The organizer of the annual Legends of Nollywood Awards (LNA) has announced that the 2015 edition of the award will hold on December 11th and 12th in Benin City, Edo State. It will be the first time that the three year old award will be held outside of Lagos.
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| PAUL OBAZELE |
Founder of Legends of Nollywood Awards and Managing Director of Royal Pictures Limited, main organizer of the award PAUL OBAZELE disclosed that this year’s edition is to be held with support from Zenith Bank Plc, Etisalat, Network Oil & Gas, Best Western Homeville Hotel, Silverbird, NTA, AIT, Africa Magic, Edo Broadcasting Service, Independent Television, Inspiration FM, Rhythm FM (93.7), Smile Communications, Indomie, Viju Milk, GlaxoSmithkline, Cornerstone Insurance, Kissmix, Nexim, Bisquit Cognac, Nanet Suites, Revival Assembly Church and in conjunction with the coalition of Nollywood Guilds and association is planned to be a three day event. According to him, apart from rewarding practitioners for their contributions to the growth and development of the vibrant Nollywood industry, the award has from the 2014 edition been refocused to reach out and celebrate the less privileged and physically challenged “some of whom do not have the opportunity to relax and watch these television and movie stars we are celebrating as much as they would like to”. Obazele, a former President of the Association of Movie Producers (AMP) and the current President of the Edo Film Makers Association (EFMA) also stated that the award body will be extending a hand of fellowship to the International Christian Center (ICC) Home for the Needy Uhogua, Edo State that is currently housing the internally displaced persons (IDP’s) in Nigeria as part of the reach out objectives of the award.
“If you were at the award ceremony last year; you will see how excited our physically challenged brothers and sisters were when they met face to face with legends like Patience Ozokwor ( Mama Gee), Nkem Owoh and Alex Usifo. They also got branded gifts from them. It is this kind of good feeling that we want to achieve again with our proposed partnership with the ICC and other organizations in Edo State and its environs” he said.
On this year’s awardees, Director of Operations of Legends of Nollywood Awards Zack Orji disclosed that twenty eight (28) legends will receive the LNA crest this year. The veteran actor gave the names of the awardees to include Hajiya Latana Ahmed, Bimbo Manuel, Yinka Ogundaisi, Wale Fanu, Tunde Oloyede, Laolu Ogunniyi, John Nwaobi, Loius Adejumo, Aso Douglas, Sola Fosudo, Zulu Adigwe, Ralph Nwadike, Ramsey Nouah, Opa Williams, Sunday Omobolanle, Ayo Mogaji, Yinka Davies, Sani Muazu, Ngozi Nwosu, Bourdillon Bodio, Chris Obi Rapu, Alhaji Kasimu Yaro, Kunle Bamtefa, Dr. Ola Balogun, Danladi Bako Spacs, Mr Sunny Irabor, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce and Chief Raymond Dokpesi.
According to Orji “the awardees emerged out of a rigorous selection process and you can agree that they are worth celebrating for their contributions to the development of Nollywood”.
In addition 10 veterans were selected by the organizing committee and yearning Nigerians that these set of great Legends sign autographs and give out gift items to the less privilege, physically challenged and internally displaced persons and also have dinner with them. Namely: Kanayo O. Kanayo, Patience Ozokwor, Zack Orji, Ramson Noah, Omotola Jolade, Charles Inojie, Desmond Elliot, John Okafor (Mr. Ibu), Eunice Omoregie and Johnbull Eghiauriwa.
Established in 2012, the Legends of Nollywood Awards seeks to celebrate the truly memorable and greatest achievements in Nigeria’s motion Pictures history. Prince Jide Kosoko, Kunle Bamtefa, Kasumu Yero, Chief Wale Adenuga, Alex Usifo- Umaigbo, Bisi Olatilo, Nkem Owoh, Patience Ozokwo, Mrs Taiwo Hassan (Mama Awero), Jimi Johnson, Justice Esiri, Femi Robinson, Madam Kofo, Franka Brown, Larry Williams, Zack Orji, Fred Amata, Keppy Ekpenyong-Bassey and Amaka Igwe were past recipients of the award.
SOURCE: PAUL OBAZELE
