After several months of wrangling with the President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria Mr. Ejike Asiegbu over copyright ownership of the Face of Nollywood, the duo of Byran Chike and Ifeanyi Ipoenyi finally had the last laugh as their company Total Televison finally put together a well attended event in the nation’s capital city of Abuja.
The AGN president who felt short changed by the organisers had threatened to stop the event from holding, but last Saturday he was no where near the Abuja venue of the awards.
The event which held at the prestigious and new Cyprian Ekwensi Centre for Arts and Culture in Abuja had all the trappings of a glamourous event.
And at the end of the day, Madam Patience Ozokwor a.k.a Mama G beat her closest rivals, Osita Ike and Bukky Wright to emerge the maiden Face of Nollywood.
Aside the two aforementioned, Madam Ozokwor on her march to victory also thrashed such big names as Kanayo O. Kanayo, Stella Damasus, Ramsey Nouah, Genevieve Nnaji, Saheed Balogun, Richard Mofe Damijo and Ini Edo.
Other awards winners include Best Distributor of the year which went to OJ Production, Best Cinematographer, captured by Mohammed Abdullahi, Best Director, won by Lancelot Imaseun-Oduwa, Best Producer won by Kingsley Okereke, Best screen writer won by Kalid Musa and Soap Opera of the year that went to Family Ties. (See full list of winners below)
Although some of the awardees especially non- Nollywood practitioners were not on hand to receive their awards (they were represented), it didn’t in any way dampen the tempo of the night as everyone present had a word or two of commendations for the organisers for a work well done.
And some the non Nollywood practitioners who got awards were the Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Idris Ibrahim, Alhaji Abubakar Babaje who received the Most Outstanding Personality award and Dr. Nnanna Uzor Kalu and Don Pedro Ojeme who got the Most Friendly Legislator of the year and Biz Excellence award.
An elated Mrs Patience Ozokwor who went on her knees moment after receiving her awards was grateful to her fans for their support especially for voting her as the Face of Nollywood.
While thanking God for her breakthrough, Mrs Ozokwor dedicated the awards to her late husband and children.
Addressing the crowd, the organisers said that Face of Nollywood initiative is poised to bring about improvement, recognition and rewarding hard work in the industry.
In his speech the co-organiser of the event Mr. Chike Bryan was all gratitude to all those well meaning Nigerians who contributed in no small measure to make the event a successful one. He also promised to have a more glowing event next year so as to take Nollywood to greater heights.
