Kogi First Lady to Host BON Awards’ Book Reading May 27

As part of the activities leading to the annual Best of Nollywood (BON) Awards, the board and organisers have announced that the book reading for the year will be hosted by the First Lady of Kogi State, Mrs. Rashida Yahaya Bello at the State House in Lokoja.

The book reading, which is a BON Awards annual tradition is an event held for children in the year’s host State for the awards. Asides from the fact that it is the first time after the COVID-19 pandemic that BON Awards would be hosting a reading, the event, as usual, is scheduled to coincide with the 2021 Children’s Day celebration.

For this year, the organisers of the leading pan-Nigerian film industry awards have revealed that the official book of the year is Chinua Achebe’s ‘The Trouble with Nigeria’, and over 1000 children from all over Kogi State are expected at the event where they would be read to by the First Lady of the state, supported by a number of Nollywood actors. Billed to attend the event and celebrate with the children are Nollywood screen stars like Aishat Lawal, Ali Nuhu, Lateef Adedimeji, and Yomi Fash-Lanso. Others include Gbenga Adeyinka, Fathia Williams, Adebimpe Oyebade, Biola Adebayo, and Efe Irele.

The reading, which is a prelude to the events that lead up to the awards come December 11, marks the beginning of the 13th BON Awards activities for the year. It would be remembered that on Tuesday, March 2, Governor Yahaya Bello had claimed hosting rights for the 2021 edition of the awards while receiving a delegation of Nollywood actors and journalists. Speaking on the reading, BON Awards founder Seun Oloketuyi revealed that “this is an important part of the series of events that make up BON because it is for the children, and we are glad that the First Lady graciously accepted to host the reading.”