It was an unforgettable night of reverence and emotion at the closing ceremony of the 23rd Abuja International Film Festival, as the spotlight shone brightly on two incomparable pillars of African dramatic arts.
The festival officially bestowed its highest honour, the Lifetime Achievement Award, upon Madam Grace Owoola Oyin-Adejobi popularly known as Iya Osogbo and veteran actress, Taiwo Ajai-Lycett, OON, celebrating their monumental contributions to theater, television, and film.
Also, the Industry Merit Award was conferred upon cinematic colossus, Pete Edochie, MON, globally celebrated for his definitive 1985 portrayal of Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart, alongside Otunba Adebayo Salami (Oga Bello), a pioneering force of the Yoruba cultural heritage and indigenous cinema.
Both patriarchs were specifically honoured for birthing a new generation of brilliant filmmakers and actors within their families, ensuring their artistic legacies remain multi-generational.
Born in 1930, Madam Grace Oyin-Adejobi’s spectacular career has spanned over seven decades. From her foundational days in 1953 with the Oyin Adejobi Theatre Company and iconic stage plays like Orogun Adedigba, to her cinematic breakout in the 1999 classic Eran Iya Osogbo, she has remained a vital beacon of cultural preservation. Alongside her, Dame Taiwo Ajai-Lycett, born in 1941, was celebrated as an internationally acclaimed matriarch who broke structural barriers on the British stage and screen in the 1960s, famously starring in the classic comedy Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em before returning to cement her legacy in modern Nollywood landmarks like Tinsel, King of Boys, and Elesin Oba.
Reflecting on the profound impact of these two icons, Festival Director Temitope Duker shared a deeply moving tribute during the presentation:
“To have both Iya Osogbo and Dame Taiwo Ajai-Lycett in our presence is a rare, historic privilege. These women did not just act; they carved out the very road that modern African cinema walks upon today. Madam Grace has preserved our traditional oral storytelling and moral artistry for over seventy years, while Dame Taiwo brought sophisticated, fiercely passionate, and feminist dimensions to the global stage. They are our living history, our national treasures, and our ageless cultural colossuses.” The double presentation brought the entire auditorium to a prolonged standing ovation, marking one of the most culturally significant milestones in the festival’s 23-year history.
