by Oge Okonkwo

Actors, Tonto Dike and Yul Edochie have been named the sexiest man and woman in Nollywood for the year 2013 by Vanguard Newspapers.

According to Vanguard, this comes as a surprise and relief after “months of dire expectation, guessing game and wild permutation”.

Vanguard’s Sexiest man and woman in 2013 was collated from the votes that came in from readers, through sms and cut-off coupons from the newspaper which at the end had Tonto Dikeh and Yul Edochie as its winners.

Vanguard reports:

Tonto beat Ebube Nwagbo and Colette Orji who came second and third respectively. Following the first three women are Cynthia Agholor on 4th and Stephanie Okereke on 5th.

In the Men’s category, Yul Edochie overcame challenges from Benson Okonkwo and Uti Nwachukwu who came second and third respectively. Odunlade Adekola and Ali Nuhu completed the picture at fourth and fifth places respectively.

How it began

The quest, as we like to call it, began with 25 men and women who were nominated by our readers. Actors that got the most votes over a period of one month qualified to run in the quest.

The 2013 edition of Sexiest in Nollywood paraded 25 actors: Yul Edochie, Ali Nuhu, Alex Ekubo, Benson Okonkwo, Chigozie Atuanya, Ramsey Nouah, Emeka Enyiocha, Frank Artus, Kenneth Okolie, Gbenro Ajibade, Kalu Ikeagwu, John Dumelo, Pat Attah, Joseph Benjamin, Sunkanmi Omobolanle, Van Vicker, O.C. Ukeje, Mike Ezuruonye, Majid Michel, Odunlade Adekola, Bobby Obodo, Gideon Okeke, Uti Nwachukwu, Michael Okon and Pope Odowondo Junior.

The list of actresses include: Uche Jombo, Anita Joseph, Ebube Nwagbo, Biodun Okeowo, Colette Orji, Stephanie Okereke, Jackie Appiah, Tonto Dikeh, Queen Nwokoye, Queeneth Hilbert, Ejiro Okurame, Angela Okorie, Nadia Buari, Yvonne Nelson, Rita Dominic, Damilola Adegbite, Tope Osoba, Cynthia Agholor, Yvonne Okoro, Chita Agwu, Maureen Cyril, Nuella Njubigbo, Amanda Ebeye, Chika Agatha and Uche Iwuji.

After the first two months of running profiles on each of the contestant, the countdown began with the first five people exiting the quest. The figure moved from 25 to 20 then to 15. The last fifteen people enjoyed a long stay in the quest after which the countdown began again with a contestant exiting the game every until the final five emerged.

The final five was made of Tonto Dikeh, Stephanie Okereke, Cynthia Agholor, Colette Orji, and Ebube Nwagbo for the Sexiest woman category. Yul Edochie, Uti Nwachukwu, Odunlade Adekola, Benson Okonkwo and Ali Nuhu made the final five for the Sexiest man category.

Past winners

The Sexiest in Nollywood public opinion poll started in 2008 and the maiden edition winners were Genevieve Nnaji and Jim Iyke. Genevieve won the crown as the Sexiest woman in Nollywood in 2008 followed by Ini Edo in second place and Mercy Johnson in third.

For the men, Emeka Ike and Desmond Elliot trailed Jim Iyke as the first runner-up and second runner-up.

Following the success of the first edition demands were high for us to do it again and we did. The winners in 2009 were Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde and Desmond Elliot.

Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde beat Genevieve Nnaji and Chika Ike to be crowned the Sexiest woman in Nollywood 2009 while Desmond Elliot floored Chidi Mokeme and Richard Mofe-Damijo to emerge the Sexiest man in Nollywood 2009.