The abrupt passing of Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, the founder of the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), has shocked the nation of Nigeria’s entertainment sector.
Anyiam-Osigwe passed away on Monday at St. Nicholas Hospital, Lagos after a brief illness. She was aged 53.
Confirming the passing of the respected filmmaker, who was also the president of Association of Movie Producers (AMP), the family in an official statement titled, ‘Peace Maria Ogechi Anyiam-Osigwe: An epitome of creative transcendence’, eulogised the deceased and vowed to ensure that her legacy lives on.
The statement read: “Peace, the Ada of the Anyiam-Osigwe family was an outstanding personality, trailblazer, titan, pathfinder, go-getter, humanitarian, one-of-a-kind creative, and visionary leader in the film and television industry. Peace left indelible imprints on the sands of time.”
Meanwhile, since the filmmaker’s passage, tributes have been pouring in torrents for her.
Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu described the death of Anyiam-Osigwe as a great loss to the state, considering the unique role she played in the actualisation of the various commitments and programmes of his administration through the Africa Film Academy and as a member of the Lagos Committee on Film Production Empowerment.
“She’s an amazon of the creative sector, a trailblazer and visionary leader, who contributed immensely to the growth and development of the creative industry in Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole during her lifetime.Peace Anyiam-Osigwe’s death will leave a vacuum that would take some time to be filled in the creative industry,” he said.
On her part, the Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf linked the success stories of her ministry in terms of capacity building of creative practitioners to the contribution of Anyiam-Osigwe through the Lagos Creative Industry Initiatives (LACI).
Mourning the filmmaker on his Facebook page, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, wrote: “Peace Anyiam-Osigwe was not only a pillar of the entertainment industry in Nigeria, but a renowned filmmaker and founder of the Africa Movie Academy Awards. Her death is a big blow to Nigeria and, most notably, the entertainment industry as a whole. May God continue to comfort her family, loved ones, colleagues and the entire Nigerian entertainment industry, and may He grant her soul eternal rest.”
Expressing shock at the demise of Anyiam-Osigwe, the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu said shewould be fondly remembered for her work in the film industry across the continent, and for nurturing talents through AMAA and Africa Film Academy (AFA).
“Her commitment to the growth of the creative sector in Nigeria and across Africa where she was a trailblazer through nurturing of talents and credible award platform will forever be cherished and remembered.“I have a personal relationship with Peace since my association with her illustrious family. I express my deepest condolences and sympathy to her aged mother, brothers, her professional colleagues and friends. May God grant her soul peaceful rest,” he stated.Filmmaker, Fidelis Duker, who shared a picture of the deceased and himself on his Facebook page, said, “She insisted I took this picture with her on 10th of November 2022 at Radisson Ikeja. I recall her saying she doesn’t know when we will have the opportunity of another picture and Amb. Queen Blessing Ebigieson also joined in the picture. Truly, that opportunity will not surface again.”