Last week, Moviedom looked back at some of the major screen celebrities who were in the news for the wrong reasons in 2021. Here is the concluding diet of notable screen celebrities who made headlines for the right reasons.
Those who said ‘I do’
Nollywood closed the year with the wedding between notable actor Lateef Adedimeji and actress Adebimpe Oyebade. The wedding ceremony, which took place in Ikole Ekiti, Ekiti State on December 18, was attended by family, friends, colleagues and loved ones. It was a wedding industry observers described as ‘spectacular’ and ‘any couples dream wedding’.
It was also in 2021 precisely on September 11 that Nollywood actor, Stan Nze, married fellow movie star, Blessing Obasi, at a beautiful wedding ceremony held in Lagos. The couple, who have been dating for long, had tied the knot traditionally in Abia State a week earlier. Colleagues, family and friends graced the talk-of-the-town Lagos wedding. Observers say there was much to eat and drink at the wedding ceremony where notable singer, Timi Dakolo, entertained.
Notable actor and comedian, Toyin Bayegun, who is popular as Woli Arole, also walked down the aisle this year with his heartthrob Yemi this year. The couple married in both traditional and white weddings.
Also during the year, Nigerian actress known for starring in the movie ‘Namaste Wahala’, Ini-Dima Okojie, tied the knot with her lover, Abasi Ene-Obong.
But for a last minute break-up, what would have emerged as the mother of all weddings in 2021 in the opinion of industry observers would have been the wedding between Nollywood actor, Alex Ekubo and Fancy Acholonu. There was a feverish buzz when Alex announced that he has found a life mate and so was on his way out of the unofficial Nigeria eligible bachelors club. But the announcement didn’t last more than a few weeks as the actor later announced a breakup, thus putting paid to the love story that would have been acted out ‘live’.
Those Who Won Awards
A number of notable Nollywood personalities were honoured in 2019. Legendary actor, Oludotun Jacobs, aka Olu Jacobs received the lifetime achievement award of the 2021 edition of the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF). And in Ghana, iconic actor, Richard Mofe Damijo or RMD for short, was awarded a Black Star Honour by the Ghanaian entertainment community. RMD, who received the award in Accra in person, expressed his gratitude over the award from fans in Ghana.
Filmmaker, Uzo Okpechi, also received two awards during the year. The first was winning in the best cinematic direction category of the Hollywood Weekly Magazine Awards in Los Angeles, USA and the second was the Global Filmmaker and Nollywood Icon award by Naijagal Entertainment.
Also, the 2021 Best of Nollywood Awards (BON Awards) held in Lokoja, Kogi State and the award threw up a number of award recipients including multi-talented actor, Stan Nze, who was voted Best Actor in a leading role (English) at the BON awards for his role in the wave-making movie ‘RattleSnake’ by Play Network Limited. Actor, producer, model and professionally-trained marketer, dapper Samuel Oniyitan was declared the winner of the category of the Best Actor in a Leading role of the BON award 2021 for his role as Oniyitan in the Yoruba movie of epic proportion titled ‘Abeke’, which he produced that earned him the best actor crest. Curvy, dark-skinned and an amazing acting talent, Bolaji Ogunmola, was declared winner of the Best actress in a leading role (English) category of the BON awards for her role in the emotive narrative ‘Butterflies’. Notable actress, Kehinde Bankole, also got the BON crest for Best actress in a leading role (Yoruba) for her role in Abeke, while actor, composer and writer, Onyebuchi Ojieh or Buchi for short, was declared Best actor in a supporting role (English) for his believable performance in the remake of Amaka Igwe’s ‘RattleSnake’ produced by Play Network.
The Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) also held in 2021 and it threw up a number of filmmaking best. Nigerian born and UK based filmmaker, Obi Emelonye, won the Michael Anyiam Osigwe award for Best Film by an African Living Abroad with his thrilling effort ‘Blaackmail’. The multi-award winning film by Guardian Studios Limited ‘Eyimofe’ grossed five awards at the all glam award AMAA night, which held in Lagos. Directed by Chuko & Ayie Esiri, the movie got the crest for directing, first feature film by a director, sound and best Nigerian film. Kelechi Udegbe got the AMAA crest for his effort in the movie by Bolanle Austen-Peters titled ‘Collision Course’. The movie also won the award for Screen Play while Kunle Afolayan’s ‘Citation’ received the award for Original Soundtrack.
