Avenette Tennema Sirleaf from Liberia has won the 2008 Next Movie Star(NMS) in a grand style as curtains finally dropped on this year’s edition. Before the announcement, the intrigues, intricacies and the suspense in the house became more intense and passionate.
It would be recalled that the sojourn started with 16 housemates, then later 17, they were : Cassandra Clottey (Ghana), Adebola Adams (Nigeria), Elame Violet Weeks (Sierra-Leone), Munah Pelham(Liberia), Zerziya Jonathan Wilson(Nigeria), Avenette Tennema Sirleaf (Liberia), Luqman Idris Neindow (Ghana), Wael Suleiman Muhieddine (Lebanon/ Nigeria), Evangeline Ehinonhem Ifeietekhai (Nigeria), Nina Janet Conteh (Sierra-Leone), Emmanris Cole (Sierra-Leone), Ejine Emila Okoroafor(Nigeria), Karen Igho (Nigeria), Samson Babatunde Ajadi (Nigeria), Joseph Choloplay Weah Jnr (Liberia), Frances Jah (Gambia) and Sofia Agbeyengah the 17th Housemates(Ghana).
With six housemates crossing the final hurdles in their bid to get the coveted and prestigious prize. Four out of the six were Nigerians; they are Samson Babatunde Ajadi, Zerziya Jonathan Wilson, Evangeline Ehinomhen Ifeietekhai and Wael Suleiman Muhieddine the Lebanese Nigerian, while the other two are Luqman Idris Neindow from Ghana and the eventual winner Avenette Tennema Sirleaf from Liberia. Zerziya and Wael from Nigeria came second and third respectively.
The beauty queen from Liberia who is 26 years old became the NMS 2008 winner after keenly contested and rigorous activities in the NMS house. Avenette whose hobbies are acting and singing expressed her disbelief and shock over her announcement as the winner “I feel so happy, I feel honoured, wonderful, I am excited and the whole of Liberia will be happy for me and be proud of what I have achieved for them, I thank God. Liberia has been down for so long due to war, not been able to showcase the talents we have, now, we are back on track, my emergence is a testimony. It is a dream come true for me and for the memory of my parents who are both late”.
The winner asserted further “I will go back home to Liberia, start work on my projects and work out collaborations between Nigeria and Liberia not only in Movies, but in Music because I do music too, so I am a complete entertainer”.
After the emergence of this year’s winner, the Producer of the NMS, Mr. Sola Fajobi was full of excitement “As you can see, that Avenette has proved to all that there exist abundant talents in Liberia and in the whole of Africa. The Next Movie Star has grown to become an international brand, the pride of Africa, approved and accepted by the viewers, and the biggest authority in Africa. “ averred Fajobi, the CEO of Digital Interactive Media(DIM).
Avenette is expected to cart home a brand new car, movie contracts, a flat for one year, a whooping sum of $5,000 cash prize, all expenses paid to trip to a European country and attendance of a major film festival in Europe. Other housemates are expected to go home with N10 million worth of prizes.
