The world of Nigerian cinema experiences a significant shakeup as Chineze Anyaene announces her resignation as the Chair of the Nigerian Official Selection Committee (NOSC), the body entrusted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to curate and submit Nigerian films for consideration at the Oscars.

Anyaene’s decision comes in the wake of internal strife that plagued the committee last year, leading to a contentious decision to abstain from entering any Nigerian film for the International Feature Film (IFF) category of the 2023 Oscars.

The rift sparked a clash between NOSC’s leadership and filmmakers who believed their creations deserved a shot at international recognition. Anyaene, the visionary behind NOSC, departs shortly after securing AMPAS’s reaffirmation of the committee’s status. This development coincides with the global anticipation of the 96th Oscars edition scheduled for 2024.

Anyaene, reflecting on her tenure, harks back to her early struggles as a budding filmmaker attempting to vie for Oscars consideration in 2012, only to find that Nigeria lacked a committee for submissions. Fueled by this void, she embarked on the journey to establish and self-finance NOSC, an endeavor that ultimately received AMPAS’s endorsement.

Over time, NOSC’s mission evolved from mere film submissions to a focus on fostering high-quality Nigerian cinema and collaborative industry growth, transcending individual interests for the greater advancement of the nation’s film landscape.

NOSC, established in 2012 with AMPAS’s approval, weathered challenges and achievements. In 2019, it presented Genevieve Nnaji’s ‘Lionheart,’ which, though initially disqualified for language criteria, led to AMPAS acknowledging Nigerian Pidgin as a valid local language for the IFF category. 2021 marked a milestone with Desmond Ovbiagele’s ‘The Milkmaid’ earning approval to compete at the 93rd Academy Awards, even though it didn’t make the final cut. However, the turmoil within NOSC caused it to miss submissions for the 2023 Oscars, marking a second consecutive year of absence.

As Anyaene steps away from her position, NOSC faces a pivotal moment of transition, with new leadership soon to be unveiled. Her legacy remains intertwined with NOSC’s evolution, as it navigates challenges and successes on the path to positioning Nigerian cinema firmly on the global stage.