The Africa Monologue Challenge, held at the National Theatre in Accra, Ghana, crowned Rachael Nduhukire from Uganda as the winner of its inaugural edition. The competition featured participants from various African countries and the diaspora, delivering monologues on themes such as culture, unity, and identity.
After receiving over 400 entries, 50 finalists were shortlisted. Over ten months, the competition showcased exceptional monologues from across the continent, eventually narrowing down to 10 finalists for the final event. The finalists represented countries including Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Zambia, Ghana, South Africa, Cameroon, Tanzania, and the United Kingdom.
The voting process for the competition involved public voting, constituting 30% of the contestants’ total scores, while the remaining 70% was based on the judges’ evaluation of the monologue performances. The panel of nine judges comprised renowned filmmakers from across the continent and internationally.
Rachael Nduhukire emerged as the overall winner with 25,179 votes (31.83%), followed by Zambia’s Jeromy Mumba as the first runner-up with 30% of the votes, and South Africa’s Refilwe Maitisa as the second runner-up with 11.57% of the votes. Other contestants included Stycie Waweru, Nayobi Macharia, Kenny Jim Parku, Grandmani Pikin, Lauren Akosia, Hasheem Bakery, Rose Okeke,and Brain Angels.
As the winner, Rachael Nduhukire received a cash prize of $1,000, a paid lead role in a short film to be submitted to major film festivals globally and distributed on major streaming platforms, headshots by a top photographer, the title of the Face of Africa Monologue Challenge for a year, and a certificate of recognition signed by all the judges. Additionally, Uganda was awarded the opportunity to host the next edition of the challenge.
The first runner-up received $300, professional headshots, and a certificate, while the second runner-up received $100, professional headshots, and a certificate.
The Africa Monologue Challenge is an initiative of MK Casting, Ghana’s premier casting company, in collaboration with the African Chamber of Content Producers and the National Film Authority of Ghana. The challenge aims to elevate the standard of performances in Africa to match Hollywood’s standards and provide visibility to African actors and actresses globally, increasing their opportunities for global roles.
