Nigerian movie stars, Alex Ekubo, Yomi Fabiyi, and Toyin Aihmakhu, topped the winners’ list at the Best of Nollywood Awards.

Hosted by ace comedian, Okey Bakassi, and actress, Mercy Aigbe-Gentry, the awards aimed at acknowledging the resilience of Nigerian filmmakers amidst the economic recession, took place at El-Dorda event center, Aba, Abia State on Sunday.

The high point of the star-studded ceremony was when three Nollywood veterans, Chief Zebrudaya, Sola Sobowale and Fidelis Duker were rewarded for their giant strides and contributions to the Nigerian movie industry.

According to the organisers, aside from the 31 keenly contested categories at the annual BON Awards, the ‘Special Recognition’ category rewards the commitment and contributions of several individuals in their field as well as in Nollywood.

In his welcome address, the CEO of BON, Seun Oloketuyi, said, “The creative industry is a fertile ground for governments and investors to sow in Nigeria, more especially in the period that our nation gravely needs to diversify. This jury hopes that our state governments especially will look at ways to raise the revenue profile of their states by investing in this industry.

“This awards specifically aims at promoting the Nigerian cultural essence in movie making. This is why emphasis is placed on movies that are produced in the indigenous languages. As we said last year however, we hope that more producers will come forward and venture into film in our some other languages than Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba.”

See the full winners list below

BEST OF NOLLYWOOD 2016 WINNERS LIST

Best Actor in Leading Role (English)

. Alexx Ekubo in The First Lady

Best Actor in Leading Role (Yoruba)

• Yomi Fabiyi in Metomi

Best Actor in Leading Role (Hausa)

• Sadiq Dan Sadiq in Mat Da Lado

Best Actor in Leading Role (Igbo)

• Bloosom Chukwujeku in Icheke Oku

Best Actress in Leading Role (English)

• Judith Audu in Just Not Married

Best Actress in Leading Role (Yoruba)

• Toyin Aimakhu in Metomi

Best Actress in Leading Role (Igbo)

• Nichole Banna- in Icheke Oku

Best Actress in Leading Role (Hausa)

• Jamila Umar in Kasata

Best Supporting Actor (English)

Gabriel Afolayan in Something Wicked

Best Supporting Actress (English)

Adesua Etomi/ Ivie Okujaye-Egbon/Beverly Naya in Something Wicked

Most Promising Actor

Rotimi Salami in Just Not Married

Most Promising Actress

Ade Laoye in Studio

Best Child Actor in Movie

Daniel Udah in Opeyemi

Best Child Actress

Angel Unigwe in Woeman

Best Comedy of the Year

Ghana Must Go

Movie with the Best Social Message

. Woeman

Movie with the Best Special Effect

. A Soldier’s Story

Movie with the Best Screenplay

• Something Wicked

Best Short Film of the Year

. Opeyemi

Best Documentary of the Year

• Amaka’s kin

Best TV Series of the Year

• Lasgidi cops (SCU)

Movie with the Best Editing

. Hire A man

Movie with the Best Sound Track

. Icheke Oku

Movie with the Best Production Design

• Hire A Man

Movie with the Best Cinematography

. A Soldier’s Story

Best Use of Nigerian Costume in a Movie

. Yeye Oge

Best Use of Make up in a Movie

. A Soldier’s story

Movie of the Year

. Something Wicked

Director of the Year

. Yemi Morafa for Something Wicked

Best Kiss in a Movie

. Omowumi Dada and Gabriel Afolayan in Something Wicked

Revelation of the Year (female)

. Bukky Adeeyo

Revelation of the year (Male)

. Shawn Jimoh