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• Ibadan hosts first Yoruba language reality talent show
From Taiwo Oluwadare, Ibadan
A new cultural talent hunt programme, Ilé Nlá, The Ultimate Yoruba Reality Show, has been unveiled in Ibadan, with organisers promising a unique platform to discover young talents while promoting Yoruba culture and language. This came alive on Tuesday at Omo Ajorosun Club, Total Garden, Ibadan.
Its convener, Gbemi Faleti, described the initiative as a specially designed reality television programme aimed at discovering, nurturing and showcasing exceptional talents across Yoruba-speaking communities: “The show blends the excitement of reality television with the richness of Yoruba heritage, creating an empowering platform for young creatives.
“The project is designed to promote Yoruba culture among young people while providing opportunities for creative and economic empowerment. We conceived Ilé Nlá to fill the gap in reality television shows conducted in the Yoruba language. Since the emergence of reality shows, none has been done entirely in Yoruba. Through this platform, we want to showcase our language, culture and heritage to the world.”
Auditions for the programme will be conducted in major Yoruba-speaking cities including Abeokuta, Ilorin, Ado‑Ekiti, Osogbo and Ibadan, as well as other locations in South West. Auditions will be open to individuals between the ages of 18 and 35 who possess talents in areas such as music, drama, dance, fashion and culinary arts.
At the end of the audition stage, 25 finalists will be selected to participate in the reality show camp tagged Ilé Nlá House, where they will spend 45 days undergoing intensive cultural and creative training.
During the camp period, contestants will engage in daily and weekly talent-based tasks, live performances, mentorship sessions and periodic evaluations, while evictions will be determined through judges’ assessments and public voting. The grand finale will feature the top five contestants performing live, with winners to be determined through performance ratings, judges’ scores and audience votes.
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Veteran actor and member of the organising team, Adewale Abdulrasak Sokoti, said the winner of the competition will receive a N25 million grand prize, while the second-place winner will receive N10 million and the third-place winner N5 million.
He emphasised the importance of preserving Yoruba culture through modern media platforms: “Uplifting our culture is very important. Everyone has a talent, but many people have not discovered theirs. We want to protect our culture and ensure it does not go into extinction.” He added that the programme had already secured sponsors who would support contestants throughout the competition.
One of the ambassadors of the show, Oriyomi Hamzat, said the project would further promote Yoruba heritage while providing visibility for emerging talents. He said his media platforms would support the initiative through live broadcasts and digital engagement.
The programme is expected to attract more than 10 million viewers across television and digital platforms. The show will be aired on major Yoruba television stations, while digital engagement will include YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, with voting available through SMS and app-based systems.
Organisers believed the project would help promote cultural preservation through modern media, boost tourism and create employment opportunities for more than 200 crew members, facilitators and creatives.
Other members of the Ilé Nlá team at the unveiling were Kayode Olaiya, Bayo Sangobiyi and Segun Ayeni. Guests at the event included Jide Kosoko, Toyin Adegbola, Sule Odebunmi, Biola Fowosere and Rasaq Olayiwola.
The was the official presentation of the show’s logo and introduction of its ambassadors, expected to promote the initiative in Yoruba-speaking communities. Stakeholders, cultural enthusiasts and corporate partners were called upon to support the project, describing it as a major step towards preserving Yoruba heritage while investing in the future of young talents.
