Ahmadiyya Muslim community recently celebrated the 10 years of Muslim Television Ahmadiyya (MTA), Africa, inaugurated by the World Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih the fifth on August 1, 2016.

MTA, Africa as it is fondly called, provides continuous 24-hour religious, educational and cultural broadcasting, significantly impacting local communities by delivering live Friday sermons, regional health discussions, and localised faith stories across multiple countries.

The signal button was switched on by the global Islamic leader from the London Studios in Gressenhall opposite the first London Mosque.

Some of the languages of broadcast include English, Yoruba, Twi, French, Kiswahili, Wollof, Jollof and Fullah, among others.

The regional hub of MTA Africa broadcast was located in Ghana, while all productions were done by pool of volunteers and dedicated staff.

The first Africa Studios was built by Mauritius and the Mauritius team is doing the translations, fillers and documentaries, followed by other studios.

Some of these programmes are: Friday sermons, ThisWeek with Huzur, Inspirational Africans, English and Mathematics on Television, Stories of Devotion, Journey to Islam, Faith Matters, Village Documentaries and Contemplations among others.

MTA, Africa, broadcasts sermons and major events like Jalsab Salana in multiple local and international languages.

Local production features contents produced by regional studios in countries such as Nigeria, Uganda, Mali, Kenya, Sierra Leone and Ghana in Yoruba, Twi, Hausa, Kiswahili, Bambara, Jullah and Madinke.

The media house promotes educational achievement, moral guidance and health awareness through targeted programming in Yoruba, Hausa and Twi. Ohun Islam and Koyarwar Musulunci were popular Yoruba and Hausa programmes.

In Mali, Burkina Faso and Cote D’Ivoire, Bambara, Jullah, Wollof and Madinke programmes are broadcast on MTA, Africa.

The station is responding to the dynamics of the media production in the 21st century, while multimedia digital platforms were favourably utilised. It reaches millions of viewers across broadcast and digital social media platforms during major religious gatherings.

Other regional studio projects are located in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Uganda Bureau, Kenya, while the South African office opened early this year.
The station had collaborations with state, private and international broadcasters across the continent.

MITV, a private television station in Nigeria, rebroadcast MTA, Africa’s Friday sermons, Ohun Islam and documentaries programmes, 30 minutes each on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

The Station was formally inducted after a presentation by DrQasimAkinreti from MTA, Nigeria, Studios.

MTA has participated in three AUB conferences in Bostwana, Ivory Coast and The Gambia and during the AUB conferences, MTA, Africa, offered to train, share and produce contents with members of the broadcast group.

Ghana and Malawi Television Corporations have benefitted from the training programmes.

The World Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community appreciated the volunteers and staff of MTA, Africa, for their selfless services and dedication to the professionalism and propagation of Islam and as well the message of the founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, HazratMirzaGhulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah of the age.

He emphasised the need for more training of MTA, Africa, staff and volunteers in line with the global media ecosystem.

Managing Director, MTA International, Sir Munir Shams, equally organised a get-together to appreciate the Coordinators of MTA, Africa, and staff in London.

The Coordinators are:DrQasimAkinreti, MTA, Africa,Nigeria Studios; ChouhoudWasifShahbad, Benin Republic, MTA, Africa,Mali; Ivory Coast, SoroAllasane; Tanzania is Asif Ahmad Bautt; Gambia is Abdul Rahman Cham; Ghana, Hafiz Ismail Adusie; Uganda is Mubiru Haruna; Kenya andSierra Leone isBanguraIdris; while Mauritius is TarouballyNoormuhammad.

Special commemorative gift from Africa was presented to the Global leader of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community to mark the 10- year anniversary held at Islamabad Islamic Centre, Guilford, United Kingdom.