Uganda Hosts 2024 African Monologue Challenge

Music and film have long played a significant role in cultural diplomacy. Through festivals, exchanges, and expos, countries around the world have recognized the power of culture to forge connections and shape perceptions.

This understanding is one of the key reasons why the Pan African acting competition, the African Monologue Challenge, is such a significant event.

The competition, which originated in Ghana last year, follows a format similar to Eurovision, where countries send representatives to compete, but in acting instead of music. The country whose representative wins the competition is awarded the honor of hosting the next edition.

The inaugural edition was held in Ghana, where Ugandan actress Rachel Nduhukire emerged victorious, earning Uganda the privilege of hosting the 2024 edition.

The African Monologue Challenge is designed to bring together young actors who camp together and participate in various acting tasks, primarily focused on performing monologues. Each week, one contestant is eliminated, and in the end, a single winner is crowned.

This three-week event has attracted participants from across the African continent, including countries such as Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Ghana, Zambia, Cameroon, and Uganda.

According to Nana Tabi, one of the organizers of the challenge, the event aims not only to reshape the African narrative but also to empower Africans to take control of their own stories.

“When you look at other parts of the world, Hollywood is telling the American story, and Bollywood is telling the Indian story. But who is telling the African story?” he questioned.

The contestants of the African Monologue Challenge have been in Uganda for at least two weeks, and many of them have already begun taking on the competition’s challenges. For instance, on Friday, they performed at the Uganda Communication Commission (UCC) before the Africa Image Conference, offering the public a preview of what the competition entails.

The conference itself focused on Africa’s image as portrayed through cinematic representation, with one of the central discussions revolving around Hollywood’s stereotypical casting of African actors.

“I always try to include a decency clause in my contract; there are certain things I won’t do. I believe all actors should have one,” said Noluthando Shandu, the contestant from South Africa.

Nana Tabi shared that before visiting Uganda, he had little understanding of the country beyond what he had learned through international media. However, through the Monologue Challenge, he has gained a deeper, more nuanced understanding of Uganda, challenging and expanding his previous perceptions.

“That’s one of the achievements of the monologue challenge. Today, we have actors from across Africa experiencing Uganda firsthand. These actors will become ambassadors for the country because they are sharing their experiences on social media, and their audiences are taking notice,” he explained.