To mark the 50^th Independence Day anniversary of Nigeria, MTV base is going Naija-crazy with a dedicated weekend of Nigeria. It will be a celebration of contemporary Nigerian music with a special ‘I Love Naija’ themed long weekend running from 1-3 October.

I Love Naija will see MTV base paying tribute to Naija’s finest contemporary musicians with a schedule packed top-to-toe with Nigerian music, artists, interviews and more. Highlights of the ‘I love Naija’ weekend will include the following:

• A special Naija-themed edition of DJ Takeover, hosted by Naija legend DJ Snypes, official DJ to 2Face.  Premiering on Friday 1 October at 22:00 CAT, DJ Takeover Nigeria sees DJ Snypes deliver his own mash-up of the finest Naija music videos from the last 5 years.

• Story of Sean Kuti – an intimate portrait of one of Nigeria’s most intriguing music stars (15:45 CAT on Sunday 3 October)

• Leaders of the Nigerian Nu Skool – an MTV base special focusing on the Nigerian hip hop scene at 21:00 CAT on Sunday 3 October

• A rundown of Naija’s Top 20 Best Videos – 18:00 CAT, Saturday 2 October

• A look back at the 2007 MTV/MTN VJ search which launched Cynthia Okpala to TV fame

• A retrospective on BNC Fashionably Loud, the fashion-and-music spectacular on Sunday at 22:00 CAT

• Classic episodes of MTV base Spotlight featuring Styl Plus /Positive Black Soul and 2FACE/Lebo Mathosa.

For MAMA fans anticipating the 2010 awards in Lagos, there will also be a screening of the 2008 MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain from Abuja, Nigeria on Saturday 2 September at 20:00 CAT, and a glance back at the Road To Mama – Lagos on Sunday 3 September at 19:00 CAT.

Later in the month, Naija music fans can look forward to the premiere of a mammoth new music collaboration featuring Dbanj, Eldee, Naeto C, MI, Wande Coal and Banky W on an as-yet un-named track commissioned specially by MTV base and produced by Eldee.  The music video of the track, directed by Clarence Peters, will air exclusively on MTV base for a month starting mid-October.

Last but not least, from mid-October, MTV base will also debut Base Select, a hot new interactive weekly request show hosted by MTV VJ Cynthia C-VON Okpala.