Hope Of My Dreams

I sometimes let go of myself and savour the joy of my daydreams

The joy of knowing that things can only get better is always sweet

Even though the angry and sharp pangs of today’s hunger bite bitterly

I will never let go of the hope that my dreams will surely come true

Empty pockets make one think that having pizza is waste of money

But if I can’t buy all the things I want, let me afford the ones I need at least

Let me accept that garri and rice are both starch instead of change of diet

I will never let go of the hope that my dreams will surely come true

I am definitely going to have the best woman in the world for a wife

She is going to be so tender, very caring and absolutely loving

That missing rib that is the bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh

I will never let go of the hope that my dreams will surely come true

Though I lack spare shoes and the ones I have now are so worn out

I have lived uncomfortably in the only clothes I have for many years

Being at daggers drawn with my landlord over rent must surely stop

I will never let go of the hope that my dreams will surely come true

I am not lazy, but wouldn’t mind working with ease of mind

Who’s not tired of working their fingers to the bones for peanuts?

Getting a little more than I can ever get in wages won’t kill me

I will never let go of the hope that my dreams will surely come true

I won’t be too greedy to ask for a skyscraper or something better

But if such are the cherries of my toil, I won’t reject them either

For a roof over my head keeps worries of wetness and shine away

I will never let go of the hope that my dreams will surely come true

I dream of a better tomorrow; to wipe away the bitter tears of today

God is really good must come to everybody’s mind when they see me

It is this hope that has kept me believing in those lovely dreams

I will never let go of the hope that my dreams will surely come true

an Emeka Amakeze poetic expression

Best Of Nollywood Awards 2016 - Icheke Oku wins 11 Nominations

I am excited to announce that after weeks of screening of over 120 entries made up of feature films in English, Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo languages, ten short films, five documentaries and seven television series, the Best Of Nollywood awards jury has released the list of nominees for the 2016 edition of the Best of Nollywood awards and Icheke Oku, an Igbo language film I screenplayed and directed trailed the blaze with eleven nominations.

Congratulations to the Executive Producer Nichole Banna

Aimed at recognising and promoting the best of films and filmmakers in Nigeria, the BON Awards, in less than one decade of its existence, has become the most authentic home grown platform honouring the richness and ingenuity of Nigerian cinema. This year’s edition shall be hosted by the Executive Governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu.




With my Director Of Photography, the inspirational Ken Nwawueze

Below is the full list of the 2016 BON Awards nominees.

Best Actor in Leading Role (English)

Wale Ojo in For The Wrong Reasons

Alex Ekubo in The First Lady

Patrick Leonard in  Woeman

Stan Eze in Not just Married

Enyinna Nwigwe  in Hire A Man

Okey Uzoeshi in Something Wicked

Best Actor in Leading Role (Yoruba)

Femi Adebayo in Gbewiri Meta

Niyi Johnson in Lifeline

Muyiwa Ademola in Eni–Owo

Lateef Adedimeji in Yeye Oge

Yomi Fabiyi in Metomi

Best Actor in Leading Role (Hausa)

            Ali Nuhu in Gamu nan Dai

Sadiq Dan Sadiq in Mat Da Lados

Best Actor in Leading Role (Igbo)

            Blossom Chukwujekwu in Icheke Oku

Amadi Magnus in Akaraaka

Best Actress in Leading Role (English)

Omotu Bissong in Woeman

Judith Audu in Not Just Married

Ebube Nwagbo in Anniversary

Belinda Effah in Oracle Online

Omoni Oboli in The First Lady

Iretiola Doyle in Something Wicked

Best Actress in Leading Role (Yoruba)

            Mercy Aigbe in Victims

Temitope Solaja in Lehin Ikoro

Toyin Aimakhu in Metomi

Wumi Toriola in Eni Owo

Yewande Adegbenro in Yeye Oge

Jumoke Odetola in Binta Ofege

Best Actress in Leading Role (Igbo)

            Nichole Banna in Icheke Oku

            Adaeze Chiegbu in Akaraaka

Best Actress in Leading Role (Hausa)

            Jamila Umar in Kasata

            Rahama Sadau in Mati Da Lado

Best Supporting Actor (English)

I.K Ogbonna in Hire a man

Nkem Owoh in Ghana Must Go

Daniel K. Daniel in A Soldier’s story

Seun Akindele in Black Val

Rotimi Salami in Just Not Married

Gabriel Afolayan in Something Wicked

Best Supporting Actress (English)

