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Newly appointed Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Ambassador, Nwankwo Kanu on Monday night added another award to his already bulging collection, when he was given a Lifetime Achievement award by Portsmouth Football Club.
The lavish ceremony, which held at the Championship side's home ground of Fratton Park, also saw striker David Nugent being crowned Player of the Year.
The ceremony, which was also organised in conjunction with the city's main newspaper, The News, was to honour outstanding individuals who had contributed to the success of the club this season.
A very delighted Kanu, who was the last to be given his award, said he could not thank the club and her fans enough for all the support he had received since joining six years ago.
"I'm very very happy to receive such an award it shows how much the club and fans appreciate me," said the former Super Eagles skipper Tuesday.
He said it was such gestures that played a big part in his decision to stay with the club even when they were relegated last season.
Although the former Arsenal star only joined the club on the final day of the of the start of the 2006/07 season at the behest of former manager, Harry Redknapp, Kanu has engraved his name in the annals of Portsmouth FC folk law when he helped ensure that Portsmouth ended a 50-year wait for a trophy with the 2008 FA Cup.
It was in his second season at Portsmouth, that Kanu scored in both the FA Cup 1-0 semi-final win against West Bromwich Albion and the 1-0 win in the final against Cardiff City, earning him a third FA Cup winner's medal, after two previous honours with Arsenal.
Kanu, who has so far played 126 games for the South coast seaside team, still has two more years to run on the contract extension he signed last season.
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Nollywood producers and stars will not forget in a hurry the shock and trauma they incurred last Sunday when they watched their counterparts from Congo and South Africa sweep all the prizes at the 2011 African Movie Academy Awards(AMAA).
Congo and South Africa won multiple awards in various categories to humble Nigeria. The country failed to consolidate on her leading position as far as film making is concerned in Africa.
Against the previous record set by Kunle Afolayan’s “Figurine”, which won five awards during last year’s edition to put the nation on top, Nollywood lagged behind this year, winning only on two competitive categories in Best Sound and Best Costume awards with “Inale” directed by Jeta Amata and Niji Akanji’s film “Aramotu.”
The third prize won also by “Aramotu” in Best Nigerian film category was an endowed prize by the Ministry of Information and Communications.
The Congolese film “Viva Riva”emerged the best film, winning six out of the seven categories in which it was nominated to set a new record in Africa.
The prizes won includes; Best Film, Best Actress In Supporting Role (Marlene Longage), Best Actor In Supporting Role (Hoji Fortuna), Best Cinematography, Best Production Design and Best Director (Congo’s Djo Tunda Wa Munga).
“Viva Riva”, according to the producer, is the first film made in Congo’s native Ngala Language in twenty years and it took the crew five years of hard work to complete.
Another film from Congo, “After the Mine” also won the Best Short Documentary, making it seven awards in all for Congo.
In addition, South Africa also trail Congo by winning in six categories. The South African film, “Shirley Adams” won the highly coveted Special Jury Awards. Other films from South Africa which won in different categories are: “A Small Town Called Descent, “Best Visual Effects”, “Shirley Adams”, AMAA Achievement in Sound, “Izulu Lami”, Best Film in African Language and Best Child Actor, “Hopeville”, Best Actor in Leading Role.
Ghanaian film, “Sinking Sounds”, which starred the Haitian born Hollywood actor, Jimmy Jean Louis also won many awards such as: Best Make up, Best Screenplay, and Best Actress in Leading Role.
Kenya only won in one category, Best Editing with the film “Soul Boy” by Ng’ethe Gitungo.
Speaking before the awards night, Steve Ayorinde, representing the jurists, noted that this year’s AMAA was truly representative of the very best in the continent in terms of the artistic and technical achievements.
According to him, total of 400 entries were received by the panel out of which 30 films were short-listed for the different categories of the awards. “The films, to be rewarded this night are those we consider in our judgement to be very well done and truly representative of African cinema as of 2010.” Ayorinde stressed.
AMAA founder, Ms Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, while speaking at the well attended event re-emphasized the primary aim of setting up the AMAA, noting that the Academy was set up to encourage and reward creativity in the business of film making in Africa.
“ The AMAA have been an enduring platform to eulogize our heroes past in Africa cinema and shower encomiums on the present crop of film makers who are still proudly flying the flag.”
Anyiam-Osigwe challenged film makers in Africa and in the Diaspora to explore more stories that truly and positively project the continent. “Our films must not validate some of the negative stereotypes of the Europeans and Americans have about us. We have our challenges but good things are happening in Africa too.”
She urged governments in Africa to support the creative industry- film, music, visual and audio-visual etc as the entire art and culture sector have become the best cultural exports for the continent.
“Our writers, filmmakers and other professionals within the creative sector continue to bring glory and honour to Africa and providing jobs for millions of people. Our governments must take this sector seriously and provide the necessary structures and funding that will help the sector grow.”
She described this year’s AMAA as being unique, adding that the guest were made to experience the host state in a new way for one week, with series of activities that positively impacted on the local economy and people of Bayelsa state.
Our writers, filmmakers and other professionals within the creative sector continue to bring glory and honour to Africa and providing jobs for millions of people. Our governments must take this sector seriously and provide the necessary structures and funding that will help the sector grow.”
Governor of the host state, Chief Timiprye Sylva in his speech pledged to make Bayelsa the best film location in Africa.
Nollywood bad boy, Jim Iyke and his Ghanaian counterpart, Majid Michel were the cynosure of attention at the just concluded AMAA awards night.
The duo, clad in black trouser on white blazer, and light green suite respectively stormed the awards night, looking hot and daring. Their adorning the red-carpet was greeted with thunderous ovation and hailing from the crowd who went after them.
While Majid was rounded up by his admirers especially the women who hugged, kissed and posed for shots with him at random, Jim Iyke struggled his way into the Glory Land cultural centre, venue of the event.
But for the intervention of the security personnel who cleared the way for the two playboy actors, Jim and Majid would have been held hostage by their fans. Interestingly, Jim anchored the awards night alongside actress Nse Ikpe Etim- some people said, he fumbled on stage.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Africa’s version of the Oscars, AMAA, Ms. Peace Anyiam-Osigwe was close to tears in the early hours of last Sunday, as she recounted how much she’d sacrificed her life and pleasures to embark on a journey of building a viable cinema culture in Africa.
Peace was reacting to negative comments, which she claimed were posted on facebook and which, according to her, accused her of using the AMAA project to enrich herself.
Angered by these blackmailing comments, AMAA boss said she has given up her life for the past seven years, to unite Africa through the medium of the tube.
In her words, “AMAA is not a personal journey for any of us. Rather, it is about everybody that is a film maker in Africa. It is a personal sacrifice by everybody that committed their lives to AMAA. And for seven years, I have given up my life for AMAA’s success. It’s getting to me at this stage when I hear comments that hurts because it’s a personal sacrifice from me.”
“There is no African country I have not visited to sell the AMAA project. I think, we Africans should learn to support our own, rather than post negative comments on facebook about ourselves. That’s the real problem I have with Africans.
We don’t love ourselves enough. AMAA is for you and me. It’s important that African countries should feel part of AMAA. The project is not a personal journey. AMAA is seven years old. It a struggle raising the fund to host the event yearly.”
Peace also explained that diaspora awards were instituted to give Africans in diaspora a sense of belonging.
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