What veterans of Nollywood said at Legends of Nollywood awards

The third edition of Legends of Nollywood Awards, initiated and organised by Nollywood actor, Paul Obazele held on the 6th of December 2014 at the National Theatre in Igammu area. The award was created to honour founding fathers and mothers of the Nigerian movie industry. In attendance were legendary names like Sadiq Daba, Mrs Taiwo Ajayi Lycet, Nkem Owoh, Tony Akposheri, Franca Brown, Zack Orji, Nobert Young, Larry Koldsweat, Ejiro Okurame, Emeka Ike, Henrietta Kosoko and a host of other celebrities and media personalities.

At the award, WG Spoke with some of the veterans concerning the award and here are what they said:

Sadiq Daba

What do you think about the event?

I think it’s one of the brightest ideas I’ve seen so far. Most awards that I’ve read about or have attended, it’s almost all repetitive. It’s either you go and lobby to get an award or somebody likes your face or you’re friends with someone and they give you an award, not because you’ve worked that hard, not because your work speaks for you but somehow, you find yourself on their list.  Here, Paul is saying there are people who were there, why don’t we celebrate them? Why don’t we look for them?

Nkem Owoh

I’m particularly happy that somebody thought out this event to recognize, even though they say celebrate legends, to me it is to recognize legends. It is good in this country for people to recognize there are people who started something, moved it to a certain degree before others could take over. If you recognize them, it is most appreciable so I’m happy with the organizers, Paul Obazele and his team. It would give the people who are coming behind hope that whatever they are doing, sometime in the future they would be recognized

Taiwo Ajai Lycet

I think we should have more of these kinds of occasions to draw attention to the fact that showbiz is not a place where people come to waste their time; it’s a place where you lay down a foundation. It’s an industry where a lot of people have eyes on you and it’s important to be of exemplary character. If this sort of occasion happens regularly, then everybody would really appreciate the responsibility of them being in the industry.

Larry Koldsweat

My opinion is very straight; you celebrate the living not when they are dead. Most times, people we celebrate are people that have died and we carry one stick to go and give to their family. When they are alive we don’t celebrate them, it’s not it. It may not be too perfect or too fantastic but for the mere fact that some people were remembered today, it’s a milestone in their lives.