The Nigerian Official Selection Committee for the Best International Feature Film category of the prestigious Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, has announced the decision of its founder and chairperson, Chineze Anyaene-Abonyi, to pass the baton of leadership, as she moves on to other opportunities.
Anyaene-Abonyi’s decision is coming days after she secured the Oscars’ re-approval of the NOSC, just as Nigeria and the rest of the world prepare for the 96th edition of the Academy Awards to hold in 2024.
According to a statement sent to The PUNCH, the new leadership of the NOSC will be announced in due course.
The statement added, “NOSC makes bold to say that under Chineze’s two-term steadfast leadership, the committee has transformed into a beacon of hope and standard befitting of Nigerian filmmakers aspiring to compete in the IFF category of the Oscars.
“The outgoing chairperson recalls the pivotal moment when, as a young filmmaker, she attempted to submit her film for Oscars’ consideration in 2012, only to discover that Nigeria had no constituted committee for film submissions.
“This discovery fueled her determination to create and personally finance a committee for Nigerian films to compete at this prestigious level of international cinema.
“As Chineze hands over to a new team, the NOSC considers the transition as the end of an era, characterised by unwavering dedication to standard, professionalism and remarkable legacies.”
The statement also stated that in recent years, the NOSC’s mission had evolved from merely submitting films to promoting and fostering the creation of high-quality Nigerian film entries. According to the committee, the focus shifted towards encouraging a collaborative effort within the industry, where personal interests were set aside for the greater good of the Nigerian film industry.
Expressing her confidence in the next team’s ability to carry on the legacy and ensure that quality and excellence of Nigerian films are prioritised, Anyaene-Abonyi said, “The Nigerian film industry possesses immense potentials and talents, and I believe that with continued dedication and cooperation, it will undoubtedly reach new heights.”
The entrepreneur-cum-filmmaker also extended her heartfelt gratitude to everyone who had supported and contributed to the journey, acknowledging that her tenure could not have achieved the successes attained without the support of individuals and organisations within the film industry.
Recall that in 2012, Chineze constituted the NOSC and received approval from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as the organisation to collect, screen and vote entries that would represent Nigeria in the IFF category.
The committee for which she was Chairperson was re-approved in 2019. That year, the NOSC submitted Genevieve Nnaji’s ‘Lionheart’, which was eventually disqualified for not meeting the non-English dialogue criteria.
The Academy was to later yield to the committee’s demand for the recognition of pidgin as a local language. Hence, on October 16, 2020, it acknowledged pidgin English as a non-English language fit for the IFF category.
In 2021, Desmond Ovbiagele’s ‘The Milkmaid’ made history as the first Nigerian film to be approved by the Academy to compete in the IFF category of the 93rd Academy Awards but did not make the final shortlist.
