Second Wale Olomu Memorial Awards Set for December Celebration

The Wale Olomu Memorial Awards (WOMA) returns for its second edition, with Saturday, 21 December, 2024, set for the awards ceremony.

This year’s program, themed “Celebrating the Living, Hidden Gems of Nigerian Entertainment,” will shine a spotlight on unsung industry figures who have contributed immensely to Nigeria’s entertainment sector.

The event kicks off with a Roundtable on Saturday, 14 December, featuring discussions by renowned industry professionals, including musicians, producers, marketers, promoters, and a legal expert in entertainment.

Set to run for an hour and a half, the panel will address “Building a Broad-Based Safety Nets for Veteran & Indigent Practitioners.”

Notably, the roundtable will also be broadcast on “The Vintage Talkshow” on Top Radio FM 90.9, anchored by veteran journalist Femi Akintunde-Johnson, airing at 7 a.m.

Award presentations will follow a dedicated two-hour live broadcast on 21 December.

According to Tokunbo Ojekunle, the chairman of the WOMA Steering Committee, categories under consideration include Lifetime Achievement Awards and Special Recognition Awards, celebrating individuals such as music producers, sound engineers, session operators, studio/stage/artiste managers, and instrumentalists who have often gone unrecognized for their contributions.

Ojekunle highlighted that this year’s awards will be held in a live radio studio, with audiences joining via Google Meet, Zoom, Facebook, and YouTube.

Honorees will be selected through a rigorous process, in line with the legacy of the late Wale Olomu, known for his dedication to celebrating overlooked talents in Nigerian entertainment.

The inaugural set of Special Recognition Awards (SRA) recipients include: Fortune O’tega and Amos Mcroy (instrumentation), Mike Nliam (movie soundtracks), Collins Enebeli (aka Mavin Grandpa) and Kayode Samuel (artiste management), Bola Abimbola (percussion), Akinwale Oluwaleimu (stage and event management).

Other awardees are DJ Vinny (disc jockeying), Diran Olajoyegbe (studio management), Femi Ojetunde, Nelson Brown and Toyin Ojeyomi (aka Papa Tee) – (music  production); Zubby Enebeli and Manny Eke (backup vocals); while Waka Queen, Ibiwunmi Salawa Abeni received the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The series of event held three Saturdays between 9 and 23 December, 2023, including roundtable discussions involving personalities like Mr. Olaoluwa Akintobi (aka Laolu Akins), Chief Tony Okoroji (COSON Chairman), Kenny St Best (aka KSB); Samuel, and Dayo Olomu (UK based brother of Wale Olomu, a former promotions/artiste manager).