International Artist Akon Stars in Season Finale of MTV Meets

MTV Base and MTN are to round off a fascinating second season of youth empowerment series MTV Base Meets… with MTN by screening a gripping interview with Senegalese-American recording artist and business mogul, Akon. 
MTV Base Meets Akon with MTN will premiere on terrestrial TV stations across Africa including: TV2 (Cameroon), Wednesday 26 September at 21:00;  Swazi TV (Swaziland), Thursday 27 September at 18:30; Rwanda TV (Rwanda), Thursday 27 September at 17:30; Viasat (Ghana), Thursday 27 September at 21:00; NTV (Uganda), Friday 28 September at 18:00; Muvi TV (Zambia), Friday 28 September at 17:00; STV (Nigeria), Sunday 30 September at 17:00.  The episode will premiere on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) on Wednesday 3 September 2012 at 20:30 CAT. 
Akon met with MTV VJ Vanessa Mdee and five passionate young Africans from all over the continent on Rodeo Drive, Los Angeles, California in September 2012.  Among those lining up to meet with Akon were Zambian computer science student
Catherine Nkonjera (20), Rwandan commerce student
Marc Gwamaka (24), 20 year old computer science student
Xolani Kunene from Swaziland, Ugandan economics student and music promoter
Kenneth Tamali (22) and South African designer Annah Mabasa (26).

Among the topics discussed by Akon and the group are fame, ambition, education, how to find and develop
your talent, cultural cross-over and the importance of fighting for what you believe in.  Akon also talked about the importance of developing his art, the joy of collaborating with other artists such as Michael Jackson and The Fugees, his role in developing the careers of T-Pain and Lady Gaga and his latest reinvention – as a movie actor.

Like many of the previous panellists in the series, the youth involved in the interview were inspired by their meeting with Akon.

Comments Mark Gwamaka, "The great become great because they keep on learning all the time."

"He has taught me to put the past behind me and focus and progress," says Annah Mabasa.

Adds Catherine Nkonjera, "I love the fact that he talked about finding your talent 'cause even if it's uncool you just have to do it."

Akon is one of seven high profile 'influencers' to have featured in Season 2 of the youth empowerment series, including South African politician Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Hip-Hop pioneer and entrepreneur, Russell Simmons, South Sudanese supermodel Alek Wek, His Excellency Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria, Togolese international soccer star Emmanuel Adebayor and Hollywood actor Idris Elba.

First initiated in 2011, MTV Base Meets…with MTN connects African youth with the thought leaders, opinion formers, decision makers and role models who shape their world. Season 2 of
MTV Base Meets…with MTN airs across Africa on MTV Base (DSTV Channel 322) and on terrestrial stations across the continent, including STV (Nigeria), Spectrum TV (Cameroon), Viasat (Ghana), Rwanda TV (Rwanda), Swazi TV (Swaziland), Muvi TV (Zambia) and NTV (Uganda).

In each episode of MTV Base Meets…with MTN, ambitious young Africans from all walks of life pose hard questions to high-profile "thought leaders" about issues close to their hearts – in an intimate and informal environment, with no questions off-limits.  Topics on the agenda include entrepreneurship, education, youth culture, politics, sport, racism, gender issues and the African Renaissance. To date, youth panellists asking the questions have included students, journalists, bloggers, models, comedians, actors, musicians, humanitarian campaigners and poets.

To learn more about
MTV Base Meets…with MTN, or to view clips from the programme, please go to
www.mtvmeets.com or
www.mtvmeets.mobi.  Connect with the campaign on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/MTVMEETS or join the conversation on Twitter at #MTVMEETS.