‘A big loss for Nigeria’ — Tinubu, Atiku, P-Square mourn Peace Anyiam-Osigwe

‘A big loss for Nigeria’ — Tinubu, Atiku, P-Square mourn Peace Anyiam-Osigwe

Bola Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar, and the Lagos state government have penned touching tributes to Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, the renowned filmmaker.

Anyiam-Osigwe, who is the founder of the African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), passed away on Monday at St. Nicolas Hospital in Lagos.

Her death has continued to elicit reactions with prominent political figures and showbiz moguls celebrating her heroics.

In a statement by Tunde Rahman, his spokesperson, Tinubu described the deceased as a “trailblazer”.

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said the filmmaker will be remembered for her work in the film industry across the continent and for nurturing of creative talents through AMAA and Africa Film Academy.

On his part, Atiku, in a Twitter post, said Anyiam-Osigwe’s death is “a big blow to Nigeria and, most notably, the entertainment industry as a whole”.

In the same vein, the Lagos state government lamented the death of the film executive.

In a statement, Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, the state commissioner for tourism, arts and culture, said Anyiam-Osigwe’s death came at a time when “her expertise is sorely needed to revamp the creative sector”.

The commissioner also said her death “has left a huge vacuum in the industry”.

Akinbile-Yussuf added that though the filmmaker’s death came as a shock, “the consolation is in the impactful and selfless life she lived and the exposure she gave several movie and creative practitioners who came into limelight through her mentorship and support.”

Similarly, Peter and Paul Okoye, the Psquare brothers appreciated Anyiam-Osigwe for being instrumental to their career growth.

In a joint statement, the duo said “the history of P-Square cannot be written without a mention of Peace Anyiam-Osigwe”.

“We are devastated to learn about the passing of an Amazon and a woman we have known as family for decades now,” it reads.

“Madam Peace, as we fondly call her, beyond being one of Nollywood’s biggest advocates and promoter globally, played an instrumental role in our career. For which we remain grateful.

“Our hearts and prayers go out to the entire Anyiam-Osigwe family, AMAA, the African Film industry, AMP and the various charities she was a part of.”