Sammie Okposo, the late ‘wellu wellu’ gospel singer is to be honoured today, Saturday, December 3, in Owerri, Imo state during the 2022 edition of the Best of Nollywood Awards.
Okposo died last week but the organisers of the awards want to rename the ‘Best Soundtrack in a Movie’ category after the singer as a way to imortalise him.
To spice up the day, a cleaning brand, Hypo, joined the train of sponsors for the awards by endowing the ‘Best Short Film’ category. The brand will give the winner of the category some funds to shoot a short film on hygiene.
Speaking on the latest developments, the founder of BON Awards, Seun Oloketuyi, stated that the fact that newer innovations were coming in this close to the awards was a testament that this year’s edition will be bigger and better than previous editions.
“Sammie Okposo in his lifetime was a force, and he did a lot for the growth of gospel music in Nigeria and beyond. We are not a music award, but we feel the need to honour him in some way. That was what inspired us to rename the ‘Best Soundtrack’ category after him. His loss will be felt by all and this is just a way to immortalise him.”
Oloketuyi added that Hypo’s endowment of the short film category was a big deal. He noted that winning an award, and getting funds to do it again is a feeling any producer would welcome.
The awards organiser also stated that the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, had opened his doors wide for the entertainment industry, particularly the movie sector, to contribute to the financial growth of the state’s economy through tourism.
The hosts for this edition are the duo of actors, Lateef Adedimeji and Queen Nwokoye.