Charles of Play, Davido, Kunle Afolayan Among National Award Nominees

By Vanessa Obioha

As President Muhammadu Buhari prepares to exit the presidency, 340 Nigerians have been nominated to receive national awards for their contributions to the nation. This was revealed on Sunday, May 28, by the federal government. Among these nominees are Charles Okpaleke (aka Charles of Play), Davido, and Kunle Afolayan. The trio are honoured for their outstanding contributions to the fields of drama and music.

Okpaleke is a Nigerian film producer renowned for his talent in transforming Nigerian classics into award-winning films. His debut film, “Living in Bondage: Breaking Free,” received seven awards at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) in 2020. Furthermore, his game, “Aki and Pawpaw: Epic Run,” inspired by the popular 2002 film “Aki & Pawpaw,” became Nigeria’s first game to reach the number one ranking in the world after accumulating 100,000 downloads on iOS and Playstore in under 30 hours. Okpaleke is also the founder of Play Network Africa.

A Nigerian film producer, actor, and director, Afolayan embarked on his Nollywood journey in 1999 as an actor in the film “Saworoide.” However, he gained widespread recognition for his directorial debut, “Irapada,” which won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Film in an African Language. His recent work, “Aníkúlápó,” became the most-watched non-English Netflix original film just 11 days after its release and won the Best Overall Movie at the ninth edition of the AMVCA.

Born David Adeleke, Davido is a Nigerian Afrobeats icon adored by fans worldwide. Since his entrance into the music industry, he has achieved remarkable milestones, such as being the first solo African artist to sell out the London O2 Arena and leading the production of the 2022 FIFA World Cup soundtrack, “Hayya Hayya.” His songs have amassed over two billion streams, solidifying his status as a musical powerhouse.

Charles of Play, Davido, Kunle Afolayan Among National Award Nominees

By Vanessa Obioha

As President Muhammadu Buhari prepares to exit the presidency, 340 Nigerians have been nominated to receive national awards for their contributions to the nation. This was revealed on Sunday, May 28, by the federal government. Among these nominees are Charles Okpaleke (aka Charles of Play), Davido, and Kunle Afolayan. The trio are honoured for their outstanding contributions to the fields of drama and music.

Okpaleke is a Nigerian film producer renowned for his talent in transforming Nigerian classics into award-winning films. His debut film, “Living in Bondage: Breaking Free,” received seven awards at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) in 2020. Furthermore, his game, “Aki and Pawpaw: Epic Run,” inspired by the popular 2002 film “Aki & Pawpaw,” became Nigeria’s first game to reach the number one ranking in the world after accumulating 100,000 downloads on iOS and Playstore in under 30 hours. Okpaleke is also the founder of Play Network Africa.

A Nigerian film producer, actor, and director, Afolayan embarked on his Nollywood journey in 1999 as an actor in the film “Saworoide.” However, he gained widespread recognition for his directorial debut, “Irapada,” which won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Film in an African Language. His recent work, “Aníkúlápó,” became the most-watched non-English Netflix original film just 11 days after its release and won the Best Overall Movie at the ninth edition of the AMVCA.

Born David Adeleke, Davido is a Nigerian Afrobeats icon adored by fans worldwide. Since his entrance into the music industry, he has achieved remarkable milestones, such as being the first solo African artist to sell out the London O2 Arena and leading the production of the 2022 FIFA World Cup soundtrack, “Hayya Hayya.” His songs have amassed over two billion streams, solidifying his status as a musical powerhouse.