As a long time follower of Nollywood, I can't help but smile widely at the achievement of the industry in 2016! It was indeed a wonderful year, Nollywood took giant steps forward and were recognised internationally!
Gone are the days when going to watch any Nollywood movie at the cinema was weird to many people, especially your friends! Nollywood movies really sold tickets this year!

The major highlight of this year was when Lagos was chosen as the city for 2016 Toronto International film festival city to City program! About 8 films were screened, and they received massive reviews! Nollywood was announced to the world!

2016 started as a slow year at the cinema, but as the year went by, many heavy punchers were released! Follow me as I give a brief review of major cinema movies of the year as they came!


1) WIVES on strike

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This was the first major film to rock the cinema this year! Box Office Queen, Omoni Oboli waved her magic wand and did it again in this movie!
This was one help of a funny movie, we'll crafted script, uncomplicated story and great acting from the cast! And it has a great message - No More Child Bride!

2) Ghana must go

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This was a triumph for Nollywood and Gollywood, it was a terrific comedy! It made everyone at the cinema laugh so hard!
Osofia made his cinema debut in this film and did absolute justice! Kudos to the producers for the brilliant production!

3) The CEO

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This was the most expected film of the year due to the Kunle Afolayan factor and we weren't disappointed! This flick was a masterpiece! It was brilliant! The script, acting, production were all top notch! Africa should be proud of this movie!

4) The Arbitration!

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This is the best legal drama produced in Nigeria! It was superb! Though it wasn't a huge boxoffice success, it surely made success among the inner caucus!

5) 93 days

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Goosebumps always comes whenever I think of this movie. The movie was about Ebola in Nigeria, our Ebola Hero - Dr Adedovoh and how it affected the staff of the hospital!
This movie was so beautiful! The acting was 100/100 especially from Bimbo Akintola and Somekele Idhalama! This movie is one of Nigeria 's great!

6) A trip to Jamaica -

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Boxoffice king came back with a sequel to his 30 days in Atlanta! And it was commercially a huge success, even doing better than 30 days in Atlanta! Same can't be said of the overall quality of the movie, not among the best movies produced this year!

7) Dinner

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This was supposed to be one of those very good movies that would go unnoticed, but no no, it sold many tickets and stayed long on the Screens! I was so happy!
The movie was superb, exciting and extremely interesting! The quality was beautiful and of course the acting was top notch!

76
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This was one of the Ivy league movies produced this year! It Fantastic and Ultra authentic! The producers really went all out to achieve a level of authenticity never before seen in Nollywood!
Ramsey Noah and Rita Dominic really bedazzled us with their acting and looks! This movie would probably win an Oscar's for costume because it was that good! This movie would have been the perfect way to close the year until another film came along

9) The Wedding Party
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This was the perfect movie to end the year after all this recession induced suffering!
All hail Nollywood, this movie was a massive punch! This has to be the best comedy produced in Nigeria! It was awesomely exhilarating and there was never a dull moment! Sola really made us to laugh our hearts out!
As expected, it is doing absolutely well at the cinemas, sold out tickets almost everyday and it has been breaking all kinds of records. It is surely on course to be the highest boxoffice grossing Nollywood movie! It is still showing at the cinemas, take your family along, I've seen it twice sef!

Awards
There were many great films and actors this year which would give even more experienced hands selection headaches, but I just have to choose!

1) Best Actress - Bimbo Akintola in 93 days.

Bimbo fought really stiff competition to win this! Her performance as Dr Adadevoh was excellent, she was in character all through, and brought out a lot of emotions! It was a stroke of genius by Steve Gukas to give her that role!

Honorable mention - 1) Somekele Idhalama - 93 days
2) Sola Sobowale - The Wedding Party.

Best Actor - Wale Ojo - The CEO


I was really searching for who to give this crown, but as his name popped into my head, my search was concluded!
He played the role of Kola, the philandering, but most promising Chief Executive Officer candidate in the Pan African movie! He was among the best thing that happened in the movie! His flirting was top notch, he had so much chemistry with the other cast! Him speaking Chinese at end was just icing on the cake, everyone was surprised!
Kudos Man!

Honourable mention - Ramsey Noah - 76


And finally -
-Best Movie - **drums roll***

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93 days!
How do I start? Okay! This movie just screams that Nollywood has arrived! It is a beautiful piece of art, it is literally beautiful!

This film on Ebola in Nigeria will surely bring a tear to your eyes! It gives us an in-depth story of how those affected by Ebola virus suffered especially the workers at the clinic!

As a medical student, I could relate so well with the story, it made me quite scared, but the courage from the Doctors and even the Drivers gave me a new strength.

Dr.Adadevoh(God bless her Soul) and others would definitely be proud of this movie!

The casting was superb, I don't need to talk about Bimbo again! Other members of the cast did brilliantly well!
The production was super. This movie should be a National treasure! Well done Steve Gukas!

Honorable mention -
1) 76
2) The CEO

In conclusion - This year was really successful in terms of monetary and recognition aspects, we can only hope that the bar wouldn't be let down in 2017!
Let me know your opinions!

Lalasticlala

I only saw Wedding party on this list, and I was highly impressed! What of brother Jekwu?

breadandtea:
I only saw Wedding party on this list, and I was highly impressed! What of brother Jekwu?

I made my list based on 2 criteria -
1)If the movie was critically good
OR
2) Boxoffice achievement

Bro Jekwu boxoffice fame was cut short prematurely by the wedding party and it doesn't tick the number 1 criteria, so it didn't make the list.

---

the wedding party rocks it better

Lagos Ibadan expressway review?

Owk buh

I love the movie "93 days".
Nice review

Great review.

Nollywood rock men

Well

But ehn,

Excellent work from Banky W

biaframustcome:


Lagos Ibadan expressway review?

are you pained?

Let me comment, seems evry1 went to church...

2016 Sha

I didn't see the movie ATM in your list

Excellent review, the pound road / upper iweka crew are busy releasing substandard part 1 to 25 movies just for YouTube money...

Good to see few professionals doing justice to the art..

I curse the day I used my hard earned money to watch AY's A trip to Jamaica......
Since then, I have resolved.......
Nollywood movies.....
NEVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!

Mehn Nollywood don dey better ooo
See movies. E be like say I go switch back from Hollywood

I jus don't know man.. taking 1500 to see a Nigerian movie. or Avengers infinity wars.

Op it seems you did not read the foreign reviews of Nigerian films at TIFF.
Apart from 93 days, the rest were heavily battered by foreign critics. It was so shameful.
Anyway, hope they continue improving.

Cc diggz airmark

Nollywood self,,, them try

Save for the Arbitration and CEO, I watched every other film on that list and I dare say (for someone with a phobia for Nollywood movies) Nollywood movies are finally beginning to take their rightful place in Cinemas. These are the kind of movies that Nigeria film industry should churn out, not some dumb, dumber, dumbest movies they've been giving us.

Op you watch all dis films?

Who those movies don epp?

76, Nice movie i tell you, A trip to Jamaica too. I need to see that Wedding party, the hype is something else. Nollywood, We are getting there!

Hmmmmmmmmmmm