The Best of Nollywood Awards has officially released the nominations and category lists for the 2023 Nollywood Awards Ceremony.
Stylized as the BON Awards, the annual film event honors notable achievements in the Nigerian film industry.
Shanty Town, Herdsmen and Underbelly dominate the lineup in several categories on the newly released list of nominees.
Shanty Town, a 2023 Nigerian crime thriller, was created by Xavier Ighorodje and Chinenye Nworah, who also serves as producer, and took home 15 of the 29 total categories at the BON Awards.
BON Founder, Seun Oloketuyi
The six-part series released on Netflix on January 20, 2023 featured series stars Chidi Mokeme, Ini Edo, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Nse Ikpe-Etim, Sola Sobowale, Nancy Isime, Shaffy BelloAli Nuhu and other actors brought their best game to make the series one of the most talked about series of the year in question.
Herdsmen also leads with 11 nominations, produced by Chloe Coko and directed by Toka Mcbaror. The film, shot in Kaduna, is based on fiction and first-hand experiences and looks at the herdsmen and farmers crisis in Nigeria.
The film, which features stars like Efe Irele, Ali Nuhu, Nura MC Khan, Colins Baror, Chuks Chyke, Broda Shaggy, Perry, Ime Bishop Umoh and others, talks about the misconception about herdsmen and how evil people have used the excellent name “Shepherds” to perpetrate crimes.
However, Underbelly also takes the stage with 11 nominations. Tunde Aina produced the film. The film is a thrilling and suspenseful epic that explores the themes of love, betrayal and survival in a harsh and unforgiving environment.
Underbelly is the story of two friends who travel from the western part of Nigeria towards the north in search of greener pastures. Things fall apart when you fall in love with the wrong woman.
The BON Awards, first held in December 2009 in Ikeja, Lagos State, have continued to be a creative layer for the Nigerian film industry. Each edition of the awards ceremony usually takes place in different states in Nigeria including Ogun, Oyo, Kogi, Kano, Ekiti, Delta and Abia among others.
The host state for the 2023 edition will be announced soon.
This year’s edition of the annual awards ceremony will take place on December 22.
Below is a complete compilation of the awards ceremony:
1. BEST CHILD ACTOR (FEMALE)
Nominees
1. Princess Kosi (The Other)
2. Angel (Here lies love)
3. Fisayomi Amodemaja (Keji)
4. Darasimi Nadi (Obara’m)
2. BEST SOCIAL MESSAGE
Nominees
1. Black Harvest
2. Asa
3. sister
4. Shepherds
5. Shanty Town
3. BEST SHORT FILM
Nominees
1. Za
2. agogo
3. Playboy’s Nightmare
4. She was not at war; She was
5. Tales of the bullied
4. DOCUMENTARY
Genie in disguise
5. SPECIAL EFFECT
Nominees
1. Belly
2. shepherds
3. Shanty town
4. Now
5. Inadvertence
6. SOUNDTRACK
Nominees
1. Obara’m
2. The other
3. Belly
4. Shepherds
5. Inadvertence
7. SOUND
Nominees
1. Shanty town
2. Here lies love
3. House of Secrets
4. Shepherds
5. Obara’m
8. BEST USE OF THE COSTUME
Nominees
1. dice
2. shepherds
3. Belly
4. Now
5. Shanty town
9. SCRIPT
Nominees
1. Afamefuna
2. Asa
3. 50/50
4. Here lies love
5. The other
10. USE OF FOOD
Nominees
1. Ifedichie
2. Time travel
3. Inadvertence
4. Here lies love
5. 50/50
11. BEST KISS
Nominees
1. Kiki Bakare/Mimisola Daniels (Egun)
2. Efe Irele/Shawn Faqua (The House of Secrets)
3. Olu Adebamowo/Kiitan Bukola (Square One)
12. BEST USE OF MAKEUP
Nominees
1. SOJ
2. Shanty town
3. Belly
4. Shepherds
13. EDITION
Nominees
1. House of Secrets
2. Shanty town
3. Black Harvest
4. The other
5. Keji
14. PRODUCTION DESIGN
Nominees
1. Belly
2. shepherds
3. Black Harvest
4. House of Secrets
5. Shanty town
15. CINEMATOGRAPHY
Nominees
1. House of Secrets
2. Shanty town
3. Now
4. Shepherds
5. Belly
16. THE MOST PROMISING ACTOR
Nominees
1. Smart Conrad (The most vulnerable part)
Nura Mc Khan (Shepherds)
3. Olu Adebamowo (Square One)
4. Olaiya Temitope (Inadvertence)
17. THE MOST PROMISING ACTRESS
Nominees
1. Tierny Olalere (Inadvertence)
2. Chinelo Enemchukwu (Ifedichie)
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3. 50/50 (Funke Tanimola)
4. Olusola Adeola (Time Travel)
18. BEST INDIGENOUS
Nominees
1. Afamefuna
2. Obara’m
3. Ifedichie
4. Belly
5. Shepherds
