Veteran thespians, Pete Edochie and Lanre Hassan popularly known as Iya Awero, are beside themselves with excitement with the announcement, this week that they would be honoured with the coveted Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan Special Recognition Award at this year’s Best of Nollywood awards.
In a telephone chat with the organisers, Edochie, a star of many home videos, expressed his excitement with the recognition, saying, “I feel happy that the little we have done is being recognised by the current generation. It is a thing of joy considering also that it is a special recognition award from a prestigious award ceremony as BON and endowed by a progressive governor as Governor Uduaghan. I am indeed very elated by it. See you in November.”
On her part, Iya Awero, who recently celebrated her 50th year anniversary as an actress whose odyssey dates back to the travelling theatre days before the advent of television soaps and then, home videos, lauded the organisers for the recognition and the Delta State Governor particularly for his support of Nollywood. “That this special recognition is coming the same year that I celebrated my 50th year anniversary as an actress is very significant for me. I want to thank the organisers of BON for this honour and to especially thank Governor Uduaghan for his immense support of Nollywood since he became governor. With more people like him, Nollywood would be a bigger pride for us all,” Iya Awero said.
Adducing reasons for Edochie and Iya Awero’s selection as the recipients of the Governor Uduaghan Special Recognition Award, the executive producer of BON, Seun Oloketuyi, said, “Since the inception of BON, we have made it a cardinal part of the event to celebrate elders whose arts 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 post humous awards, which is why we endeavour to celebrate them while they are still very alive and active. Besides, this year’s honourees are a source of inspiration to young actors because of their longevity and continued relevance in the industry.”
Now in its 5th year, the Best of Nollywood awards has evolved into arguably Nollywood’s most respected reward platform. The 2013 edition holds in November in Asaba, Delta State.
Congrats oo.. not a big deal anyways
ReplyDeleteIdiot! Wat ave u been recognised for?
DeleteLepa sandy, na wa for you o. Do you have older folks at all?
DeleteSmh for u.
DeleteNice
ReplyDeleteGood for them. Iya awero is definitely a force to be reckoned with in the Yoruba sector of Nollywood.
DeleteMe thinks that at some point she out shined iya rainbow. Cos she started to feature more in 9 out of 10 movies as it were. I love iya rainbow too bcos she takes good care of herself and def doesn't look 70. Kudos to her.
Iya awero on the other hand, I must confess looks older than her age. Was shocked when it was announced recently that she only turned 60 ooo! LooL
As for Igwe Pete Edochie...aka "Ebubedike". Hmm didn't think much of the man until I heard how he would always insult Olu Jacobs. So much that he started to fight the Ibo marketers and he complained bitterly that they shouldn't be allowing Olu Jacobs to act major roles in Ibo movies..the Igwe roles.
Saying that there's no way the man (olu) can interpret the role as much as himself (Pete)..or even better. He said bcos Olu Jacobs is yoruba and doesn't understand Ibo nor their culture. That's gross discrimination if u asked me.
When I heard I lost all respect for Pete bcos I think the man should know better...being a veteran like Jacobs.
I assumed that being recognized as a talented actor means that u shouldn't be confined to certain roles or within certain tribes in theater? But that rather, u should be versatile? But Pete thinks otherwise, and has contradicted it when he displayed sheer resentment towards Olu Jacobs.
Perhaps its cos the man gets more jobs than himself. And I hear he's very arrogant and can be very rude too. All I have said here I have on good authority. So sir Edochie...chilax o. Una don old, so no need to struggle abeg. OkBye
@ anonymous 11:28. Iya Awero is almost 70. She just celebrated 50 years on stage, so to u she started acting @ 10? Alhaja Ahirat Olanrewaju Hassan-Adeshina is almost 70. On Iya Rainbow, I think nature is on her side, u should see her kids, they look older than her and non of them is 50 yet. But u are right on Pete Edochie, read the interview too and was shocked to my bone marrow.
DeleteAnon10:59am. No o. Long before the 50yrs on stage celebration, the woman celebrated her bday sometime last year and they said she turned 60. Go google it up dear. I didn't make it up, am only stating what I read in the media. Even if u now say she's almost 70...so it means that perhaps she started acting at 15 or thereabout. Not much difference tho. But she still looks older than even 65. Lool Me thinks
DeleteYea Iya rainbow's kids right? I know 2 of them act too. A guy n a lady. I agree the girl looks tacky old compared to her mom too looL
Pete Edochie deserves it
ReplyDeletedats kul
ReplyDeleteAn honour well deserved.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Pete Edochie and Lanre Hassan.
I knw dat deserve it..pete is a wise man en iya ewero cracks me up everytym...
ReplyDeleteI can imagine pete Edochie's voice on d fone.#oneofakind#
ReplyDeleteAn honour well deserved.
ReplyDeleteFather Pete Edochie is a good actor and deserves every award in Nollywood.
ReplyDeletenice!! they both deserve it, especially on the oscar award of Nigeria
ReplyDeletePeteedochie is a horrible actor....has only one expression, voice sounds the same whatever emotion he is displaying and always looks unkempt.....the role of okonkwo in things fall apart just fitted him cos of his physique........#just passing....bye#
ReplyDelete