            Nancy Isime in Hire a man

Onyii Alex in Don’t fight it

Helen Paul in Ghana Must go

Eniola Badmus in Black Val

Yvonne Jegede in The First Lady

Adesua Etomi/ Ivie Okujaye-Egbon/Beverly Naya in Something Wicked

Most Promising Actor

            Rotimi Salami in Just Not Married

Steve Enagbare in Destiny Gate

Bright Wonder in Fidelity

Seun Ajayi in Studio

Most Promising Actress

            Princess Osayomwanbor Peters in Destiny Gate

Gina Castle in Fidelity

Ade Laoye in Studio

Zainab Balogun in A Soldier’s Story

Best Child Actor in Movie

            Daniel Udah in Opeyemi

Tunde Babasola in D’ Wish

Best Child Actress

            Pricilla Ojo in Black Val

Neraya Akaboa in D’ Wish

Angel Unigwe in Woeman

Best Comedy of the Year

            Ghana Must Go

            ATM

Behind the Scenes

The First Lady

Just Not Married

Movie with the Best Social Message

            Voiceless Scream

Leyin Ilekun

For the Wrong Reasons

ATM

Woeman

Movie with the Best Special Effect

            Icheke Oku

Gbewiri Meta

A soldier’s story

Storm

Movie with the Best Screenplay

            For the Wrong Reasons

Hire a man

Icheke Oku

Just Not Married

Irawe Igbo

Something Wicked

Eni-Owo

Best Short Film of the Year

Opeyemi

D’ wish

Deeply Cut

Pepper Soup

Silence

Homesick

Best Documentary of the Year

Amaka’s kin

D’ ability

For you my son

Best TV Series of the Year

Lasgidi Cops (SCU)

Studio

5ive

Ayanfe mi

Movie with the Best Editing

Ghana Must go

Not Just Married

Hire A man

Eni-Owo

Something Wicked

Movie with the Best Sound Track

Icheke Oku

Igbehinloju

Irawe Igbo

Ghana must go

Movie with the Best Production Design

Irawe Igbo

Yeye Oge

Icheke Oku

The First Lady

Something Wicked

Movie with the Best Cinematography

A Soldier’s story

Eni-owo

Icheke Oku

Just Not Married

Something Wicked

Best Use of Nigerian Costume in a Movie

            Irawe Igbo

Yeye Oge

Icheke Oku

Keji

Ghana must go

Best Use of Make up in a Movie

Icheke Oku

A Soldier’s story

Storm

Black Val

Movie of the Year

Icheke Oku

Irawe Igbo

A Soldier’s Story

Something Wicked

Eni-Owo

Director of the Year

Aliu Gafar for Irawe Igbo

Uduak-Obong Patrick for Not Just Married

Emeka Amakeze for Icheke Oku

Desmond Elliot for Hire A Man

Frankie Ogar for A Soldier’s Story

Yemi Morafa for Something Wicked

Adebayo Tijani/Muyiwa Ademola in Eni Owo

Best Kiss in a Movie

Gideon Okeke and Zhinnel Zhu in Anniversary

Chelsea Eze and Mike Godson in Guy Next Door

Seun Akindele and Mercy Aigbe in Victim

Ik Ogbonna and Nancy Isime Hire A Man

Enyinna Nwigwe and Zhinnel Zhu Hire A Man

Omowumi  Dada and Gabriel Afolayan in Something Wicked

Revelation of the Year (female)

            Inem Peters

Callista Okonkwo

Mercy Macroe

Chineye Uyanna

BukkyAdeeyo

Victoria Kolawole

Bose Oladimeji

Nkechi Sunday

Revelation of the year (Male)

Mofe Duncan

Sean Jimoh

Poju Oparanti

Wasiu Rafiu

Jomiloju Olumbe

Femi Remi

Emeka Amakeze writes...

The Soul Of Ndi Igbo

How a people think is deadlier than what they think; and such has become the circumstance of the modern day Ndi Igbo.

“Egbe bere Ugo bere, nke si ibe ya ebena, nku kwaa ya”,

“Ọ baara isi, ọ bara agụba”

The above are wise sayings that used to be integral parts of the supplications of Ndi Igbo to Chi okike from their first encounter with the sunrise till the sun sets. But sadly, proclaiming that both the eagle and the hawk should perch; while the one that says the other should not perch should have its wings broken in bits, and that what is good for the goose is also good for the gander have all become the proverbial cloth that was swept off by the wind when Okoro; who was yet to become an odogwu tied it around his waist. Ọ were bụrụ ego emekwara mmọnwụ for one does not request a refund of the money sprayed on a masquerade.

A lot of water has passed under the bridge and how Ndi Igbo think has now become different from what it used to be mgbe ezi ka di n’ukwu ukwa. In the days when they recounted their heroic deeds, myths and legends in the presence of the moonlight and often times with children seated in semi circles while Ani - the earth goddes that does not spare evil doers witnessed. In the days when elders were respected for their wisdom and for those things that they saw while seated which the youthful age could not see even from the top of the Iroko tree, rather than feared because of the number of people they diabolically and jealously sent to the world beyond.

A ka na-agba ọsọ ọchụ? Gone are the days when elders cleared their throat to speak and the spirits listened.  Elders of Igbo land have learnt to fly without perching by killing the ones that call them father and the spirits learnt to shoot without aiming by looking the other way as elders are served pounded mbana instead yam. Ụmụaka were na-eresịzị ndi okenye adaka na ọnụ enwe.

