Guardian Nigeria
It was a tough group. The nomination list of the best actor category of the 2024 African Magic Viewer’s Choice Award (AMVCA) had some of the best and leading Nollywood actors on it —Richard Mofe Damijo (The Black Book), Adedimeji Lateef (Jagun Jagun – The Warrior), Marc Zinga (Omen), Gideon Okeke (Egun), David Ezekiel (Blood Vessel) and Stan Nze (Afamefuna). Any of these actors would have won in this category because they all had a compelling performance in the movies they starred in. But in the wisdom of the well-peopled jury of this diet of AMVCA, the best actor crown went to ‘King’ Wale Ojo. The accomplished actor, who was born in London, started out as child actor working mainly on drama series and television soaps with Africa’s first television station, WNTV, was declared winner of the best actor category of the award.
A thunderous applause greeted Ojo’s declaration as winner. The deep actor emerged winner for his delightful portrayal in the movie by B.B. Sasore titled, Breath of Life. Ojo’s declaration was well received by guest at the award ceremony. They all were unison in their submission that his portrayal of the older version of a genius character was noteworthy A fellow remarked thus: “This is well deserving. Nobody could deserve this more. Ojo is an accomplished actor and an actor par excellence. He deserves this winning and more!” he said. Another excited guest at the award ceremony also said: “Well deserved. He nailed the role in the movie. The movie in itself is one Nigeria movie you will watch, and you will be glad you did. Thoroughly deserved, best of the best from Nollywood. In fact, everything about Breath of Life deserves an award. But I am happy for Wale Ojo. He was believable in his role. Breath of Life was amazing!”
A well decorated actor that has earned several nominations as an actor including a nomination at the AMAA and a nomination for best comedy actor at the Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards in 2018, Ojo’s acting career in the United Kingdom began in 1986 where he played a very young Othello in the east end of London. He has gone on to appear in most of the theaters in the United Kingdom and in a couple of movie productions in Nigeria including, Phone Swap, which won him the award for best actor at the Nigeria Lite Entertainment awards, CEO, Render To Caesar, Blood Sisters and A Place Called Forward.
In a previous interview with The Guardian, Wale Ojo credited his mother, Chief Wale Ogunyemi, Tunji Oyelana, playwright Wole Soyinka, and Zulu Sofola for their impactful roles they played in his acting career. Founder of a movement he calls ‘New Nigeria Cinema’, Ojo picks his lead role in Afolayan’s directed thriller, Phone Swap, as one of his most memorable screen roles. The role later won the 55-year-old Nigerian UK based actor the award for Best Actor at the 2012 Nigeria Entertainment Awards.
