Encomiums for Opa Williams

Friends, associates, colleagues and well-wishers came out happily to honour and felicitate with humour merchant extraordinaire, entertainment entrepreneur and creator of Nite of a Thousand Laughs, Opa Williams, penultimate Sunday evening. The event, was the monthly O’Jez Entertainment Forum, which held elaborately at the upscale, O’Jez Entertainment Centre, tucked inside the national stadium, Surulere, Lagos. Beautifully anchored by cerebral actor/filmmaker, Charles Inojie, it was hugely attended by several leading names in Nollywood and the comedy industry. Leading the team of Nollywood stars to the crowded venue was Ejike Asiegbu, the immediate past national president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN). Ejike, was supported at the grand gathering by popular actor and the newly sworn in AGN president, Segun Arinze. Other notable thespians and stakeholders that came to felicitate with visibly elated Williams, were: acting couple, Zack and Ngozi Orji, Chidi Nwokeabia, Ali Baba and wife, AY and wife, recently wedded Bovi Ugboma and his heavily pregnant wife. While, reading the celebrant’s citation, his long time friend and entertainment /intellectual property lawyer, Efere Ozako, who was accompanied to the event by his wife, described Williams, as the grand father of entertainment in Nigeria. He further added that Williams, has created several young millionaires, through comedy and movie making, thus making him a mentor and living legend to many, especially youths. In his brief remarks, Anayo Odobeatu, the boss of O’Jez and host of the monthly event, thanked Williams and all the specially invited guests, for coming. He further promised to continue in his celebrations of great Nigerians, who are equally doing well in their respective human endeavours.
While responding, Williams, who was overwhelmed with joy and happiness, thanked the organizers and all the guests for coming to felicitate and honour him, adding that he would never let them and the nation’s entertainment industry down. Aside the O’Jez in-house band, which mesmerized guests with melodious oldies, victuals also flowed ceaselessly at the event.
Odobeatu, also used the occasion to unveil the O’Jez all gloss and free entertainment magazine to the guests and general public.