Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) 2016 Nominees' List

By Perekeme Odon 

The Nominees for the 2016 edition of the prestigious African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) was announced on the 15th of May 2016. The award ceremony will hold in Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers state on the 11th of June in Nigeria. Egberi Papa's Blog congratulates all the nominees and wish them the very best of luck. Cheers....

Efere Ozako AMAA 2016 Award for Best Short Film

• Encounter - Nigeria
• Le Chemin - Cote De Voire
• Blood Taxi - Nigeria
• Meet The Parents - Nigeria/Canada
• Norah The Holy Light - Burkina Faso
• 8 Bars and Clef - Nigeria
• Ireti - Nigeria
• Life of Nigerian Couple - Nigeria

BEST ANIMATION

• The Pencil - Burkina Faso
• The Peculiar Life of a Spider - Ghana
• Funsie Fase Fingers - Nigeria
• Lazare Sie Pale - Burkina Faso

BEST DOCUMENTARY

• My Fathers Funeral - Cameroon
• Nollywood - Nigeria
• Tchindas - Cape Verde
• The Fruitless Tree - Niger
• Runs 'l too The Horizon' - Nigeria/UK
• Camera/Woman - Morocco

BEST FILM BY AN AFRICAN LIVING ABROAD

• Lambadina - Ethiopia/USA
• Skinned - Liberia/USA
• LAPD African Cop - USA/Nigeria
• Boxing Day - USA/Nigeria
• MONA - Nigeria/UK

BEST DIASPORA SHORT

• Lines - USA
• Raptors - USA
• Across The Track - USA

BEST DIASPORA DOCUMENTARY

• Can You Dig This - USA
• America's Blues - USA
• Spirits of Rebellion - USA

BEST DIASPORA FEATURE

• America is Still the Place - USA
• Ben & Ara - USA
• Luv Don't Live Here - USA

BEST FILM

• The Cursed One - Ghana
• Fifty - Nigeria
• Eye of the Storm - Burkina Faso
• Ayanda - South Africa
• La Pagne - Niger
• Dry - Nigeria
• Tell me Sweet Something - South Africa
• Behind Closed  Doors - Morocco

BEST DIRECTOR

• Nana Obiri-Yaboah, Maximilian Clausse - The Cursed One
• Biyi Bandele - Fifty
• Sekou Toure - Eye of the Storm
• Sara Blecher - Ayanda
• Moussa Hamadou Djingarey - La Pagne
• Stephanie Linus - Dry
• Akin Omotoso - Tell Me Something Sweet
• Mohammed Ahed Bensouda - Behind Closed Doors

BEST FIRST FEATURE FILM BY A DIRECTOR

• MONA - Anthony Abuah
• Beyond Blood - Greg Odutayo

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

• Oris Erhuero - The Cursed One
• OC Ukeje - Ayanda
• Fragass Assande - Eye of the Storm
• Masego 'Maps' Maponyane - Tell Me Something Sweet
• Daniel K Daniel - Soldiers Story
• Biuferi Yakoubi - La Pagne

BEST ACTRESS IN SUPPORTING ROLE

• Thishiwe Ziqubu - Tell Me Something Sweet
• Maureen Okpoko - Missing God
• Ijeoma Grace Agu - Jimi Bendel / Taxi Driver
• Bontte Modisella - Hear Me Move
• Nthati Moshesh - Ayanda
• Linda Ejiofor - Out of Luck

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

• Joseph Otsiman - The Cursed One
• Uti Nwachukwu - Breathless
• Abidine Dioari - Eye of the Storm
• Adeolu Adekola - Taxi Driver
• Kenneth Nkosi - Ayanda
• Thomas Gumede - Tell Me Something Sweet

RIVERS STATE GOVERNMENT ENDOWED AWARD FOR BEST NIGERIAN FILM

• Beyond Blood
• Dry
• Fifty
• Missing God
• Falling
• O'Town

BEST YOUNG / PROMISING ACTOR

• Nyanso Dzedze - Hear Me Move
• Ophelia Xlenan Dzidzornu - The Cursed One
• Zubaidat Ibrahim Fagge - Dry
• Ifu Ennada - O'Town
• Eve Esin - Oshimiri

ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL ARTS

• Hear Me move - South Africa
• Oshimiri - Nigeria
• Stupid Movie - Nigeria
• House Arrest - Uganda
• Soldiers Story - Nigeria

ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP

• Oshimiri
• The Cursed One
• Missing God
• Soldiers Story

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUNDTRACK

• O-Town - Nigeria
• Tell Me Something Sweet - South Africa
• The Cursed One - Ghana
• Hear Me Move - South Africa
• Le Pagne - Niger

ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING

• Behind Closed Doors
• Rebecca
• The Cursed One
• Eye of the Storm
• Hear me Move

ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY

• The Cursed One
• Eye of the Storm
• Ayanda
• Tell Me Something Sweet
• Fifty

FGN releases N350bn for capital projects:

By Perekeme Odon

Senator Udo Udoma

The Federal Government of Nigeria on Friday May 14, 2016 pronounced plan to start the plodding release of the sum of N350billion for capital projects comprised in the 2016 budget, Minister for Budget and National Planning, Senator Udo Udoma has said.

The minister who made the revelation at the 2016 Budget public presentation at the State House in Abuja, said, “We are ready to kick-start the implementation of the budget and by tomorrow (Friday), some releases will be made for capital projects that are ready for execution,” Udoma said.

On the other hand, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has said the federal government will need as much as N1.7 trillion to complete about 206 road projects it awarded in the past. Fashola nevertheless said the three ministries under him had only N433 billion allocated for them in the 2016 budget.

 He explicated in this light that the ministry decided to phase the road projects and complete them over the next three years starting from high priority roads.“This is the first step to sustainability. But it is not enough to budget. It is important to implement the budget and use the finances properly,” he said.

He clarified that the precedence of his ministry was to finish as many already awarded roads as possible on the capital projects which include:

1. Dualization of Kano-Maiduguri Road (N13 b)
2. Lagos-Ibadan Express (N40b)
3. Benin-Sagamu Express (N8.7b)
4. Gombe-Numan-Yola (N2.8b)
5. Enugu-Onitsha (N5.5b)
6. Ibadan-Ilorin(N6b)
7. Second Niger Bridge (N13b)
8. Odukpani-Itu-Ikot Ekp. (N6b)
9. Ilorin-Jebba-Mokwa (N4.4b)
10. Sokoto-Tambuwal-Kontagora-Makira (N8.8b)
11. Oju/Loko n Bridge (N14.2b
12. Kano-Katsina (N2.6 b)
13. Sapele-Agbor Ewu (N2 b)

14. Apapa-Oshodi-Oworoshoki (N5b)

Babatunde Raji Fashola

The Minister of Works,Power and Housing,Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) said his ministry had prioritised the roads to be constructed in the country and that such roads should be the ones that would drive the economy and also serve the North and South, East and West as well as give value to ease movements of tankers and other goods. “We have prioritised the roads that get attention to those with the heaviest traffic and economic strategic significance; the roads that evacuate farm produce, airport cargo and passengers, seaport cargo and tank farm petroleum products".

He said another contemplation in the construction of roads would be on the ones that had the heaviest traffic, and those nearing completion that could be accelerated and concluded fast. “The ministry planned in budget 2016 to depart from the practice of yesterday, of giving every road the same amount of money irrespective of whether it is just starting or nearing completion".

He also added that “The Ministry of Works was to get N268 billion, Power N99 billion and Housing N66 billion. So instead of splitting N268 billion over 206 roads in 2016 and not finishing any road, we plan to phase 206 roads over three years and ensure that we complete or substantially progress the completion of existing roads in each of the six geo-political zones,” Fashola explained.

OGE KIMONO DROPS NEW SINGLE

Photo By: Swagraphix

By Perekeme Odon

Nigerian dancehall diva, Empress Oge Kimono is set to drop a new single titled 'Main Chick' to her teeming fans world over. The long expected and much anticipated single will drop like a bomb on Bob Marley's Remembrance Day, May 11, 2016 from the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria, Abuja.

