• Awards, Guiness World Attempt Can Only Happen In Lagos – Commissioner, Toke Benson

 

The highly anticipated Nominee List for the Best of Nollywood (BON) Awards 2025 was officially unveiled today, setting the stage for one of Nigeria’s most prestigious annual film events. The announcement, held at Mayami Lagos, defined the Nigerian movie industry over the past year.

The unveiling ceremony confirmed the fierce competition across 25 different categories, including the addition of the “Best Series” category, highlighting the growing significance of episodic content in Nollywood.

From major accolades like Movie of the Year and Best Director to unique, fan-favorite honors such as Best Kiss in a Movie and Best Use of Food in a Movie, the categories showcase the sheer depth and diversity of Nigerian filmmaking.

This year, the nomination list reveals a fierce competition at the top, dominated by two standout titles with nine and eight nominations respectively: ‘Seven Doors’ and ‘Abanisete’. These films have emerged as the leading contenders, securing nods across multiple major categories including Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, Movie of the Year, Best Production Design, and Best Special Effect.

They are closely trailed by ‘Farmer’s Bride’ and ‘My Mother Is a Witch’, which also boast strong showings in the coveted acting and creative categories.

Beyond the major titles, the nominations list shines a spotlight on impressive individual achievements and the industry’s technical finesse. Key acting nominees include Ibrahim Yekini, Femi Adebayo, and Tobi Bakre vying for Best Actor, while Folu Storms, Gbubemi Ejeye, and Chioma Chukwuka compete for Best Actress.

For Best Director, the competition is intense with multiple nominations for renowned filmmakers like Adebayo Tijani (nominated across multiple films) and Niyi Akinmolayan (My mother is a witch).

The top prize, Movie of the Year, will be contested by films that resonated most with audiences and critics alike, including Abanisete, My mother is a witch, and Farmer’s Bride.

Speaking at the unveiling, Hon. Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Toke Benson-Awoyinka explained that she knows that many are expectant seeing the awards return to Lagos this year. “Lagos is the home of excellence, the statee of aquatic splendour, so I know people are expectant.”

Speaking on the organisers’ Guiness World Record Attempt for Longest Red Carpet, Hon. Benson-Awoyinka stated that the plan to hold it on the new Coastal Road was only possible in Lagos, a state led by the visionary Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. “It’s because it is Lagos, that is the only reason you can have a runway on a highway,” she added.

For Mr Yinka Adebayo, Group Executive Director, West & Central Africa. Omnicom Media Group, who unveiled the nominees list alongside the commissioner, BON Awards returning to Lagos was a fantastic idea. “Doing this consistently for 17 years is something we must commend Seun Oloketuyi and his team for,” he explained.

The main BON Awards 2025 ceremony is scheduled to take place with Lagos as the host state come December 14, with a Guiness World Record Attempt for the Longest Red Carpet. It promises to be an even grander celebration of Nigerian cinema.

