Come June 2, 2012, stakeholders in Yoruba movie industry will witness one of the toughest fights in the industry in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Funke Akindele, Mosun Filani, Bimbo Akintola and others have a tough war to conquer in other to win the YMAA Best Actress in a Leading Role at the maiden edition of Yoruba Movies Academy Awards (YMAA) taking place at June 12 Cultural Centre, Abeokuta.

Odunlade Adekola, Muyiwa Ademola, Femi Adebayo, Yomi Fash Lanso, Femi Branch will have to slog it out with each other for the Best Actor category.

Speaking at the world press conference for YMAA in Abeokuta on Tuesday, May 8, Mr Tunde Oshinobosi popularly known as Laface told journalist that the awards is aimed at raising quality standard in Yoruba movies. It is also to celebrate and make Yoruba movie practitioners true stars they are.

He told the gathering that all nominees would be lodged in a 5-Star hotel from Saturday, June 1 and taken round tourist sites in Abeokuta in an Hummer Limo ride.

Also speaking at the press conference was Ogun State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Chief Olu Oduyemi said that the state government felt compelled to support YMAA because of the laudable objectives of YMAA which includes celebrating excellence, creativity, merit, development of tourism through movies among others.

At the press conference event were Lere Paimo, Baba Wande, representatives of Ogun State government, marketers, actors’ guild and many others.

Dress code for the event is ‘Native to bad gan’ with a traditional red carpet that will have cultural artifacts.

Laface has organised big shows both in Nigeria and the rest of the world. He brought Wyclef and other American artistes to Nigeria.

According to him, he felt incomplete without doing something for his origin, Yoruba. Hence, the birth of YMAA.