History was made yesterday at the 17th Headies Awards as Nancy Isime emerged as the first solo female host in the award’s illustrious history. The festival of Nigerian music each year was brought to a new level by Isime as the actress/TV host delivered a show of a lifetime that the industry and the people will be talking about for years and years.
HipTV broke the news before the event by declaring excitedly: “History made. And for the very first time in history, a woman stands alone on the stage as the host of the largest Nigerian music night. @nancyisimeofficial isn’t coming back; she’s changing the script. One mic. One Queen. One evening never to be forgotten. The 17th Headies… Back to Base.”
Nancy, a veteran of the small and large screen as a TV personality and actress, brought the show the trademark wit, poise, and beauty that set the tone for enchanting the audience from beginning to end. The first-time hosting stint was a victory for women as leaders in the entertainment industry, one may say, of the growing authority and presence of female leaders in Nigerian entertainment.
The ”Back to Base” theme of this year’s event was going back to the origins of Nigerian music, and the solo hosting act of Nancy was the ultimate manifestation of this. She not only hosted the ceremony but also set a new benchmark of what was possible for female entertainers, a turning point for the Headies. With a commanding presence, Isime made the 17th Headies a night to always remember as they celebrated the crème de la crème of music in Nigeria and set the tone for even larger moments of history. The award show last night was not just any award show, but a statement. Nancy Isime made history, and the solo hosting greatness will set the tone for many that shall follow.
