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| The Award |
Cross River State Governor,Professor Ben Ayade has been honored with the most entertainment friendly and performing 2016 image award by Hollywood Films in far away Los Angeles,United State Of America (USA) for his immense contribution toward the development of Entertainment Industry in Africa.
Ayade who was the first Governor in west Africa to have been given such an award was specifically recognized for his role over the establishment of ‘CALLYWOOD‘,a film academy aim at identify youthful and talented brains in Cross River through a Callywood platform to stardom.
The Governor had in may appointed Miss Egor Efiok as the Director General of the film academy to run the entertainment hub with headquarters at the Popular Tinapa Resort,Calabar.
The Image Award by the Hollywood Weekly Magazine Film Festival was in recognition of His Excellency,the governor of Cross River State, Nigeria, for his incorporation of Callywood film academy,says Egor Efiok who represented the governor at the event.
”We are impressed by other great works of Governor Ayade that we have been carefully intimated about which include Calabar Super Highway, Calabar Monorail, Calabar Carnival, Bakassi Deep Seaport, Cross River State Green Police, Calasvagas, Calabar Convention Centre and most overwhelmingly, the Calabar Garment Factory which we understand has the largest floor in Aafrica. We were also informed that This Day Newspaper rated Governor Ayade as outstanding top 3 Governors in the whole country. The Nation Newspaper further rated him as the best performing amongst the governors in the whole country. This proves how well deserving he is of this special Image Award and we were truly honoured to present it to Egor Efiok, who received the award on his behalf.
“His Excellency Senator Professor Ben Ayade, also received a gift of a personalised bottle of Fela wine valued at 10,000 Dollars made by MisEnBouteille for the Felabration festival in 2013 which was sponsored by Jay Z and which his wife, Beyoncé perfomed with. We felt that Governor Ayade would especially love this gift, as it is symbolic of his country, Nigeria, and of one of the greatest acts that Nigeria ever produced. Fela is held in very high esteem here in Hollywood.
“The vision of the governor for the project to develop young Crossriverians in art of film-making, Cinematography and Screen-writting and incorporate Callywood which saw Egor Efiok as the 1st Director General to run the academy has beginning to yield result.”Says Prather Jackson,Editor of Hollywood weekly Magazine.
Speaking onbehalf of the governor ,the Director General of Callywood Film Academy, Egor Efiok,who received the award on his behalf said “it was a recognition of excellence and a deserved award for our amiable governor.
Efiok whom the governor appointed to run Callywood academy, is a Hollywood film maker known for her star studded Hollywood Meets Nollywood films, Turning Point which has cast Igoni Archibong from Cross River State as a lead actor in the film.
Egor who was invited by the governor back home to integrate Hollywood and Cross River State talents to become super stars,said Governor Ayade’s real action plans for Callywood will soon be unfolded for global audience.
“His Excellency Senator Professor Ben Ayade saw the vision in the project to develop young Crossriverians in act of film-making, Cinematography and Screen-writting and incorporate Callywood which saw me Egor Efiok as the 1st Director General to run the academy.
“With the approval of his excellency I brought with me a team from London Film School to help the state run Callywood Studios and we have already done three well attended auditions well publised by the Nigerian Media,including AIT,Channels and Crossriverwatch.
Reacting to the award, Azamosa Esohe James, who was one of the Nigerian sponsors of the event said the award was commendable especially that was being given to a sitting Nigerian Governor for supporting the Entertainment industry.
“I can tell you that Cross River State and Nigeria people particularly those in the entertainment industry will embrace this recognition alongside with the govenor.
“We also commend the governor to appoint one of cross river State foremost daughters , Egor Efiok with a gasp for excellence.
“We saw His Excellency Senator Professor Ben Ayade’s Image Award and gift of personalised Fela wine that cost $10,000(dollars) made by MisEnBouteille for Felabration sponsored by Jay Z, that Egor Efiok received on his behalf as a recognition of excellence and a deserved award for our amiable governor”he said.
The representative of the governor. Who received the award is due back in Nigeria any moment to formally present the award to the governor,senator,professor Ben Ayade in person.