BON AWARDS 2025

Full List of Nominees

BEST ACTOR

1) Ibrahim Yekini – Abanisete

2) Gideon Okeke – Blackout

3) Femi Adebayo – Seven Doors

4) Razaq Adoti – Son of the Soil

5) Tobi Bakre – Farmer’s Bride

6) Jide Awobona – Inspector Jero

BEST ACTRESS

1) Folu Storms – Red Circle

2) Gbubemi Ejeye – Farmer’s Bride

3) Padita Agu – Blackout

4) Efe Irele – My Mother Is a Witch

5) Chioma Chukwuka – Seven Doors

6) Florence Nwachukwu – Fury

BEST KISS

1) Tobi Bakre & Gbubemi Ejeye – Farmer’s Bride

2) Timini Egbuson & TJ Omusuku – Reel Love

3) Kunle Remi & Tope Olowoniyan – The Party

4) Padita Agu & Demola Adedoyin – Planning Forever

5) Tobi Bakre & Folu Storms – Red Circle

BEST DIRECTOR

1) Niyi Akinmolayan – My Mother Is a Witch

2) Adebayo Tijani & Tope Adebayo – Abanisete

3) Adebayo Tijani & Jack’enneth Opukeme – Farmer’s Bride

4) Tope Adebayo & Adebayo Tijani – Her Excellency

5) Toka McBaror – The Waiter

6) Adebayo Tijani, Tope Adebayo & Femi Adebayo – Seven Doors

MOVIE OF THE YEAR

1) Abanisete

2) My mother Is a Witch

3) Farmer’s Bride

4) The Waiter

5) Her Excellency

6) The Serpent’s Gift

BEST SERIES

1.) The Party

2.) Seven Doors

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

1) Stan Nze – Serpent’s Gift

2) Femi Branch – Owambe Thieves

3) Adedimeji Lateef – Red Circle

4) Buchi Franklin – The Waiter

5) Taye Arimoro – Son Of the Soil

6) Neo Akpofure – My Mother Is a Witch

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

1) Mercy Aigbe -My Mother Is a Witch

2) Bolaji Ogunmola – Longing

3) Tina Mba – The Serpent’s Gift

4) Mercy Aigbe – Farmer’s Bride

5) Susan Jimah – Take My Breath Away

6) Kehinde Bankole – Iyalode

BEST SOCAL MESSAGE

Out in the Darkness

My Mother Is a Witch

Fury

Longing

Mayomi

Blackout

Single Mother

BEST COSTUME

1) Owambe Thieves

2) Abanisete

3) Iyalode

4) Labake Olododo

5) Seven Doors

6) Olomi

7) The Serpent’s Gift

BEST SOUND

1) Red Circle

2) Agemo

3) Anjola

4) Fury

5) Reel Love

6) Ewu Ife

BEST SOUNDTRACK

1) My Mother Is a Witch

2) Take My Breath Away

3) Olomi

4)Durotimi

5)The Serpent’s Gift

BEST USE OF FOOD

1) Owambe Thieves

2) Longing

3) Alakada: Bad and Boujee

4) 07.03 (The 7th of the 3rd)

5) Farmer’s Bride

6) Owambe Thieves

BEST CHILD ACTOR

1) Ahmad Isa – Finding Nina

2) Yoma Davidson – Den Of Safety

3) Royal Aziomaku – Seven Doors

4) Adeshina Daniel – Telephone

BEST CHILD ACTRESS

1) Ijelu Folajimi – Son of the Soil

2) Darasimi Nadi – Agemo

3) Diva Owoniyi – Den of Safety

4) Kamdi Ugochkwu – A Ride with Forever

5) Angel Unigwe – In My Circle

MOST PROMISING ACTOR

1) Razaaq Adoti – Son of the Soil

2) Yomi Orimadegun – The Boy from the Window

3) Korede Lawal – On Our Skin

4) Abduazeem M. Ibrahim – Finding Nina

MOST PROMISING ACTRESS

1) Dolapo Oyebamiji- Olomi

2) Lila Idoko – I am Anis

3) Sylvia Ebere – Flipside

4) Sunshine Rosman- Son of the Soil

5) Temitope Luqman – Durotimi

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

1) Seven Doors

2) Labake Olododo

3) Abanisete

4) Iyalode

5) Farmer’s Bride

BEST SCREENPLAY

1) Thinline

2) Ewu Ife

3) Owambe Thieves

4) Fixing Others

5) The Serpent’s Gift

6) Blackout

7) Agemo

BEST SPECIAL EFFECT

1) Seven Doors

2) Labake Olododo

3) Son Of The Soil

4) Red Circle

5) The Waiter

6) Abanisete

7) Iyalode

BEST DOCUMENTARY

1) Beyond Olympic Glory

2) Nigeria Laughs

3) Not Addressing This Anymore

BEST EDITING

1) Son Of the Soil

2) The Waiter

3) Reel Love

4) Red Circle

5) Between Silence & Truth

6) Olomi

7) Agemo

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

1) 07.03 (7th of The 3rd)

2) My mother Is a Witch

3) Abanisete

4) Agemo

5) Seven Doors

6) The Serpent’s Gift

7) Finding Nina

BEST INDIGENOUS

MOVIE

1) Abanisete

2) Brotherly Love

3) Iyalode

4) The Serpent’s Gift

5) Agemo

6) My mother Is a Witch

6) Olomi

BEST MAKE UP

1) The Waiter

2) Seven Doors

3) Iyalode

4) Abanisete

5) Labake Olododo

6) Iyalode

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

President Bola Tinubu has instructed the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to ensure that members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors currently on strike return to work without delay.

The directive was made public by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, during a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, following the total and indefinite strike declared by NARD on Saturday.

Salako opened the briefing with an apology to Nigerians affected by the strike, saying, “we would like to express our regrets and unconditional apology to Nigerians, especially those who needed to access health care in the last 48 hours, who could not do it as a result of the strike action by NARD.” He added that the President had “expressly directed that we do everything possible and legitimate to ensure that the resident doctors are brought back to their duty posts as soon as possible.”

According to the minister, the government has been in discussions with NARD leadership to address the underlying issues. He disclosed that the striking doctors tabled 19 demands, and the ministry has been working through them individually.

Salako traced the dispute to a circular issued by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission in July, which he said triggered disagreements among health workers. Some unions opposed the directive while others supported it, prompting the ministry to call for a review. “We approached the National Salaries and Wages Commission and the Presidential Committee on Salary Increase, and the circular was therefore withdrawn,” he explained.

He stated that the ministry initiated a Collective Bargaining Agreement process in August involving all major health unions, including the Nigerian Medical Association, the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, and the Joint Health Sector Unions. However, two contentious issues emerged during negotiations.

