Clyton Thomas, widely known as Akila, who secured the titles of Actor of the Year 2023 and Entertainer of Entertainers at the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation’s (MBC) Entertainers of the Year Award ceremony, has now received the promised additional reward of two million kwacha.
During the awards ceremony at the Bingu International Convention Center in Lilongwe last weekend, Ernest Kaonga, the Managing Director at Maranatha Private Academy, pledged to reward the star with an extra two million kwacha.
On January 5, 2023, Maranatha Private Academy fulfilled its pledge by honoring Akila with the pledged amount. Additionally, Deus Sandram, whose cartoon radio program, ‘Bwande,’ on MIJ FM was named Radio Program of the Year, received a K500,000 pledge.
In an interview, Kaonga emphasized his commitment to supporting Malawi’s entertainment sector and pledged to continue financially supporting the MBC Entertainers of the Year Award ceremony in 2024.
“Entertainment is crucial, and those who have witnessed the iconic MBC Entertainers of the Year awards ceremony can attest to its significance. We are dedicated to sponsoring this essential event to enhance the country’s entertainment industry. Those who may not have performed well last year will strive to win this year,” stated Kaonga.
Zilani Khonje Phiri, the Chairperson of the 2023 MBC Entertainers of the Year Award ceremony and Director of News and Programmes at MBC, commended Maranatha Academy for its support and commitment. She assured the public of another successful and vibrant ceremony this year.
Following the event, Akila received a trophy, a return ticket to South Africa, a refrigerator, and a Kiliye Kiliye decoder from Sanwecka Tech Companions. He also earned R1,500 (approximately K139,000) for being crowned the Entertainer of Entertainers for 2023.
