The Oscars Academy has extended invitations to five Nollywood veterans to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) class of 2023, making them voting Oscars members.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences popularly known as the Oscars has extended invitations to Nollywood filmmaker and writer Kunle Afolayan, veteran Actor Richard Mofe-Damijo, film writer Shola Dada, film director CJ Obasi, and producer and writer Jadesola Osiberu.
In a blog post on Wednesday, the AMPAS revealed the names of the 398 artists and entertainment executives invited to join the Oscar-dispensing group.
According to the organization, “membership selection is based on professional qualifications, with an ongoing commitment to representation, inclusion, and equity.”
Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang said, “The Academy is proud to welcome these artists and professionals into our membership. They represent extraordinary global talent across cinematic disciplines, and have made a vital impact on the arts and sciences of motion pictures and on movie fans worldwide.”
Of the 2023 invitees, 34% belong to an under-represented racial or ethnic community, while 40% identify as women. 52% are also from 50 countries and territories outside the United States.
See how the Nigerians were placed on the list:
1. RMD — actor category
2. Kunle Afolayan — writer category
3. Shola Dada — writer category
4. CJ “Fiery” Obasi — director category
5. Jade Osiberu — producer category
We’re proud to announce our newly invited members to the Academy!
Meet the Class of 2023: https://t.co/xElbKejirD pic.twitter.com/9IqEmbU6GD
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) June 28, 2023
If all 398 invitees accept membership, it will bring the total number of overall Academy members to 10,817 — up from 10,665 last year — with 9,375 eligible to vote for the next Oscars — due to deaths and retirements among others.
The 96th Oscars ceremony is set to take place on March 10, 2024.
Ramsey Nouah and Mo Abudu were among the 395 invitees for the AMPAS class of 2021 while Genevieve Nnaji, Akin Omotoso, and Cynthia Erivo, Nigerian-born British actress, were invited to join the Academy. in 2020.