“One of the disputes was between groups advocating relativity in remuneration and others insisting on parity,” Salako said, adding that both positions were “mutually exclusive.” The second dispute concerned the appointment of some non-doctor health workers as consultants in 2020, which led to discontent among doctors. These issues, he noted, resulted in a temporary suspension of the CBA meetings.

To resolve the impasse, the ministry engaged an external industrial relations expert to mediate. Salako confirmed that the negotiator met with all unions and submitted an interim report. He stressed that the NARD strike commenced despite CBA rules discouraging industrial action during ongoing negotiations, noting that government ministers, including the Finance and Labour Ministers, engaged the doctors last week.

Responding to concerns over manpower shortages and long work hours, Salako highlighted recent government recruitment efforts. He said that in 2024, 14,444 health workers were employed across 64 federal tertiary hospitals, including 908 consultants and 3,064 resident doctors. He added that approvals have been granted for the recruitment of 23,059 health workers in 2025, of whom 868 are consultants and 2,629 are resident doctors.

The minister also disclosed that Tinubu has approved raising the retirement age for clinical workers to 65 years, pending completion of administrative processes.

On financial matters, Salako said the government had released N21.3bn to clear arrears, stating that “at least 60 per cent of NARD members have received an alert,” and pledged to ensure payment to the remaining 40 per cent. He added that N11.995bn had been processed for other arrears, while N10bn was paid to health workers in August and another N10bn to resident doctors via the Medical Residency Training Fund.

He urged journalists to verify improvements in health facilities since May 2023, assuring that Tinubu remained committed to strengthening the sector. “There is no slow progress,” he said. “What is happening is that we’re taking our time to ensure that everything we need to take on board is taken on board, so that whatever solution we agree on will be a sustainable one.”

Salako emphasised that all cadres in the health sector are interdependent, stating, “The health sector is teamwork. No professional in the health sector can work independently of others.”

Two individuals arrested during a raid on the Abuja home of former Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, remain in detention.

Operatives had stormed the residence on Saturday, October 25, 2025, arresting his younger brother, Paga, who serves as his Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs, as well as his driver. Sylva, a former Bayelsa governor and prominent member of the All Progressives Congress, was reportedly out of the country when the operation took place.

Sources familiar with developments said Sylva initially planned to return to the country, but cancelled his trip after learning that several suspected coup plotters had been picked up.

His media aide, Julius Bokoru, had confirmed the raid in a statement last week, denying Sylva’s involvement in any coup plot and accusing the military of destroying property during the operation. Bokoru alleged that some political actors were engaging in mischief because they viewed Sylva as a threat to their ambitions.

Speaking to The PUNCH on Sunday, Bokoru confirmed that the two detained aides were still being held. When asked if they had been released, he responded, “Not that I know of. As of last night (Saturday), they had not been released. I would have known if they were released.”

Pressed on why there had been no public call for their release despite no incriminating evidence reportedly found during the raid, he said, “I believe some lawyers are on the matter already.”

Earlier, on October 4, the Director of Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau, had disclosed that 16 officers were in custody for violating military regulations and acts of indiscipline. However, SaharaReporters alleged that the officers, ranging from Captain to Brigadier-General, were being detained by the Defence Intelligence Agency over a suspected plan to topple the government and were apprehended at various locations nationwide.

Meanwhile, Niger Delta stakeholders, including former agitators, have condemned what they described as a smear campaign against the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, a former aide to Sylva.

After an emergency meeting in Port Harcourt on Sunday, the Critical Ex-agitators Stakeholders Coalition urged traditional rulers, political figures and regional leaders to support Ogbuku and resist efforts to destabilise the NDDC.

The coalition’s spokesman and Pioneer National Secretary of the First Phase Ex-Agitators, Nature Kieghe, called for unity, warning against “the pull-him-down syndrome,” saying “a house divided against itself can never stand.”

Kieghe highlighted Ogbuku’s record, stating that he is the first NDDC boss to introduce a needs assessment model that aligns projects with community priorities. He listed initiatives such as the Light Up Niger Delta project, which he said has boosted security and economic activities in rural areas.

“We cannot continue to fight ourselves and expect meaningful development,” Kieghe stated. “These stones being thrown at Dr Samuel Ogbuku are uncalled for. This is the time for all Niger Delta leaders to support him and encourage the good work he is doing.”

He also noted improvements in contractor payments, describing Ogbuku as prudent and suggesting critics were envious of his achievements. Kieghe added that the NDDC completed 311 projects across the nine states in the third quarter of 2024 alone, including infrastructure, renewable energy and water projects.

According to him, the commission has expanded youth empowerment schemes, revived its scholarship programme and launched an agricultural initiative aimed at food sustainability in the region. He further noted that most Niger Delta states now have NDDC office complexes “for faster and more effective service delivery.”

Kieghe urged regional leaders to guard against external influences and expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for supporting Ogbuku’s leadership, saying, “He has changed the narrative of the NDDC, and we appeal to you to continue to give him all the support he needs.”