Former Sky Alpha radio presenter ‘Malisema Motelle has made it to the final 10 of Season 3 of the Africa Monologue Challenge, an ultimate celebration of African talents, culture, and the spirit of Pan-Africanism.
The Monologue challenge is open to all Africans on the continent and the diaspora devoid of gender, colour, sexual orientation, religion or age.
Following the incredible success of past seasons, the organisers will once again spotlight the remarkable talent and captivating stories from across the continent.
As the tradition goes, the winning country hosts the next season, and with Maud Guerard’s victory in season2, AMC Season 3 will be held in Côte d’Ivoire later this year, just as Season 2 was hosted in Uganda after Rachael Nduhukire’s Season 1 win.
Submissions opened on November 1 2024 and closed November 30 2024.
A monologue is a long speech given by a single character in a theatrical work, movie, or literary work.
Monologues are often used to express a character’s thoughts aloud, but they can also be used to directly address another character or the audience. There is no back and forth banter or action during a monologue.
Motelle is a 27-year old Mosotho woman, born and bred in Leribe, Mathokoane. Although she dropped out from IBC College, she still desires to go back some day to finish off the remainder of her studies.
She says her passion was ignited during her high school years, where she discovered her love for acting, writing and presenting.
“I used to present other people’s monologues online when I was a presenter at Sky Alpha. However, this time, I made a decision to create my own monologue.
“To my delight, my efforts paid off, and I was thrilled to discover that I had made it into the list of the final fifty contenders. This experience not only allowed me to express my own voice but also gave me a sense of accomplishment and validation in my creative abilities,” Motelle said.
Speaking in an interview with theReporter this week, Motelle explained that rather than writing out her monologue in advance, she prefers to construct a vivid scenario in her mind. Once she has developed this mental picture, she begins to present her thoughts and ideas spontaneously like she did with her monologue.
She said her monologues centre around the poignant story of a 27-year old doctor who embarked on a deeply personal journey to find her mother, a woman who gave her up after her birth. However, her mother was not even a bit excited to see her.
“For people who are keen on creating monologues, it is a good idea since they serve as powerful tools for character development, emotional expression, and thematic exploration in literature and performance. “In addition, they enrich the narrative and provide a platform for introspection and reflection,” Motelle added.
