Four Nigerians Make Academy Voting List For Oscar 2018

Four movie professionals from Nigeria have made The Academy of Motion Picture, Arts and Sciences newly released diverse list of 928 members.

The Academy, popularly known as the Oscars, made visibly improved racial and gender considerations in the 2018 list.

According to a news source, female invitees make about 49 percent of the list and 38 percent being people of color, tops 2017 list of 774 peoples, 2016 list of 683 and 2015’s 322, a step in the direction of ruling out any racial controversy or outcry.

Among the diverse invitees are Nigerian actresses, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde a.k.a Omosexy and Wunmi Mosaku, film producer and directors Femi Odugbemi and Ngozi Onwurah.

Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde

Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde is a top Nollywood actress who has been in the industry for more than two decades with over 300 films and multiple awards to her credit.

Femi Odugbemi

Femi Odugbemi is the famous award-winning producer of popular series, “Tinsel”, “Battleground” and a classic documentary titled, “Literature, Language and Literalism”. Odugbemi was the President of the Independent Television Producers Association of Nigeria in 2002, a tenure that ended in 2006. Elated Odugbemi shared the news of his invitation to the Oscars on his Instagram page on Monday, June 25, 2018.

He wrote:

“So today, I received a formal invitation to become a voting member of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the United States. Honoured! #Oscars #Vote4bestfilm.”

Wunmi Mosaku

Wunmi Mosaku is a Nigerian-born british actress who worn the 2017 BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Gloria Taylor in the Tv fim “Damilola, Our Loved Boy”.

Ngozi Onwurah

Ngozi Onwurah is a Nigerian-born British producer, director and lecturer who won the Melbourne Film Festival award for Best Short film, Australia and Best Documentary in Montreal Film Festival, Canada for the
“Body Beautiful”.

According to News Agency of Nigeria reports, Oscars Academy invites notable industry professionals which includes actors, writers, two categories, Members-at-Large and Associates to accommodate individuals who have no defined branches in motion picture.

It is the world’s pre-eminent movie related organization, comprised of over eight thousand accomplished men and women working in cinema.

The Oscars had in previous years being accused of being ‘too white’ and less accommodating to other races
Other notable invitees this year are ‘Girl’s Trip’ stars Jada Pinkett Smith and Tiffany Hadish; and ‘Black Panther’ star Daniel Kaluuya.