The few wise ones still weep for the days when women were won by those who deserved them and the men, by the valour of their strength. The winds have swept away the days when elders, ndi diokpara and ndi ada were given their due respect irrespective of their financial status.

The water that passed under the bridge washed away the days when begging and stealing were considered abomination by Ndi Igbo; because one of the ways they measured their self worth was how hard they worked and how well fed their families were considered to be. Those were the days the Ndi Igbo believed that one’s neighbour was one's sibling; and that righteousness and purity were essential in his day to day activities. Those were the days they thought positively and it worked for them

It is no longer thus. Mmadụ ọ nọkwa n'ụlọ egbe were buru mbe?

But the child that says that his mother will not sleep will of course have no sleep.

Ndi Igbo man murdered sleep when they sacrificed their essence on the altar of self-importance and vainly chose to call themselves ọ kwụ ọtọ ekene eze and taught their children that wealth rather than truth and justice, is the final arbiter; akụ na-ebi okwu, ụmụazi were iwe bọsaa okpesi.

The vanity of Ndi Igbo and largely, how they now think has become a knife that has severed the thing that spiritually held him together, o wee buru oke n’ụlọ, ngwere n’ọhia. The soul of Ndi Igbo man left them and they fell apart.

But until Ndi Igbo agree that their mother will sleep by changing the way they think, they will continue to be denied sleep.

Emeka Amakeze writes...

My Village Shrine

I placed my feet one after the other in movement

Swirling red African dust settling on my feet

As I eat the distance between me and my destination

The laterite road peters out to a leafy pathway

Noise of occasional passing cars and human chatter

Lost to the quietude of this enigma of an abode

Pulled forward by an invisible force of curiosity

I moved further into the forest towards the stream

From where they say my village shrine reigned

Even before the days of the father of my fathers'' father

And the deeper I went into the belly of the forest

The more fearsome the trees grew to be.

The shrubs became phantoms by tricks of my mind

And the eerie silence became loudly menacing

Running waters drummed to startle as I got near to it

And then, remembering the wisdom of the elders

I liberated my voice to hoarse shouts of the mortals

That the water spirits would go in and grant me safe passage

Between the water that streams life and the land of the gods

Apart from those initiated into the revered cult of priesthood.

The journey ends for the mortals not favoured by the gods

Just as the secret of the owl shall never be made known to daylight

So is the shadowy ancient trail to the seat of my village shrine.

My fathers'' father told me that I was initiated ahead of my mates

And so, I should not be afraid of a handshake with the gods

I shook off the cobwebs of trepidation hanging all over me

Looked around and in a leap of faith and courage

Jumped across the stream and walked into the thick undergrowth

Unnervingly evident that I was all by my curious self

It’s a journey across the fabled playground of the gods

I knew about them – feared messengers of the gods

Right onto my path it sent chills down my spine

I had come too far to tolerate thoughts of going back.

The ape considered me with fearsome judging eyes

Found me worthy of an encounter with the abode of the gods

Left me to my fate and continued on its tour of duty

Cries of unusual birds I did not see bade me welcome

I ventured yet nearer my destination.

Excitedly, I sallied forth into the last of the shrubs

Before the sacred grotto but as nothing prepared me

For the extraordinary spectacle that beheld me,

I was bewitched and enthralled.

I cautiously moved my unwilling legs

Towards the subject of my visit

I sat down on a carved ancient wooden stool

Right in front of the cave and picked a piece of white clay...

Clay of the gods

I crushed a little and applied on my eyes

With a gradual comprehension that

I was really in the presence of a force

Beyond my mortal understanding,

My eyes grew accustomed to the darkness enveloping me

And I beheld it - my village shrine

an Emeka Amakeze poetic expression.

She Died

She leaned on my shoulders and never woke up again

Her hot tears scalded me as they streamed down my back

Lifelessly she hung by me and nobody else felt her pulse

Couldn’t see her lips move but felt she had a bit to say

They argued and agreed she was as dead as a door nail

I am here now and you can talk to me I whispered to her

Her pains, fears and heartbreak took shapes before me

Fought back my tears as my heart melted to her ordeals

Urged her to agree with them that she was totally dead

Lost to the world of everything else but the two of us

Tiny warmth, strength of a woman within her heart

Fanned into unquenchable embers of affectionate flames

By the words I sang into her ears and rubbed into her skin

I told her she didn’t need to worry her pretty head off

She raised her head, looked me in the eyes and smiled at me

I smiled, she smiled, we smiled and our hearts glowed

And her feelings and soul died to all that hurt her in the past

Held her tenderly yet with arms so firm like no other

My strength and aura were the assurances she needed

Kissed her and promised her that everything is alright

And she never woke up to the fears that brought her to me

an Emeka Amakeze poetic expression.