Ghana), STV (Nigeria) and AIT (Nigeria)