BON AWARDS TO HOLD IN OGUN STATE

For the second time since inception, the Best of Nollywood Awards will return to Ogun State in December. This declaration was made last Friday as the governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, received the BON Awards organising team which came to present him the hosting rights for 2017 at the executive chamber of the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Unpretentiously excited at the prospect of hosting Nollywood’s longest running rewards platform, 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.”

A chartered accountant turned politician, Governor Amosun said he is 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.”

It was on this score that the governor promised that the state would join forces with the organizing team to produce a world-class event that would surpass all other editions and create the high watermark by which awards ceremonies in Nigeria and beyond would be measured. He said, “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.”
In his opening remarks, the executive producer, Seun Oloketuyi, recalled, “We started the journey of taking the BON Awards to different cities in Ijebu Ode, here 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 film makers 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.” Oloketuyi further said, “By God’s grace, the BON Awards 2017 shall take place December 16 and we shall have everyone that is relevant in the film industry all present under one roof.
Before the main event, here 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. “We hope that the government of Ogun State will make this year’s event the best of our ceremonies so far,” he concluded.