They say the apple never falls far from the tree; that is, salient family characteristics are usually inherited in every strong breed.Born Ogechukwu Nwamaka Onwubuya in 1985 by the veteran and legendary Rub-A-Dub Master of Nigeria/Africa, Ras Kimono.The Onicha Olona, Delta state lioness started her singing career at the early age of 10 and went professional in 2003. 

 Oge, a talented reggae singer with a blend of roots reggae, lovers rock and dancehall vibes has carved a niche for herself in the Nigerian music industry, where she has officially released four (4) singles, and lots of online releases like 'Drum & Bass, Inspiration, Pretty, Injustice, Addicted, Main Chick, Safe and We Made It'. 

She has highlighted her vocal dexterity and hauled exhilarating presentations at earth class shows like Germany Summer Jam 2010, Austria Kasumama Festival, Ruhr Reggae Summer 2009/10,Germany,Reggae Jam, Germany, Nigerian Independence Day celebration in Berlin Germany, and many more in Europe, Africa and the USA.

Photo By: Oge

She has also performed and shared same stage and with international reggae acts like  Tuklan, Ade Bantu, Uwe Banton( German Based),Rocky Dawuni(US based Ghanaian), Anthony B, Beenie Man, Nas and Damian Marley, Luciano, Turbulence and others greats.

In 2015 June edition of Afropolitan Vibes held at Freedom Park, Lagos , lots of music lover were so thrilled and excited to see father and daughter on same stage. Kimono joined his daughter on stage and they both sang, danced and performed some of his hit songs together.

According to the 2015 nominee in the Best Reggae/Dancehall category at the Niger Delta Advancement Award, Oge Kimono, “this single is going to be the hottest among the latest, and the next big thing in dancehall business and arena. That is why I'm using Bob Marley's Remembrance Day to blaze the fayah"

Her hobbies are swimming, reading or traveling round the world, when she is not making music.

LET'S HOPE ON BLESSING OKAGBARE

By Perekeme Odon

Africa’s 100m queen and record holder Blessing Okagbare ran an uninspiring 11.30 seconds to place second at the Golden Grand Prix meeting in Kawasaki, Japan on Sunday.

The Nigerian, running her second race on the track after storming into a 22.82 seconds finish in the 200m last month in Texas, USA, battled with a -1.7 m/s head wind to place second behind USA’s Bartoletta Tianna who ran 11.23 seconds to win her first of two events at the meeting.

Photo By: Google

Okagbare’s performance does not inspire any confidence as her would be-competitors at the Rio Olympics later this summer were flying at the weekend.

Tori Bowie, the USA sprinter who won the 100m bronze medal at the 2015 IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China, won the blue riband event at the opening leg of the IAAF Diamond League in Doha, Qatar with a classic 10.80 seconds performance albeit into a +0.7 m/s trail wind, with Dafne Schippers, the Dutch lady who stormed to a 100m silver in Beijing, settling for the second position with a 10.83 seconds run.

Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown ran 10.91 for third while the Ivorian duo of Ahouré Murielle and Ta Lou Marie-Josée ran 11.02 and 11.05 to come fourth and fifth respectively. Still in Japan Ajoke Odumosu, who was making a comeback to the track after child birth, was very disappointing as she ran a mind boggling 1:01.40 to place last in the 400m hurdles.

At the Jamaica International Invitational meeting in Kingston, Jamaica on Saturday Elaine Thompson of Jamaica, 200m silver medalist in Beijing last year, ran a wind-aided 10.71 seconds to win the 100m event ahead of USA’s English Gardener (10.85) and Trinidad and Tobago’s Ahye Michelle-Lee who ran 10.98 to place third.

Triple jumper Tosin Oke hopped, stepped and jumped a 16.73m personal best to place fifth in Doha while Nigeria-born Bahrainian Oluwakemi Adekoya ran 54.87s to place second in the 400m hurdles behind Doyle Eilidh (54.53s).