Finally, Paw-Paw gets national Honours

Osita Iheme

Iheme who hails from Mbaitolu Local Government in Imo State will be honoured with the Member of the Federal Republic (MFR) award. He will be honoured alongside notable actors and actresses including Olu Jacobs, Genevieve Nnaji, Stephanie Okereke, Amaka Igwe and Kanayo O Kanayo.

Like his screen twin, Chinedu Ikedieze alias Aki, who was accorded recognition last year by the federal government amid controversy, diminutive actor, Osita Iheme popularly known as Paw-Paw will be among the six Nollywood stars announced on Thursday by the government as recipients for this year’s  National awards.

It would be recalled that stakeholders in the movie industry raised dust, following the inability of the government to accord the same recognition to Paw-Paw, when his contemporary, Chinedu Ikedieze was honoured last year.



The stakeholders argued that both diminutive actors started off their careers same time, featured in the same movies and won many laurels together and therefore deserved to be honoured jointly.


But in a recent encounter with Paw-paw, he expressed optimism that he would be honoured soon.


In his words, “I was happy for Chinedu. I have never had any cause to disagree with him, even when he was honoured last year by the Federal Government, I was there to support him .I didn’t feel bad because I was honoured alongside Aki. I know that my own award is on the way.”