Batife Bentley, Lateef Adedimeji Bag Double Nominations At 8th Emperor, Achievers Awards

Ameera Eniola Adelekan, widely known as Batife Bentley, is among the nominees at 8th edition of Emperor Awards this year and the Achievers Awards International, continuing what has been a gradual and consistent climb for the 20-year-old Lagos-born influencer.

Bentley received nominations in the ‘Female Influencer of the Year’ and ‘TikTok Influencer of the Year’ categories at the Emperor Awards, putting her name alongside some of the most established faces in Nigeria’s digital content space. The double nomination places her in a competitive field that reflects how seriously the ceremony was taking the influencer category this year.

She has also built screen credits that go beyond those of most influencers in her category. In 2023, she appeared in High School Magical, a production by Sirbalo Studio, and has featured in a number of other TV series and short film projects since then. The combination of dance, acting, and digital content creation gives her a profile that cuts across more than one lane in the entertainment industry.

In the ‘Female Influencer of the Year’ category, she is up against Nons Miraj, Ashmusy, Papaya Ex, Sharon Ephraim, Adegoke Ifelouwa, Nneoma, and Shennels. Nons Miraj, whose real name is Chinonso Ukah, is one of the more recognisable names on that list, a skit maker and actress from Abia State, who has been active on screen and online for several years and also appears in the xContent Creator Female of the Year’ category this year alongside Taaooma, Kid Baby, Jarvis, Mummywa, and Celyn.

The Emperor Awards 8th Edition is a broad and well-populated ceremony. The ‘Digital Actor of the Year’ category draws together some of the most consistent male performers in recent Nigerian film: Lateef Adedimeji for Lisabi; Femi Adebayo for ‘Seven Doors’; Tobi Bakre for ‘Farmers Bride’; Gideon Okeke for ‘Blackout’; Ibrahim Yekini for ‘Abanisete’; Buchi Franklin for ‘To Kill a Monkey’; Uzu Arukwe for ‘Thinline’; Daniel Etim Effiong for ‘Catch the Head’, and Ayodeji Richard Makun for ‘The Waiter’.

The women’s acting category carries similar weight. Chioma Chukwuka competes for ‘Digital Actress of the Year’ for her role in ‘Seven Doors’, alongside Padita Agu for ‘Blackout’; Gbebemi Ejeye for ‘Farmers Bride’; Folu Storm for ‘Red Circle’; Toyin Abraham Ajeyemi for ‘Iyalode’; Efe Irele for ‘My Mother’ is a ‘Witch’, and Omowunmi Dada for ‘Ada Omo Daddy’. On the Nollywood side, the ‘Leading Actress’ category features Mercy Aigbe for ‘Eniketa’; Wunmi Toriola for ‘Lemboye’; Mide Martins for ‘Laje Laje’; Damilola Oni for ‘Iyebiye’; Mo Bimpe for ‘Iyawo Alhaji’; Regina Chukwu for ‘Aseda’, Toke Jamiu for ‘Kutere’; Biola Adebayo for ‘Tade Idan’; Kemity for ‘Arogunmatidi’; Yetunde Barnabas for ‘Akuda’; Mimisola Daniels for ‘Tori Ife’, Anike Ami for ‘Orun Kanna’, and Adeyemo Adebola Seiilat for ‘Toluwani’.

The Nollywood ‘Leading Actor’ category brings together Lanre Adediwura for ‘Iyebiye’; Habeeb Alagbe for ‘Visitation’; Itele D Icon for ‘Koleosho’; Apa Sanusi for ‘Gbotiku’; Akinola Akano Segbowe for ‘Ajeni Iyami’; Jide Awobona for ‘Inspector Jero’; Ayo Olaiya for ‘Agbofinro’; Niyi Johnson for ‘Hunted’, and Aderinoye Babatunde for ‘Chef Tolu’.

The ‘Digital Movie of the Year’ category puts seven productions in contention: The Waiter, Lisabi, Seven Doors, Abanisete, Farmer’s Bride, My Mother is a Witch, and To Kill a Monkey. This shortlist that maps closely onto the films that dominated conversation in Nigerian cinema over the past year. The Digital Actor in a Supporting Role category features Deyemi Okanlawon for The Waiter, Femi Branch for Owambe Thieves, Kolawole Ajeyemi for Abanisete, Mr Macaroni for Lisabi, Femi Adebayo for Abanisete, Yomi Fash for The Party, Buchi Franklin for The Waiter, Broda Shaggi for Abanisete, Olaiya Igwe for Thinline, and Ibrahim Yekini for Thinline.

Music is also well represented. The Favourite Song of the Year category includes Slimcase and Soundboi’s As How Na, Nasboi and Wandecoal’s Umbrella, Rybeena and Joeboy’s Adunni, Danny S and Qdot’s Omo Lile, OG Abbah’s Wayyo Allah, and Rahman Jago’s Hey Jago featuring Shoday and Pocolee. The Favourite Artist of the Year category features Ayomaf, TML, Rybeena, Femi Vega, Fola, Shoday, Hotkeed, and Barry Jhay.

On the content creation side, the Outstanding Content Creator of the Year category includes Brain Jotter, Nasboi, Kamo State, Yakub, Nastyblaq, Isbae U, Erekere, and Samuel Banks, while the Influencer of the Year category features Charles Okocha, Peller, Rooboway, and Ola of Lagos. Two new categories were also introduced at this edition.

The Emperor Awards 8th Edition is scheduled to hold on February 7, 2026, at the Oriental Hotel Banquet Hall in Lagos. The Achievers Awards International, the second ceremony where Bentley received a nomination, held its event at the Golden Tulip Zanzibar in Tanzania.