Their excellencies… Best of Nollywood leading men file out today

It was the leading ladies last week. Today, the leading men take the front row as the focus is on them. By reason of their recent nomination by the organisers of the yearly Best of Nollywood award (BON), these actors – Femi Jacobs, Daniel K. Daniel, Timini Egbuson, Eyinna Nwigwe, Swanky JK, and Efa Iwara — have been admitted into the unofficial club of Nollywood’s leading actors. But who amongst them will emerge winner of the actor in a leading role category when the 2020 edition of the BON awards holds today in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State?

Femi Jacobs – Colours of Deceit
BEST known for playing Makinde Esho in The Meeting as directed by Mildred Okwo, Femi Jacobs is on the nomination list of best actor in a leading role of the BON awards for his performance in the movie Colours of Deceit. An actor, speaker, and singer, Femi has received a couple of nominations as an actor in a leading role.

The Mass Communication graduate of the Lagos State University and an alumnus of the Lagos Business School where he earned a qualification in Marketing Management, Femi won the award for Best Actor in a comedy at the 2015 edition of the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA) and that of the best-supporting actor (English) at the 2014 BON awards. He has featured in a number of television and movie projects including Binary Unit, This Thing Called Marriage, Middlemen, Tinsel, Choices, Journey To Self, Heaven’s Hell, Taxi Driver, Just Married, and Looking For Baami.

Daniel K. Daniel – The Fugitive
MULTIPLE award-winning actors, model, and voice-over artiste, Daniel K. Daniel was nominated for his performance in the movie titled The Fugitive. Best known for his portrayal of Boss Man in the movie titled A Soldier’s Story for which he won both the AMVCA and the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) as best actor, Daniel started out as a model but branched out to acting about a decade ago. His first acting job was in the television series All About Us. Popular as DKD, his other movie credits include Sarah’s Choice, The Child, Ladies Man, Under, Ivie, Same Difference, Tempest, 76, Mummy Dearest, and Devil in Red.

Eyinna Nwigwe – Dear Affy
DAPPER and always one to play the leading man, Eyinna Nwigwe was nominated for his performance in Dear Affy, the movie by Sam Olatunji aka Big Sam. An Economics graduate of the University of Calabar, Eyinna started out as a model before branching out to acting.

Best known for his performance in the box office hit The Wedding Party, Eyinna who was in 2017 named by News of Africa as one of the 12 sexiest Nollywood actors of 2017, has featured in a number of critically acclaimed movies including Black November, Hell or High Water, Games Men Play, Love Struck, When Love Happens Again, Dinner, Hire a Man, Living in Bondage: Breaking Free, Red Code, and Cold Feet.

Swanky JKA – Living In Bondage (Breaking Free)
PROFESSIONALLY known as Swanky JKA, Jideofor Kenechukwu Achufusi is in nomination for his role as Nnamdi Okeke in Living in Bondage (Breaking Free) as directed by Ramsey Noah Jnr. Originally a model, Swanky started off in the movie industry playing minor and supporting roles in movies such as ‘Poka Messiah, Black Rose, Pretty Little Thing, Ofu Obi, and A Lonely Lane.

He got his breakthrough and shot into prominence after he appeared as Nnamdi Okeke in Living in Bondage: Breaking Free. His performance in the movie earned him a best actor nomination and a trailblazer award at the 2020 edition of the AMVCA. Swanky had earlier won the best actor in a leading role (Igbo language) in the 2018 edition of the BON awards. So, it will be double for swanky if he wins in that category today

Timini Egbuson – Elevator Baby
BORN in Bayelsa State but raised in Lagos, Timini is in nomination for the best actor category. Younger brother to notable actress and singer Dakore Egbuson, Timini studied Psychology at the University of Lagos (Unilag). He left Unilag in 2011, but he started acting a year earlier. His debut on screen is in the popular soap opera by Mnet titled Tinsel.

His most pronounced performance yet is in the 2019 movie Elevator Baby. His sterling performance there earned him a nomination and win, as best actor in a drama in the 2020 edition of the AMVCA. He has also received a special The Future Award Africa recognition for acting. The movies in Timini movie pouch include MTV Shuga, Fifty, Skinny Girl in Transit, Manhunting with Mum, Isoken, Something Wicked, Another Time, Room 420, Ajuwaya, The Missing Piece, The Intern, and The Girl Code.

Efa Iwara – The Sessions
ACTOR, rapper, and hip hop emcee; Efa Iwara is in nomination for the best actor crest of BON 2020 for his role in The Sessions, the movie by Judith Audu. Born in Ibadan to a professor father and a librarian mother, Efa, who studied geography at the University of Ibadan, disclosed that he got into acting out of boredom. But since he decided on it, he has been lapping up scripts and leaving a good impression.

His most pronounced performance as an actor is playing the role of Epe in the 2018 African Magic TV series. His other movie runs include Put A Ring On It, The Men’s Club, Rumour Has It and This Lady Called Life. As a singer, Efa is also making waves. He recently released a thirteen-track album in 2020 titled ‘Without a Pulse’. He had earlier released an EP titled Waka EP back in 2013.