By Charles Igwe
The Catholic Artistes and Entertainers Association of Nigeria (CAEAN) within the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja celebrated the recipients of awards bestowed upon deserving individuals at the Jesus Christ’s Passion Play Competition 2023.
The event transpired on August 13, 2023, at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Abuja.
CAEAN, which serves as the umbrella organization for Catholic filmmakers, actors, actresses, directors, dancers, musicians, makeup artists, costumiers, and more in Nigeria, recently invited submissions for a short film competition centered around Jesus Christ’s Passion. The competition aimed to recognize outstanding contributions in this genre.
Entries were evaluated by a committee led by Marcos Habila, established by CAEAN Abuja. Adjudicators, including esteemed Nigerian actor Zulu Adigwe and Theatre Arts scholars Prof Barth Oshionebo and Dr. Olympus Ejue from the University of Abuja, as well as renowned comedian Ambassador Wahala, meticulously reviewed the entries and announced the winners.
The accolades were presented as follows: St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church Pasali, Kuje (First Place); Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Wuse Zone II (Second Place); The Church of Archangel Parish, Durumi/Garuwa (Third Place).
Cash prizes, instituted by Rev. Fr. Patrick Alumuku, Chaplain of CAEAN Abuja, and sponsors Sir Dr. Rufus Ebegba and Dr. Mrs Chinwe Abara, were awarded to the winners.
Mr. Patrick Nwagbo Obi, representing Rev. Fr. Patrick Alumuku, the Chairman of CAEAN Abuja, highlighted that these awards aimed to stimulate creativity in various forms of entertainment—such as filmmaking, directing, acting, music, dancing, makeup, and costuming—for evangelism within the Catholic Church. He emphasized that the Church is rich in stories that artists and entertainers can use for year-round productions. Notably, he referenced Pete Edochie’s film on Blessed Iwene Tansi, advocating that Catholic Artistes explore narratives from biblical figures, saints, and historical individuals to create enduring content.
Zulu Adigwe, the Chairman of the Adjudication Committee, encouraged the winners to continually engage in creative and performance activities to refine their artistic and entertainment endeavors. While acknowledging that perfection belongs to God, he emphasized the importance of striving for excellence through consistent practice.
Sir Ken Achine, former Chairman of the Catholic Men Organization (CMO) and representative of Sir Dr. Rufus Ebegba, commended the winners for their dedication and underlined their untapped potentials. Dr. Mrs Chinwe Abara encouraged CAEAN to engage with festival organizers, while also urging individuals to pursue excellence that could elevate them to stardom.
Mr. Mathew Kaha, the Secretary of CAEAN Abuja, expressed gratitude to the sponsors of the awards and called for the establishment of further awards—such as Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Makeup Artist, Best Costumier, Best Cinematographer, and Best Producer—to promote individual creative brilliance for the cause of evangelism.
