Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba
Asaba Massacre: October 1967, a movie documentary on the Asaba mass killing through the civil warfare in Nigeria, has been nominated for Best Documentary on the African Movie Academy Awards 2026.
The Awards establishment, AMAA, disclosed this by way of a LinkedIn audio-visual launch sighted by THISDAY in Asaba.
It famous that the award ceremony will happen in Lagos, Nigeria, on November 15, 2026, the place the winners shall be introduced by the organisers.
The Asaba Massacre documentary was directed by historian and movie maker, Nze Ed Emeka Keazor, and the chief producer is Chief Chuck Nduka-Eze (the Isama Ajie of Asaba).
The movie documentary is hinged on the October 1967 mass execution of unarmed civilians in Asaba by Nigerian federal troops through the Nigerian Civil War.
Other AMAA 2026 nominees, alongside Asaba Massacre within the Best Documentary class embody ‘The Rhythm of Ancestors (Nigeria); Truck Mama (Kenya); Djeliya, Memory of Mandé (Burkina Faso); Chicken Ghetto and Ekitibiwa ky’olugbobo (Uganda); and ‘The Greatest Soul on Earth’ (South Africa).
However, Chief Chuck Nduka-Eze, who can also be the Convener of the Asaba Massacre Memorial Centre billed for the sixtieth anniversary of the mass execution subsequent yr, expressed gratitude to God and for the gesture of acknowledgement and accolade, thanking all Asaba little children in addition to everybody who supported and labored arduous to make the documentary premiere a actuality.
He additionally prayed for the continued repose of the souls of Asaba folks misplaced to the Asaba bloodbath in October 1967, expressing the hope that the entire world would study one or two issues in regards to the worth of tolerance, peace and reconciliation.
The Asagba of Asaba, HRM Prof. Epiphany Chigbogu Azinge (SAN), who chaired the particular session of the Asaba Massacre Film Documentary Premiere on the prestigious African Centre, London on October 26, 2025, gave insights into the resilience of the Asaba folks for the reason that inglorious historic occasion in 1967.
After warmly welcoming and thanking everybody who graced the Asaba bloodbath movie documentary premiere, Asagba Azinge mentioned, “Firstly, let me commend Chief Chuck Nduka-Eze, Isama Ajie, for a job nicely carried out as a result of it’s been well worth the journey for me; and, I can return residence fortified within the information that we’ve got began the method of pushing the frontiers that may assist the folks of Nigeria give a decisive reply to the yearnings of Asaba Kingdom after 58 years and nonetheless counting.
The royal father mentioned, “I came basically to chair this premiere of Asaba Massacre Film Documentary, and the first question that I would ask myself and ask you too, is “What’s is your impression?”
The monarch identified that on the time of the genocidal incident of Asaba folks in 1967, the one thousand folks whose lives have been brutally lower brief constituted an awesome loss to the Asaba neighborhood, which he said might have significantly threatened the very existence of Asaba Kingdom.
The Asagba described the folks of Asaba kingdom as “a special breed”, noting that regardless of the ugly murders in 1967 the folks of Asaba didn’t enable the incident to weigh them down however would take the unhappy expertise in a stride and truly strove to make the dominion stronger in unity.
Executive Producer, Documentary Film Premiere, Chief Nduka-Eze, who labored in collaboration with notable little children of Asaba Kingdom to realize what Asagba Azinge described as a grasp piece, thanked his royal majesty “for all his support in bringing this project to fruition.”
Nduka-Eze expressed optimism that the Nigerian authorities would do the needful by apologising to the folks of Asaba in no distant future.
The ceremony had in attendance, Prof. Liz Bird and her husband from USA and as nicely folks of Asaba extraction resident within the UK and USA, together with Ogbueshi Obanya,
In the emotion-laden opening scene of Asaba Massacre: October 1967, the Executive Producer and Isama Ajie of Ahaba, Nduka-Eze virtually put the viewers on the fringe of their seats, talking of the loss of life of his personal mom.
She was the one lady killed within the first wave of the bloodbath in October 1967, having been silenced by the federal troops for daring to inform the troopers to halt the mindless killing of unarmed harmless Asaba folks.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and retired Major-General Ahmed Ibrahim Taiwo, who formally apologised to Asaba Kingdom on behalf of his household for the alleged position of his late father, Colonel Ibrahim Taiwo, through the bloodbath, featured prominently through the 59th anniversary of the tragedy held not too long ago in Asaba.
Nonetheless, dignitaries who attended the epochal occasion on the African Centre, London, embody the Asagba of Asaba, Obi Prof. Epiphany Azinge (SAN); Chief Chuck Nduka-Eze, the Isama Ajie of Asaba who’s the Executive Producer of the movie documentary; Prof. Elizabeth Bird, creator of the Book on the 1967 Asaba Massacre; Dr. Charles Adams, Dean of Humanities on the South Florida University, Tampa, which funded analysis for the ebook; Chief Nwanze Oduah (Odogwu Ahaba); Ogbueshi Chike Ogeah, Ogbuefi Emmanuel Diali, Mrs. Nkiru Ofili, Ogbueshi Obanya.
Others are Chief (Prof.) Victor Izegbu – The Ojiako of Asaba, Prof Oba Nsugbe KC – Chairman of the Africa Centre and chief host of the occasion, Ms Rajka Vlahovic of Eurojust; Ms Ndidi Njoku; Dr. Ify Uraiah, Chief Anthony Mordi, Ezoti of Asaba; Chief Felix Nwokolo – Akudo of Asaba and Chief of Staff to his Royal Majesty; Hon. Ngozi Okolie; Member House of Representatives for Aniocha-Oshimili Costituency.
Others included Chief Mrs. Adaora Giwa-Amu; Chief Oburota, the Eziokwu Bundu of Asaba; Ogbueshi Ken Odogwu; Dr. Ify Okocha; Chief Ify Azinge, the Ugegbe of Asaba; Ogbueshi Udo Chukwurah; Ogbueshi Ngozi Okotcha -Ugbade; Mrs. Celestina Isama; Mr. Robert Aghadiuno; Mr. Stephen Kola-Balogun; Ogbueshi George Ofili; and Ogbueshi Richie Omo.
