The Nation Newspaper

Tag: BON

  • NBC to shut down debtor broadcasting stations

    The National Broadcasting Commission ( NBC ) on Monday said it would shut down radio and television stations owing the commission licensing fees.

    The Director General, Is’haq Modibbo Kawu said that any broadcasting station that failed to come up with a payment plan before September 15 would be shut down. .

    Modibbo said this at a news briefing in Lagos after a meeting with the stakeholders in the broadcasting industry.

    He said that the broadcasting stations are owing the commission N4. 3 billion .

    According to him, there was an agreement between the stakeholders and the NBC in February 2017 on how to recover the debt. He said the stations had reneged on the agreement.

    He said that it would not be ideal to mention the broadcasting stations due to the relationship between the parties and that the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) and NBC would be meeting.

    ”There will be a consultative meeting between BON and NBC.

    ”Stations must try to regularise or work on a payment plan. The truth of the matter is if there is nothing definite done by trying to pay the money owed NBC we are going to close down quite a number of radio and television stations.

    ”Especially because we know that a lot of them are targeting elections and the money they will make.

    ”We will make it impossible for them to make that money because if they do not pay their licensing fees, then they have no right to enjoy any freebies from elections.

    The DG also spoke on the issue of sanctions on various broadcasting stations saying that broadcasting ethics stresses that the peace and unity of the country should be paramount.

    He said that in a situation where the ethical boundaries have been breached at various times by a broadcasting station, such a station would be sanctioned or shut down as the case may be.

    Modibbo said that the commission does not ban songs, but certain songs cannot be broadcast due to their content.

    Songs that should be broadcast in Nigeria are songs that families could listen to, he said.

    According to him, young artists influence Nigerian children and as such they should be mindful of the songs they air.

    “Young people are the greatest export of our country in terms of their artistic work and our country is a country of young people,” he said.

  • ‘Stormy Hearts’ gets BON nominations

    ‘Stormy Hearts’ gets BON nominations

    Nollywood movie, Stormy Hearts, from the stable of Judith Audu Production, has received two nominations in the soon-to-be-held Best of Nollywood Awards.

    The movie was nominated in the ‘Movie with the Best Soundtrack’ category alongside Oloibiri, Tatu, and Inikpi, as well as in the Best use of Nigerian Food in a Movie category alongside Picture Perfect, Ufuoma, and Trace.

    Speaking on the development, producer of the flick, Judith Audu-Foght said that is a testament to the fact that her outfit is doing something right.

    “We are glad that this nomination is coming at this time when we are shooting another movie. It is a sign that we are doing something right and we intend to improve on what we have done so far. I’m particularly happy for the artistes that worked on the soundtrack for Stormy Hearts, LASE, Goodness Emmanuel and Jordan Igbinoba, as they worked night and day to ensure all the original songs come out well,” she said.

    The Best of Nollywood Awards is an annual film event presented by Best of Nollywood Magazine. The award seeks to honour outstanding achievements in the Nigerian Movie Industry. The first edition was held on December 6, 2009, in Ikeja, Lagos State. This year, the award will be held at Ogun State in December.

    Directed by Tope Alake, and written by Brenda Ogbuka and Chijioke Ononiwu, Stormy Hearts stars Christiana Martin, Theresa Edem-Isemin, Eddie Watson, Kenneth Okolie, Fred Amata, Etinosa Idemudia, Kelechi Udegbe, Greg Ojefua, Rotimi Salami, Stan Nze, and a host of others.

    After Basi, a music producer, quarrels with his protégé Kachi, a talented singer, over her partying ways, she abandons him for Johnson, a bigger music producer in town and the breakup hits Basi hard.

  • BON Awards goes to Ogun

    BON Awards goes to Ogun

    Nollywood traveling reward show; Best of Nollywood (BON) Awards will, for the second time since inception, be hosted in Ogun State, organisers have revealed.

    The decision was reached last week when Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun received the BON Awards organising team which presented him the hosting rights for 2017 at the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

    Receiving the team, Governor Amosun said he was happy that the BON Awards, now in its ninth year, was returning to the state, having been hosted in 2010 by former Governor Gbenga Daniel.

