ONYEKA ONWENU, DADDY SHOWKEY, JIDE KOSOKO, AYO ANIMASHAUN, ZEB EJIRO, MANY OTHERS TO RECEIVE NET HONOURS 2014
Tuesday, April 22, 2014Omoba
Nigerian
Entertainment Today, publishers of Nigeria’s foremost entertainment newspaper
and organisers of the biggest gathering in the entertainment industry, Nigerian
Entertainment Conference have announced recipients for NET Honours 2014.
At
the inaugural edition last year, nineteen distinguished practitioners were
honoured for their contributions towards the development of the Nigerian
entertainment industry.
This
year’s recipients include some of Nigeria’s most notable entertainment
practitioners including veteran actress and singer, Onyeka Onwenu, Nollywood
icons, Jide Kosoko, Adebayo Salami and Sunday Omobolanle, street music
pioneer, Daddy Showkey, Gospel legend, Ebenezer Obey, OAP/compere
extraordinaire, JAJ, Media moguls, Amin Mousalli, Ayo Animashaun and Tajuddeen
Adepetu.
Others
are distinguished moviemaker, Zeb Ejiro, Storm 360 Boss, Obi Asika, ace music
producers, Laolu Akins and OJB Jezreel, seasoned journalist, Jahman Anikulapo
and post humous recipients, Christy Essien-Igbokwe and Sunny Okosuns.
According
to Chris Ihidero, Chairman of the Editorial Board at NET, the path of honour
will always be threaded by distinguished individuals who continue to remind us
all of what it means to be ‘Proudly Nigerian’ and make that count when it
matters...
‘The
idea of the NET honours is that we’ll keep recognizing people who have
contributed positively to the Nigerian entertainment industry. It’s not bound
by age, time, or gender. It’s an on-going process. We hope, one day we can
honour everyone who have imparted immensely’, Ihidero says.
This
year’s edition of the conference has a star-studded line up of speakers and
panelists, inclusing Prof Pat Utomi, BasketMouth, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, 2face
Idibia, Jason Njoku, Uche Jombo, Tony Okoroji, Ope Awoyemi, Olisa Adibua, IK
Osakioduwa amongst others.
The
event is set to hold by 9am at the Grand Ballroom of Eko Hotel and Suites on
Wednesday April 23,2014.
PROFILES
OF NET HONOURS RECIPIENTS
ONYEKA
ONWENU
ZEB
EJIRO
One
of the country’s most prolific television drama writer and producer, with
classics such as Ripples and Candle Light and Nollywood classics like Domitilla,
Zeb Ejiro has shown repeatedly entertained millions of Nigerians and thereby
contributed immensely to the development of the entertainment industry in
Nigeria.
JAHMAN
ANIKULAPO
Jahman
was the last man standing of a dying breed of arts and culture reporters who
shaped the entertainment industry, not by heaping unearned praise on
celebrities, but by beating the industry into shape through conscientious and
constructive criticism. Jahman stands a world apart from even his
contemporaries: he is the reporters’ reporter, the editors’ editor and the most
important arts and culture journalist of at least the past two decades in
Nigeria.
DADDY
SHOWKEY
Daddy
Showkey’s sheer relentlessness defined the music of his era, from album
recordings to live performances to reigning dance steps, it is an era still
fondly remembered by many Nigerians with nostalgia.
AMIN
MOUSALLI
Amin
Mousalli has for long been the silent hand that rocks the cradle. When he
launched Cool FM in 1998, something changed in radio broadcasting in Nigeria
forever. Then WAZOBIA FM happened. His next move is television, those in that
sector should watch out!
JAJ
Jacob
Akinyemi Johnson popularly known as JAJ is an on-air-personality, news anchor
and broadcast journalist. With a career spanning over two decades and his
unique style of presentation, the JAJ brand has become a household name in the
world of entertainment journalism.
JIDE
KOSOKO, ADEBAYO SALAMI AND SUNDAY OMOBOLANLE
These
three men are being honoured today as leading lights of a long-standing
tradition of cultural presentation and representations through drama across
platforms. From stage to screen, we have known these men almost all through our
lives, bringing fun and excitement into our homes for decades. Dedicated to
drama performances from the days of the travelling theatre tradition, to the
days of television drama and now to film, these gentlemen are prime examples of
a life solely dedicated to service in the entertainment industry.
LAOLU
AKINS
Laolu
Akins, the man who produced Sir Shina Peters’ ACE album is one of the brightest
minds in a long tradition of excellent producers that have put the Nigerian
music industry on the global stage. And he didn’t do it for Sir Shina Peters
alone. Adewale Ayuba, Chris Okotie, Onyeka Onwenu and many are among the
careers his great mind and magical fingers brought fame and glory.
OJB
JEZREEL
For
Babatunde Jezreel Okungbowa a.k.a. OJB Jezreel music is undoubtedly the essence
of his life and making beautiful music the purpose of his existence. OJB has
been the creative force behind the numerous hits of a countless number of
artistes. From Ruggedman, 2Face Idibia, Jazzman Olofin, Nomoreloss to Raskie,
K-Show & Six-O, C-mion, Abounce, Jafaar, Amah, Funke, the list is endless.
TAJUDDEEN
ADEPETU
Tajuddeen
Adepetu started from creating content for several terrestrial stations to
establishing his own cable TV channel and TV station. Soundcity and ONTV have
grown to become household names in entertainment. His other assets include
Spice TV, a full channel on DSTV and a social media platform Buddie.
AYO
ANIMASHAUN
His
relentless pursuit of fresh avenues to engage the entertainment industry is
unparalleled. From newspaper to magazine to online radio and now to Hip TV,
impossible is not a word Ayo Animashaun is familiar with.
OBI
ASIKA
As
the CEO and founder of Storm 360, Obi Asika is at the forefront of driving
urban entertainment across Nigeria and Africa. His work spreads across TV,
film, music, events and merchandise.
EBENEZER
OBEY
Baba
Miliki! The gentle crooner is a true legend by all measures, his evergreen
pacifist music continues to us towards gentler possibilities of human
interactions and co-existence. He provided the soundtrack to a time when life
was easier and the hustling and bustling that has become the trademark of
contemporary life was not so dominant.
CHRISTY
ESSIEN-IGBOKWE
Nigeria’s
Lady of Songs transcended linguistic and cultural limitations and repeatedly
went to the core of her music and connected with our souls. Her music reflected
the socio-cultural concerns her life was dedicated to. Gone too soon, she’s
affectionately remembered and her music continues to signpost our realities.
SUNNY
OKOSUNS
Sunny
Okosuns typifies the Nigerian artiste as a social activist. His many
revolutionary songs dotted the lines of conflicts both national and
continental. He preached revolt and reconciliation through his music long
before he donned the robes of a clergyman. As our nation currently
experiences psychological and physical devastation from one conflict or
another, it is the music of people like Sunny Okosuns that we miss; the kind of
music that points out the foolery of focusing on our differences, rather that
embracing ever more tightly our shared values.
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