AMAA 2019 nomination: Four ‘huge’ slots for Nollywood’s leading ladies

It appeared that the leading ladies of Nollywood impressed the jurors of the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) more than the leading men did. While the leading men fetched just two spots- Gabriel Afolayan and Chinedu Ikedieze, on the 2019 AMAA nomination grid announced last week, the ladies from Nollywood grabbed four spots: Rita Dominic (Light In The Dark), Seyi Shay (Lara And The Beat), Sola Sobowale (Eniola) and Jemima Osunde (The Delivery Boy). These leading ladies in their respective films are the only Nigerian actresses that were nominated in the leading actress category of the 2019 edition of AMAA, which holds in October in Lagos. Celebrity salutes Rita, Seyi, Shobowale and Osunde for making the very competitive nomination list of the leading actresses in the continent.

Rita Dominic (Jumoke Arinze) Light In The Dark
SCREEN diva, Rita Uchenna Nkem Dominic Nwaturocha makes the AMAA cut again. She has been severally nominated in the leading ladies category (2012, 2013, 2017) but the gifted actress got the crest in the 2012 edition when her beatific performance in the movie ‘Shattered’ won her the AMAA crest and deservedly so. Rita is back on the nomination slate for interpreting delightfully the role of Jumoke Arinze in the movie titled ‘Light in The Dark’ and observers say that she put up a high wire act that she fetch her the crest in October. And if she does win, it will be the second AMAA crest for leading actresses for Rita is clearly one intense and busy actress who as many producers agree, always tries to put a stamp of quality on her performance. Clearly one of Nigeria’s hottest celebrity, a core professional, principled and one of the very few actresses that is at ease on stage, television and on home video, Rita is regarded as a magnetic star who though has not allowed success and fame get into her head and who has become more of a reference point or something of a parameter for assessing other actresses.

Indeed Rita who was born into royalty-to the family of Mazi Dominic, a sibling of Eze Nwaturocha, the famous King from Aborh Mbaise in Imo State is by far one of Nigeria’s respected and compelling actresses; one of the few with no equal in their own kind of game and perhaps one of the few actors too who drops off acts with fiscal realism. It is these qualities that have made producers both within and outside the country seek and engage the theatre arts graduate of the University of Port Harcourt and star of Izu Ojukwu’s ‘White Water’ and ‘Distance Between’ who was guaranteed star status after her debut effort in Basorge Tariah Jnr’s My Guy.

Sola Shobowale (Eniola) King of Boys
NOTABLE actress, Sola Shobowale made the AMAA cut and expectedly so. The indubitable actress was nominated for her role as Eniola, the protagonist in the well-helmed movie by Kemi Adetiba ‘King of Boys’ or KOB for short. To observers, Sola was KOB and KOB was Sola. So it would have been impossible not to nominate the compelling actress in the leading actress category. Ageless and beautiful, only finger countable actors in Nigeria posses the deft ability to spin a dull screen role to a satisfying fare. But the compelling and imaginative Elizabeth Olusola Shobowale does and those who have followed her shimmering career say she possesses such abilities in large measures. Adjudged as one of the best elements of most flicks that have been upped in the past and recent Nollywood history, Sola, as critics hold, has quietly become one of the industry’s reliable character actresses who the movie crowd can be sure to spend quality time with in several movies.

They described the motherly actress as one ‘acting dynamite,’ who normally would whisper from manic motherly to slapstick desperation with much gusto. They say she takes on cameo roles and make it seem as if it is the lead role. It is such ability to live roles well that has endeared her to many who cheer at her each time her name appears on the credit line of movie. From Lagos to Maiduguri and from Maiduguri to Bakassi even up to Africa and Europe, people demand almost to the point of suffocation her autograph. Even Sola Sobowale, recipient of a number of industry awards, three of which she got from overseas agrees that she has become an outsized version of her own story. Hailed variously as a cross over artiste because of her ability to act both in English and in Yoruba her native tongue, Sola needs the AMAA winning to register her name on the list of the continent’s leading ladies.

Seyi Shay (Lara) Lara and The Beat
DEBORAH Oluwaseyi Joshua, who is popular as Seyi Shay was nominated for her engaging run in the movie titled ‘Lara And The Beat’. The singer, songwriter, performer and composer played the role of Lara and she interpreted the role to the hilt. The role will count as her first major performance as an actress in a movie. Born and raised in the UK to Nigerian parents, Seyi’s mum is from northern Nigeria while the father is a native of Ife, in Osun state. This is her first major movie award nomination and the widely performed singer is reportedly excited about the nomination and she is indeed looking forward to the award proper.

Jemima Osunde (Nkem) The Delivery Boy
AN actress, who shot to limelight featuring in the popular television series titled ‘Shuga’, the steady actress was nominated in the leading actress category for living delightfully the role of Nkem in that brilliantly told movie by the cinematographer Nodash titled ‘Delivery Boy’. This AMAA nomination will count as her first major movie nomination and the actress and star of critically acclaimed motion picture productions such as ‘New Money’, ‘Stella’, ‘Esohe’ and ‘Jungle Jewel’ is excited about the nominations and she is reportedly looking forward to the award ceremony in October.