THE UNBELIEVABLE: AS BENIN AND LAGOS PLAY HOST TO NIGERIA’S GOT TALENT.

The incredible spectacle of talent continued with an astoundingly entertaining weekend on Episode 4 of Nigeria’s Got Talent. The Nigeria’s Got Talent had last week showcased Port Harcourt, where the judges and audiences were literary left speechless at the level of talent that showed up for the auditions. It was the turn of the ancient city of Benin alongside Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, which proved to be the melting pots of talent.

“Benin City has always been iconic, as only a few cities in Nigeria and in the world can boast of its rich cultural heritage that the city is endowed with,” said Nigeria’s Got Talent host Andre Blaze.

Opening the show in Benin was a magnificent dance group, Code Red, which got a standing ovation from the audience and a trouble nod from the judges. Budding comedian, MC Medical (whose real name is Chibueze

Daniel) also dazzled the audience with jokes about Nollywood, which did not go down so well with Nollywood star and judge on the show, Kate Henshaw. Regardless, the judges were impressed with his routine and unanimously passed him to the semi-finals.

Sixtas

“Amarachi has used the Nigerian flavour to do what we have been itching to see happen on this show and we are impressed,” were the words of Yibo Koko, one of the judges when 8–year-old Amarachi Uyanne performed a dance routine to popular songs such as ‘Kukere’ and ‘Azonto’. She was passed to the next round along with fellow dancers, ’Sixtas’.  But not as lucky was ‘Starlight, a duo that plays the guitar and keyboard as the judges though they needed better preparation.

Then it was the turn of ballroom dancers Aisosa and Joanna, a handsome pair indeed, who performed an exhilarating routine to a resounding triple “yes” from the judges. Joining them in the semi-finals are female drummer, Blessing Christopher, and violinist, Godwin Uzowuru.

Joshua Essien Performing

Then the Nigeria’s Got Talent train moved to Lagos with Joshua Essien, a 25-year-old musician who performed an acoustic version of his original song “Be My Wife”, throwing in the audience into a “love” mode, with the ladies swooning. He was the first of a string of “yes” that were received in Lagos. Also passed to the semi-finals was Princess Jennifer, a rapper. It wasn’t all amazing, however, as Ofenga Buraimoh, a razor-eating stunt man and Iyke Michael, a singer failed to impress the judges and got sent home.

Hosted by Andre Blaze, the judges for the season are radio host Dan Foster, actor Kate Henshaw and entertainment entrepreneur, Yibo Koko, the Airtel-sponsored first season of Nigeria's Got Talent began to air on 16 September and will run until December 2012. Watch Sundays on AIT

(10:30 PM), STV (6:00 PM), NTA (4.30PM), TVC (9PM) and Soundcity (6:30 PM).

Fans in the UK can watch the show on HITV UK Sky 193 (8 PM).

The Got Talent franchise worldwide, which is in its sixth year, has produced many notable performers in the last couple of years including Diversity, Bianca Ryan and Britain’s Got Talent’s 2009 1st runner up Susan Boyle, whose debut album became the fastest selling UK debut album of all time, selling over 3 million copies in the U.S. It is the only talent competition show that is open to any age and any talent with auditions taking the show to numerous cities in search of one-of-a-kind talent.

Nigeria’s Got Talent is sponsored by Airtel and supported by Cool FM, Wazobia FM, Nigeria Info 99.3 FM and Tastee Fried Chicken. For embedded clips and full episodes of the show, as well as artwork, please visit www.GotTalentNigeria.com. Like the show on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/NigeriasGotTalent and follow on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/NigeriasGotTalent.