“MTV BASE MEETS -WITH MTN” SERIES

MTV MEETS MTN WITH SIR RICHARD BRANSON, ALIKO DANGOTE & BEN MURRAY-BRUCE TO ENGAGE WITH AFRICAN YOUTH

British business entrepreneur and Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson, Nigerian entertainment mogul Ben Murray-Bruce (Chairman, Silverbird Group) and the “richest man in Africa” a.k.a. Aliko Dangote (President, Dangote Group) are the latest inspirational influencers to sign up for the MTV Base Meets…with MTN TV series.  The news was announced at an exclusive media preview of MTV Base Meets…with MTN hosted by Alex Okosi, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, MTV Networks Africa and Serame Taukobong, Chief Marketing Officer, MTN.

Sir Richard Branson, Ben Murray-Bruce and Alike Dangote join Heads of State President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (Liberia) and President Paul Kagame (Rwanda), and Julius Malema (President, African National Congress Youth League) among the prominent influencers to feature on the upcoming series of MTV Base Meets…with MTN, which premieres across Africa on 18 July 2011.  Two more influencers will be announced shortly.

MTV Base Meets…With MTN is a youth empowerment initiative and multimedia campaign that allows African youth to connect directly with political, cultural, sporting and business leaders.  Since the campaign began in May 2011, tens of thousands of young Africans have been inspired to nominate the influencers they would like to meet, and to propose the questions they would like to ask them. 

Youth panelists who have participated in the taping of the TV series so far include: 27-year old bank worker Princess Cooper (Liberia) who interviewed President Sirleaf-Johnson; professional comedian Daniel Friedman (South Africa); 17-year old high school student Fred Saydee (Ghana) and journalism student Babajibe Oni-olusola (Nigeria).

Commented Alex Okosi, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, MTV Networks Africa, “Sir Richard Branson, Aliko Dangote and Ben Murray-Bruce are all iconic leaders whose business flair first showed itself at an impressively early age.  We are delighted that they have agreed to participate in MTV base Meets…with MTN as their participation will provide young Africans with a unique opportunity to share their candid insights about business and entrepreneurship and to hear their views on some of the key issues facing African youth today.”

“Sir Richard Branson, Aliko Dangote and Ben-Murray Bruce will add an exciting dimension to the MTN Base Meets…with MTN series, as more and more young people across Africa aspire to be successful entrepreneurs like them,” said Serame Taukobong, Chief Marketing Officer, MTN.

To vote for your favourite influencer and win the chance of an all-expenses paid trip to participate in the MTV Base Meets…with MTN season finale, go to www.mtvmeets.com or http://mtvmeets.mobi or follow the campaign on Twitter at #MTVMeets@MTVbaseAfrica.

-ENDS-