DSTv raises Face of Africa episodes to 14

Digital Satellite Television (DSTv), service provider M-Net, has raised its Face of Africa television episodes to 14 on its DStv platform with the 2009 edition.

The company also announced in a release made available to ITRealms Online that the finale of this year’s edition will be held in Nigeria, in February 2010, making it the first of the modeling reality show finale to be held in the country since the M-Net Face of Africa started.

Director, M-Net Africa, Mrs. Biola Adekanbi, said the top prize for the new season of Face of Africa has been set at USD50,000 (about N7.4 million) from M-Net, plus a modeling contract with O Model Africa, owned by the first winner of Face of Africa, Ms Oluchi Onweagba.

This year’s search, she said, promises to be an excitement, drama and glamour that Face of Africa is well known for.

She enjoined aspiring entrants to enter online at the Face of Africa website, http://www.mnetafrica.com/foa; where they will be required to complete the entry form and provide photographs of themselves.

According to her, entry is open to any woman who is a citizen of a sub-Saharan Africa and between the ages of 17 and 24, with a minimum height requirement of 1.72m, maximum hip measurement of 96cm and entrants should not have an existing modeling contract, while the deadline is August 28, 2009.

She explained that after a special evaluation session to be held in 14 countries, namely Angola, Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, that winners would emerge.

She reiterated that late entries would not be considered, except if they have been unable to access the online entry process. Pointing out that any contestant considered as a finalist and who is from a country which does not have a dedicated evaluation session, will be evaluated by specially selected representatives in their own country.

Later the cross continental search will head to Model Boot Camp during which time the top10 finalists will be chosen and will then head into the M-Net Face of Africa 2009 Finale in Nigeria. 

DStv subscribers, she said, should follow the search by tuning in to M-Net and/or AfricaMagic from the end of October this year, when the series are expected to premiere on screen.

The last edition was won by Ghanaian Kate Tachie-Menson who strode into the spotlight on her second attempt in the series, and walked away as the newest African catwalk sensation.

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