WILDCARD CONTESTANT, GIFT LOVEDAY, WINS THE FIRST EVER COMEDY CENTRAL GRAB THE MIC IN NIGERIA

At the grand finale in Eko Convention Centre, 25-year-old comedian, Gift Loveday received the coveted title of the first ever Comedy Central’s Grab The Mic (CCGTM) Winner, together with Maltina.

Gift, one of the wildcard contestants who was flown into Lagos to participate at the finale, received the show’s grand prize of 1.5 million naira along with the golden opportunity of sharing the stage with ace comedian Ali Baba. The winner was announced by show presenter Seyi Law to a full house crowd’s applause.

Loveday won the title ahead of 7 other talented finalists, Nyerhorwo Ndaxwell and Emmanuel Oliver from Jos, Daniel Jonah Nyah and Oveze godwin Jagbojo from Lagos, Coxson Christian and Justice Kalawa from Port Harcourt in a keenly contested final that displayed exceptional showmanship on stage.

Popular fans’ favourite, Gift has been consistent with his phenomenal performances on the CCGTM stage since his first arrival and throughout the entire competition. Born in Port Harcourt Rivers State and growing up in Nembe LGA in Bayelsa State, the second son and fifth born in a family of seven, has pursued comedy professionally for the last seven years.

The television broadcast, featured stand-up performances from Ali Baba and Chigurl together with a musical performance from Falz, was hosted by Comedian, Seyi Law.

At the finale, the selected contestants were given the opportunity to impress the judges including head judge Ali Baba and co-judges Funke Akindele and Frank Donga, after which the judges declared him as the ultimate winner.

An emotional and elated Gift was grateful for this incredible opportunity and expressed his appreciation for the experience and growth he has gained from his participation in the show.

“The journey has been long; weeks of practice and focus but in the end. I thank the Almighty God for helping me express my talent through CCGTM and more importantly, making my light shine among thousands. Here I am, standing as the 1st winner for the Comedy Central Grab The Mic with Maltina” a grateful Loveday said.

The run up to CCGTM in the last few weeks has provided Nigeria’s young talent the platform to grow and refine their skills and confidence on stage and with diverse audiences.

Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Viacom International Media Networks Africa, Alex Okosi, revealed, “This has been an important investment together with Maltina in creating a strong platform for identifying and showcasing the next great generation of comedic talent in Nigeria. Grab The Mic successfully delivered on our goal of providing inspiration and mentorship to the emerging entertainers that participated in the campaign as they collaborated on the same platforms with established stars.”

The Portfolio Manager, Non Alcoholic Drinks for Nigerian Breweries Plc, Olayinka Bakare, in his own remarks said, “It has been a very exciting journey for Maltina. We recognize that life happens and we can sometimes forget to just laugh. Maltina looks to remind people that there is always something to laugh about. We are proud to have partnered with CCGTM to nourish Nigeria’s future comedy talents as well as the nation’s appreciation of laughter, entertainment, enjoyment and fun.”

Comedy Central’s Grab The Mic is a talent search initiative and all the laughs are made possible with Maltina. It is strategically designed to discover and promote the next generation of young Nigerians’ comedic talent. More information about Comedy Central Grab The Mic can be found on www.comedycentralafrica.com, or via Facebook at www.facebook.com/comedycentralafrica and @comedycentralAF on Twitter and Instagram. To join the conversation on social media, use the hashtags #CCGTMMaltina.