2018 Year In Review – The Actors That Won 2018

This year in Nollywood has been quite an interesting one. For 10 out of 12 months, the cinemas were met with embarrassments after embarrassments and then October happened. In October the King that we were all awaiting finally arrived with Kemi Adetiba’s “King of Boys“. It was the movie that re-energized the audience’s hope for the industry and financially also showed that the Nigerian movie audience is ready for something new.

Then there was/is December. From “Kasala” to “Lionheart” to “God Calling” and “Knock out Blessing“, this month is what 2018 will be remembered for. In the midst of all this goodness, there are two acts who standout in this year.

First, is Zainab Balogun.

If you were not listening closely previously, then you might have missed her. She’s like the surprise gift you get in a cereal box because you never really saw her coming. She first came to our view (on NR) in the 2013 web series “Knock Knock” but afterwards you might haveknow her from the Ebonylife Talk Show “The Spot”.

We would watch/read interviews of hers back then in which she would speak about her career in acting and her passion for it. It was all quite perplexing at the time because all we’d seen was her in “Knock Knock”, but then 2016 happened and that’s when it began. We probably couldn’t tell back then but hindsight is 20/20.

From her flexibility requiring role in “The Wedding Party series” to her brief but impactful appearance in the critically acclaimed “Ojukokoro“, Zainab has been setting the groundwork for what was to come.

Enter 2018. Her choices in 2018, from “Sylvia” to “God Calling” has shown us that she is not setting her sights on the regular. She truly is picking roles that not only challenge her but challenge the conventional nollywood definition.

Hmm… Zainab Balogun is building a filmography to rival all filmographies in this tide-turning era of nollywood!

Positioning herself for greatness. …

— Oge (NR) (@NollywdREinvntd) November 15, 2018

She is pushing herself and putting herself in a prime spot for the new era and we are excited to see how much further her career grows in the new year.

Then there is everyone’s favorite – Osuofia (Nkem Owoh)

You might be wondering where this is coming from? Everyone knows Nkem Owoh and he is arguably as big as any old nollywood star can possibly get. But then, I ask, asides from Sola Sobowale how many old Nollywood stars/true veterans have you seen concerned with reinventing themselves for this new era?

It is possibly not even much of a reinvention, but in 2018 Nkem Owoh has done the work to make himself relevant in the changing nollywood landscape. From “Lionheart” to “God Calling” and “Chief Daddy“, Osuofia is taking no prisoners as he sweeps the box office this year. His is a talent of the ages that has refused to rest on the laurels acquired in years of yore. His fluidity and impeccable comic timing is now available to a whole new age of nollywood viewers who were possibly not alive in the years in which he reigned.

We are again excited to see him do a lot more in 2019.

In all honesty, this post is truly unfair because I know there have been a lot more nollywood actors and actresses who worked harder than ever this year and did more than they’ve ever done here too. These were the two that stood out to us the most, but still a huge congratulations to all of nollywood for the work they’ve put in this year and the fruits that it will inevitably bear them.

See you in the new year.