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Nigerian Festival UK
π³π¬β¨ Get Ready, UK!
The 4th Nigerian Festival UK is hereβbigger, better, and more vibrant than ever!
π
Date: Saturday, July 19th, 2025
π Theme: Unity in Diversity
Celebrating Nigerian culture through music, food, family fun, exhibitions, business, education, and pure vibes!
π€ Live performances
π² Authentic cuisine
ποΈ Cultural exhibitions
π¨βπ©βπ§βπ¦ Family-friendly activities
πΊ Proudly partnered with Afrinity TV β Bridging the Divide
Letβs unite, celebrate, and showcase the beauty of Nigeria in the heart of the UK!
Botswana invests its diamond wealth
Back in 1966, Botswana had just 22 university graduates in the whole country. Fast forward to today, and every child receives free primary and secondary education, with universal healthcare available to all citizens.
This is the powerful story of how one African coun
try found diamondsβand used them not for greed, but for greatness.
While many resource-rich nations fell into poverty and corruption, Botswana made a bold move: they formed an equal partnership with De Beers and reinvested the diamond wealth directly into their people. The impact has been remarkable.
They transformed their literacy rate from near zero to over 90% among adults. Education through secondary school is guaranteed and free, and the government even funds scholarships for top students to study abroad. With diamond revenue, theyβve built more than 300 schools and established a healthcare system that ensures most people live within 15 kilometers of a medical facility.
And it gets even more inspiringβBotswana was the first mining country in the world to offer free HIV treatment to workers, and they later extended it to the entire population.
Today, diamonds fund education, healthcare, scholarships, and national infrastructure. While other countries with similar resources face hardship, Botswana shows whatβs possible when leaders put people before profit.
Just imagine the kind of world weβd live in if every resource-rich country followed Botswanaβs path.
SMA 2025: Full List of Winners and Honorees Announced
The Special Movie Awards (SMA) 2025 took place with great excitement, honoring remarkable talent and contributions in African cinema. This yearβs event celebrated not only outstanding film projects but also individual excellence across acting, directing, and behind-the-scenes artistry.
The biggest winner of the night was Insurmountable, which took home:
Best Director β General Bah
Best Feature Film
Best Leading Male Actor β Marklaw Penant Bangura
Best Leading Female Actor β Isata Faith Bangura
Best Editor β General Bah
Best Supporting Female Actor β Gladys Conteh
Coup the Grace won Best Picture and Best Short Film, while Myth of the Gods earned recognition for Best Costumier, Best Indigenous Film, and Best Visual Effects.
Other winners included:
1.Best Documentary β Treasure Woman
2.Best Hair/Makeup Artist β Seven Virgins
3.Best Regional Film β Never Enough
4.Best Supporting Male Actor β Fynface (Never Enough)
5.Best Sound β Heritage (The Ebrimas)
In addition to the competitive awards, SMA 2025 also honored several industry veterans, filmmakers, and institutions for their exceptional contributions:
SMA Veteran Filmmakers Awards 2025
1.Kensteve Anuka
2.Franklin Chika Adim
3.Sheikh Tijan Sonko
4.Akenaton Topper Loborde
5.Abdoulie Samba
6. Saul Jagne
7.Bittaye Mbye
8. Alioune Seck
9.Cornelius Gomez
10.Haddy Nyang
11.Muhammed Nyang
12.Fatima Susan Joh
12.Mansata Marena
SMA Filmmakers & Actors Awards 2025
1.Mariama Colley
2.Charmaine Bangura Jawara
3.Bubacarr Aminata Sankanu
4.Bubacarr Zaidi Jallow
5.Omar Leigh
6.Pa Abdou Waggeh
7.Mariama Jammeh
8.Chris Stephens
9.Kehinde Omotowa
10.Bankole Browne
11.Alex Manneh
12.Hassan Conteh
13.Abdul Karim Kekura
14.Linda I. Odogwu
15.Sandra Luseni-Palmer
16.Kayode John Adeleke
17.Mbye Bittaye
18.Roland Senghore
19.Alhagie Manka
20.Baboucarr Manka
21.Monica Davies
22.Bintou S. Jammeh
23.Abdoulie Khan
24.Mam Demba Ceesay
25.Anna Marie Jabang
26.Chuku ND
SMA – Best Diaspora Actor
1. Sydney Franky Boyle Feury
Postmortem Awards
1.Orukpe Chris Adams (Chrisblacknation)
2.Ebou Waggeh
Special Awards
1.H.E. President Adama Barrow β President of the Republic of The Gambia
2.Africell GSM Company
3.West African Insurance Institute (WAII)
4.Discount Centre Fajara
Other Recognitions
1.WAX Media
2.Nigerians in the Diaspora
3.Glamour Ladys
4.Sierra Leone Nationals Union (SLeNU)
5.State of Mic
The SMA 2025 was a true celebration of culture, creativity, and the continued rise of African storytelling through film.
Nomination SPOTLIGHTS
Best Feature Film
ποΈβ¨ Spotlight on the top features of 2025!
The nominees for Best Feature Film are:
π¬ Never Enough β by African Homes Entertainment
π¬ Insurmountable β by Honey Vision Entertainment
π¬ Safire β by Awujor Films
π₯ Each story, a masterpiece in its own right!
Nomination SPOTLIGHTS
Best Short Film
β±οΈ Big impact. Short format.
Here are the nominees for Best Short Film:
1οΈβ£ Coup De GrΓ’ce β Horizon Edge Studio (The Gambia)
2οΈβ£ Heritage β Horizon Edge Studio (The Gambia)
3οΈβ£ Wet Trap β Pixshure (Nigeria)
π₯ Who will win the race in record time?
Nomination SPOTLIGHTS
Best Indigenous Film
π Rooted in culture. Told in truth.
Nominees for Best Indigenous Film are:
1οΈβ£ Insurmountable β Honey Vision Entertainment (Sierra Leone)
2οΈβ£ Myth of the GODS β Doraβs Picture (Sierra Leone)
3οΈβ£ Seven Virgins β Sunset Films (Gambia)
π¬ Celebrating stories told in native voices.
Nomination SPOTLIGHTS
Best Documentary
π₯ Real stories. Real impact.
The nominees for Best Documentary are:
1οΈβ£ GCCI Mini Documentary β Gambia (Pixshure)
2οΈβ£ Legend of Biri Biri β Nigeria (Pixshure)
3οΈβ£ Treasure Women β Gambia (Pixshure)
π Documenting legacy, history, and strength.
Nomination SPOTLIGHTS
Best Leading Male Actor
π Bold, commanding, and unforgettable!
Presenting the nominees for Best Leading Male Actor:
1οΈβ£ Ebrima Kanu β Coup de Grade
2οΈβ£ Sydney Franky Boyle Feury β Safire
3οΈβ£ Marklaw Penant Bangura β Insumatable
π Who delivered the performance of a lifetime?
Nomination SPOTLIGHTS
Best Director
π¬ποΈ Visionaries behind the lens!
Nominees for Best Director:
1οΈβ£ The Ebrimas β Coup de Grace
2οΈβ£ Alie B Ceesay β Myth of the Gods
3οΈβ£ General Bah β Insurmountable
π₯ Who will win for their masterful direction?
Nomination SPOTLIGHTS
Best Editor
βοΈπ¬ Precision meets creativity!
Nominees for Best Editor:
1οΈβ£ General Bah β Insurmountable
2οΈβ£ Idrissa Missai β Never Enough
3οΈβ£ The Ebrimas β Coup de Grace
π Letβs honor the unseen hands that shape the story.
D5 Creation