By Olu Victor
A 5-episode reality television series has made debut on Africa Magic Entertainment, DStv Ch151. The show, according to MultiChoice Company, is aimed at encouraging budding designers, fashionistas and fashion enthusiasts to take their art up a notch and be recognized for their talent.
The initiative is part of the celebration of MultiChoice Nigeria’s 20th anniversary, and will be hosted by the vivacious Fade Ogunro who will introduce viewers to the various challenges that the contestants will have to undertake, as they deliver increasingly amazing creative work. 
TCD Photography
Arguably the first fashion TV reality show in Nigeria, the event started airing yesterday (Thursday, May15, 2014) at 8pm on Africa Magic Entertainment Channel 15, it showcases the journey of the contestants who were shortlisted from a pool of hundreds, and chronicles their struggles as they strive to put their stamps on the fashion map.
According to Mr. Martin Mabutho, General Manager, Marketing, the show was borne out of the need to create original content for Africa: “Since inception, we have been focused on contributing to the country’s socio-economic landscape through the creation of original African content that is uniquely African. With Fashion Protégé, we have gone a step further by contributing to the development of the fashion industry in Nigeria.”
He noted that “Nigerians are highly fashionable people and have garnered a reputation for being stylish. It is that vibrancy we hope to showcase. We also believe in nurturing the young and creating a platform for them to grow.”
Mabutho said Fashion Protégé is not about searching for the next supermodel: “You will recall that we started MNET Face of Africa here in 1998 and we worked with a lot of amazing fashion designers from Nigeria. It is because of the commitment to growing this sector that The British Council joined us in the project and sponsored one of the grand prizes, a trip to the London Fashion Weekend. The other prizes are N1million (One Million Naira) cash prize, spotlights Feature on BellaNaija, Feature in a Top Fashion Magazine, a Look book by Top Photographer and 1 year free subscription on DStv. Other prizes are N250,000 cash prize (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira), one year DStv subscription for the runner up, and Dstv mobile devices.”
The Fashion Protégé auditions were thrown open to fashion-lovers between the ages of 18 and 35 and the lucky contestants had mentors such as the phenomenal Lanre Da Silva Ajayi and Mai Atafo.
Although the show will be aired every Thursday at the same time, there will be a rebroadcast on Fridays, Sundays and Mondays, at 9:30pm, 8:30pm and 1:00am respectively.