Nancy Isime, Bolanle Olukanni, Toke Makinwa, Chigul, Gbemi Olateru-Olagbegi and Hilda Baci have made the nomination list for Most Popular Female Media Personality at the NET Honours People’s Choice Awards, one of the world’s most prestigious audience data-based awards.
Nancy Isime, who won the Miss Valentine International beauty pageant in 2009, has been the host of the HipTV talk show “Trending” since 2016. She has starred in several films, including Merry Men: The Real Yoruba Demons, Merry Men 2, Living In Bondage: Breaking Free and Hire A Woman, among others. In 2020 she starred in the movie Kambili, which grossed N20 million at the box office. This year alone, she’s simultaneously hosting ‘The Nancy Isime Show’ that airs across three channels and Season 3 of the music talent show, The Voice.
Bolanle Olukanni is a seasoned TV host and producer, popularly known for hosting shows like Moments with Mo and Project Fame West Africa. In 2017 she wrote, directed and produced her first documentary titled “God’s Wives”, which received a nomination for Best Documentary at the AMVCA. She is currently the host of Ndani TV’s show ‘The Juice’. Bolanle also became the first woman to ever host the prestigious Nigerian Entertainment Conference earlier this year.
Toke Makinwa, who won two NET Honours awards in 2020, is one of Africa’s leading OAPs. Between 2010 and 2019 she hosted the Morning Drive show on Rhythm 93.7 FM. In August 2020 she appeared with Falz and Bovi on the comedy web series Therapy, which garnered 1.3 million YouTube views on its pilot episode. Alongside Nancy Isime, she is a co-host on Season 3 of The Voice.
Chigul, real name Chioma Omeruah, became famous in 2013 after her comedy skits went viral. In 2014 she appeared on two albums: Phyno’s No Guts No Glory and MI Abaga’s The Chairman. She has appeared in several films, including The Wedding Party 2, Banana Island Ghost, Road To Yesterday and Chief Daddy. In December 2020, she featured in Omo Ghetto: The Saga, which grossed N636 million at the box office.
Gbemi Olateru-Olabegi, who holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Oakland University, Rochester, won the award for On-Air Personality of the Year at the Future Awards Africa in 2008. She has been the host of the Drive Time show on The Beat 99.9 FM since 2017, and alongside best friend Tolu “Toolz” Oniru, she is the co-host of the Off-Air With Gbemi & Toolz podcast.
Hilda Baci teamed up with former Big Brother Naija contestant Tobi Bakre in November 2020 to co-host the maiden edition of the music talent show, MTN Y’ello Star. She is also the host of the TV show “Dine On A Budget”, which airs on Pop Central.
NET Honours is based on engagement from over 8 million internet users reached across websites, social media and email newsletter channels of Netng, Neusroom, 234Star and Orin between June 2020 and May 2021. The event celebrates musicians, actors, comedians, reality TV stars and public personalities who are subjects of Nigeria’s most exciting conversations in the year under review.
Data for the award is sourced from a wide database of over eight million users who have engaged with Netng, Neusroom, Orin and 234Star platforms via the websites, social media accounts, and related platforms within a 12-month calendar period.
Will Toke Makinwa retain her crown, or will Nigeria’s media space get a new queen? Follow the conversation on Netng’s social media with #NETHonours and follow @theNETng on Twitter, Facebook and IG to find out who wins. NET Honours winners will be unveiled on Sunday, June 20, 2021.
See the full list of nominees here.