    He said, “I’m happy that the journey of Nollywood Awards started in Ogun State because this state is the home of notable figures in the entertainment industry like Hubert Ogunde, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Olu Jacobs and many new generation entertainers and we shall continue to support the industry by providing an enabling environment for the growth of that sector and all sectors of the economy.”

    The governor said he was particularly excited at the contributions of the entertainment industry to the Nigerian economy saying, “When the economy was rebased, people forgot to look at entertainment which accounted for about 40% while the real sector didn’t get near that. What this means is that nothing would help us more than our creative industry. We focused too much on oil and it has made us lazy. Yes, agriculture will lead to industrialisation but creative people will continue to work and provide jobs. This is why our government would continue to look for ways to improve the structures of the creative industry.”

    The governor then promised that the state would join forces with the BON Award team to produce an event that would surpass all other editions.

    “Whatever we do, we do well. BON Awards 2017 would be more than just hosting a ceremony; you would all be proud of what we will do. We would have a beautiful outing,” he said.

    BON Award Founder, Mr. Seun Oloketuyi, recalled that they started the journey by taking the BON Awards to different cities in Ijebu Ode, in Ogun State. “It is a known fact that Ogun State is a major player in the Nigerian film industry today, as among the Yoruba sub-sector of film makers, there is a faction popularly called ‘Abeokuta film makers’; represented here by Bolaji Amusan, popularly known as Mr. Latin.”

    Continuing, he said, “We know for a fact that the filmmakers based here in Ogun State have refused to relocate to Lagos, which is reputed as the hub of entertainment, because the Ogun State government provided them an enabling environment to ply their craft and business.”

    He announced that BON Awards 2017 will hold on December 16, “and we shall have everyone that is relevant in the film industry all present under one roof.”

    He said, “before the main event, there would be build-up events like the BON Reading, where celebrities and past BON Awards winners read literature to motivate and inspire young pupils of the state; Talent Meets Class, where the corporate world and Nollywood practitioners meet in a forum to chart a course for mutual benefit while exploring the potential of the host state.”

  • BON chairman visits COSON

    THE Chairman of Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), Mr. John Momoh, last Monday, pledged his organisation’s co-operation with the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) to ensure that all broadcast stations in Nigeria pay agreed music copyright royalties.

    Momoh who is also the Chairman, Channels TV, noted that this is in fulfilment of the obligations of the stations under the COSON/BON/IBAN/NBC/NCC/ Agreement of 2014.

    According to Momoh, every law in the land must be respected and there is no reason any broadcast station in Nigeria should avoid payment of music copyright royalties as provided under the law.

    “I pledge my commitment to work with COSON and to ensure full compliance from our members. This meeting is long in coming. We will meet with our members around the country. I am a stickler for the obedience of the law; It is imperative and obligatory that we pay what we have agreed to,” he stated.

    Commending the new Chairman of BON for taking the bull by the horn and creating the atmosphere for peaceful resolution of the issues, COSON Chairman, Tony Okoroji, said that his body remains committed to ensuring that Nigeria is a nation in which intellectual property rights are highly respected because according to him, respect for intellectual property is critical to tapping the significant economic potentials of the nation’s creative industries for national development.

    He also said that he remains fully dedicated to complete transparency, accountability and comprehensive reporting to the different COSON stakeholder groups which he said are the hallmarks of the success and continued growth of COSON.

    One of the key decisions taken at the meeting is to extend the life of the 2014 royalty agreement meant to terminate in December 2016. The agreement is now to terminate in December 2017 without any increase in tariffs.

  • BON Awards heads to Abia

    BON Awards heads to Abia

    ABIA Sate, Nigeria has been named as host of this year’s edition of the Best of Nollywood Awards come December 10.

    Accepting the hosting rights from the BON Awards organising committee and a couple of actors including Walter Anga, Yomi Fash Lanso, Rex Nosa and Tayo Sobola, the governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, expressed his delight that Abia State was considered worthy to host the event.

