Encomium
‘I feel so much happy’ -STEPHANIE LINUS, winner Best Overall Movie
How do you feel winning the Best Overall Movie?
I feel so much happy because I have been able to shed light on the issue of the girl child.
Did you see it coming?
We were all hopeful.
What do you think gave your movie an edge?
I think it is because the movie answered the question that is in our heart. We hear about it, but we don’t really understand it. People are not really aware of it. I opened their eyes to it.
I believe everyone who saw it will understand that some of us have gone through abuses. I think the issue of the girl child is a serious case just like the issue of Ese Oruru that happened a couple of weeks back.
It got people talking. This is what Dry represents. I am happy that it has opened conversations. I am happy people can see the plight of children through the eyes of the girl child.
‘I don’t intend to stop working’
-KEMI LALA AKINDOJU, AMVCA Trailblazer
Do you feel this award will put pressure on you to do more?
I haven’t recovered from the awards. Yes, it will put more pressure on me. I have already put pressure on myself in the first place. This tells me that somebody is watching what this means to me and it is to do more. This has really encouraged me. It has put a fresh hunger and desire in me to do more.
Congratulations, how does it feel?
Surreal! I don’t have the words to express how I feel. I didn’t see it coming.
Who did you dedicate it to?
I didn’t know I was going to win an award. I was just talking.
What got you the award?
Consistency and hard work.
What more should we expect from your stable?
More work. I don’t intend to stop working.
‘It feels very surreal’
-DANIEL K DANIEL, Best Actor in Africa Drama/TV Series
How does it feel clinching the award?
I am overwhelmed. I am still pinching myself. I hope by the time I wake up tomorrow, I will still see the award beside me. It feels very surreal. I am glad.
Did you see it coming?
No, I had faith. I believed, my fans voted and my family voted. My mom prayed and I prayed. I also believed. It was a very tough category. A lot of big guns were nominated. I am glad that I made it.
What gave you the edge?
I can’t tell. I know it is God’s grace and then my fans. It is a viewers choice awards. The judges chose six of us from Africa. It was left to the fans to vote their best or their favourite. I am proud that the fans deemed it fit to vote me as the best.
Who are you dedicating the award to?
I am dedicating it to my late father. I usually dedicate all my awards to my late father, Engineer Chris Daniel. Second, to the super fans because of the love they have shown me.
‘It feels absolutely amazing’
-ADESUA ETOMI, Best Actress, Drama/TV Series
How does it feel winning today?
It feels absolutely amazing to have won the Best Actress in Drama category.
Did you see it coming?
No, I didn’t see it coming but it was a pleasant surprise. I am very grateful.
How does it feel being nominated along giants in the industry?
When I found out the people I was nominated with, fear gripped me. It is an honour really. You cannot say you are in a competition with some people because they started well ahead of you. It has put more pressure on me to do more. Obviously, I am no more where I used to be and I am not yet where I am supposed to be. The mandate is to keep working, keep growing and keep putting stuffs out there.
What is the significance of this award?
It means more work, more good work. It is just the start. I cannot stop now. It is a motivation to work harder.
How long have you been in the industry?
One and half years. Knocking on Heaven’s Door was my first movie. It came out in 2014. I am currently on an international project, a project that will speak for people who need to be spoken for.
-SHADE WESLEY-METIBOGUN and TINUOLA JOSEPH