    Ikpeazu said that in the last couple of years, Nollywood has served as a buffer for the nation.

    “Nollywood has given us a new level of respect across the world. Therefore, when I was approached to host the awards, I thought that while this might not be the best of times financially for us as a state, it avails us a platform to bring the industry back home, show our various tourism and economic potentials and join you to celebrate an industry which contribution to the GDP of Nigeria is invaluable,” he said.

    Executive Producer of the Best of Nollywood Award, Seun Oloketuyi, thanked the governor for agreeing to host the event.

    He said, the Best of Nollywood Awards was created in 2009 as a veritable premium platform to honour the enterprise and ingenuity of stars and stakeholders of the Nigerian movie industry otherwise known as Nollywood.

    “I am happy to say that we are now the longest running homegrown movie awards ceremony. We designed BON as a travelling awards ceremony and in the intervening years, have been hosted by the Ogun State government under Otunba Gbenga Daniel, the Delta State government (Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan), the Rivers State government (Hon. Rotimi Amaechi) and the Ondo State government (Dr. Olusegun Mimiko),” Oloketuyi said.

    He assured the governor that there’s no better ceremony to officially launch the new ultra-modern international events centre being constructed by the state than the BON Awards.

  • BON Awards mourn kid actor

    BON Awards mourn kid actor

    The shocking news of the death of winner of last year’s Best of Nollywood (BON) Award, Olamide Davids, which was announced yesterday, is still rippling the movie industry.

    “We are saddened by the sudden death of the winner of best kid Actor 2014 Olamide Davids which happened last weekend, Olamide was a shining star waiting to explode,” said a statement by Seun Oloketuyi, executive producer of BON Awards.

    “We take solace in the fact that within the short time you were here you gave us materials which will linger in our memories.

    “We pray that this day won’t come again when we would have to mourn a young star. May God grant his parents the fortitude to bear this great loss.”

    On Monday, Nollywood actress, Foluke Daramola, had grieved about Davids on her Instagram page.

    The late David played the lead role in Daramola’s movie, Cobweb.

     

  • Bimbo Akintola, Gideon Okeke to host BON Awards 2015

    AHEAD of the December 13 date for its seventh edition, organisers of the prestigious Best of Nollywood Awards (BON AWARDS) have unveiled versatile screen goddess Bimbo Akintola and talented actor Gideon Okeke as the hosts.

    The event which takes place at The Dome in Akure, Ondo State will play host to Nollywood stars, government functionaries, corporate personalities and select guests.

    There will be exclusive performances by some highly-acclaimed entertainers, and comedians to add spice to the event.

    Akintola who made her Nollywood debut in the 1995 blockbuster Owo Blow has become a phenomenon in the industry while Okeke carved a niche for himself in Nollywood after appearing in MNET Africa’s Tinsel.

    Some previous hosts of BON Awards include Fred Amata and Gbemi Olateru, Nonso Diobi and Slyvia Nduka.

  • BON kicks off awards with reading

    BON kicks off awards with reading

    AFTER months of preparation, organisers of the annual Best of Nollywood Awards have announced the kickoff of its 2015 edition with a pre-event ceremony tagged BON Reading. The event is billed to hold on Sunday, October 4, at the Ondo State Government House.

    “We are pleased to announce that BON Reading 2015 will hold on Sunday inside the government house. The wife Of the Ondo State Governor Mrs. Olukemi Mimiko will be playing host to a constellation of Nollywood stars that will be visiting the state to inspire to the kids through reading a pre- selected texted book to their listening pleasure. We look forward to a great evening with her Excellency,” convener of the awards, Seun Olotukeyi, stated.

    Among Nollywood stars expected at the event are Chelsea Eze, Seun Akindele, Moyo Lawal, Muyiwa Ademola, Ayo Adesanya, Mimi Orijekwe and others.

  • BON GOES TO AKURE

    BON GOES TO AKURE

    The date for this year’s edition of Best of Nollywood Awards (BON) has been announced, with the hosting right going to Ondo State.

    Announcing that the award ceremony will take place in Akure, the Ondo State capital on December 12, 2015, Governor Olusegun Mimiko, declared total readiness to host guests at the event, boasting of the hospitality and showbiz facilities that exist in the state.

    He said on Thursday, during a meeting with the organisers of BON and select Nollywood stars in Akure: “On behalf of the good people of Ondo State and I, we are set to host the Best of Nollywood Awards this year. We will give spirit and soul to the awards ceremony because it would be held in the best and only international events centre in Nigeria. Our new Dome would make the Expo Centre in Lagos look like a village kitchen,” he boasted.

    On why his government decided to host the award, Governor Mimiko said, “My first reaction when the executive producer mentioned hosting BON Awards to me was that these are not the best of times for any state financially but he assured me that it would not cost the state so much. And I agreed essentially because growing up, we were all victims of cultural imperialism by the West. Of course, at that time, we still had contending views of the East because of the deep rooted culture in their (Indian and Chinese) films.”

    He noted that he is also moved by the achievements of Nollywood in the last two decades and his disposition to creative ideals. “So, for me, the celebration of Nollywood is within the context of the cultural, if you like, imperialistic possibilities of Nigeria and why not? So long we talk about our potentials; we could also make Nigerian films a global commodity. If we want to be a dominant country in Africa and a global player, we need to deliberately create our Nollywood narrative by creating a theme around which other sub-themes would be created to sell our country,” he posited.

    Executive Producer of BON Awards, Seun Oloketuyi, thanked the governor for his understanding, love and support for the entertainment industry, and for agreeing to host the event. He urged other governors to take a cue from Governor Mimiko and help the film industry grow. Present at the event were Nollywood stars like Segun Arinze, Yomi Fash Lanso, Fathia Balogun, Ngozi Nwosu, Alex Ekubo, Ebube Nwagbo, Toyosi Adesanya and Amanda Ebeye among others.

  • BON Awards to honour Liz Benson, Adebayo Salami, others

    BON Awards to honour Liz Benson, Adebayo Salami, others

    Veteran Nollywood star, Liz Benson-Ameye, her counterparts, Adebayo Salami, aka Oga Bello, Nobert Young and legendary Kannywood actor, Kasimu Yaro have been named recipients of this year’s Special Recognition Award by the organisers of Best of Nollywood (BON) Awards.

    The event, which will be hosted by Governor Rotimi Amaechi, is scheduled to take place this Saturday, October 11, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    Liz, who started her movie career as a teenager, got her break in the 1994 movie, Glamour Girls. Soon, she evolved into a major box office star with impressive following. She however veered into Christian evangelism and got married to Great Ameye, Founder and Pastor of the Rainbow Christian Assembly, Warri, Delta State.

    A University of Benin trained theater artiste, Nobert Young, has traversed the entire gamut of the industry – with repertoire spanning stage, television, video and cinema. Critical of the ‘mediocrity’ in Nollywood, Nobert strives to make his works stand out from the crowd. Little wonder he is regarded as one of the most methodical actors to have come out of Africa. He is married to crossover actress, Gloria Young (nee Anozie).

    For the past four decades, Oga Bello has been a permanent fixture in the Nigerian movie industry. The Ilorin, Kwara State-born thespian has hundreds of English and Yoruba movies to his credit, and numerous local and international honours and recognition. Like Oga Bello, Kasim Yaro is a legend in the Hausa entertainment industry. He is best known for his 2007 movie, Who Will Tell The President and the Amstel Malta Box Office-produced Cindy’s Notes.

    According to the organisers, “Apart from honouring the stars and stakeholders of Nollywood every other year, we have also taken it upon ourselves to recall the sacrifices and strides of those elders whose artistry have catalysed the growth and global acceptance that Nollywood enjoys today. We don’t want to wait until these veterans are dead to give them posthumous awards, which is why we have decided to celebrate them while they are still alive and active. Besides, this year’s honorees are a source of inspiration to young actors because of their longevity and continued relevance in the industry.”