The 12th edition of the Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards, held on Saturday, May 9, at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos and celebrated the best of filmmaking across Africa, with this edition having more categories than ever. The highly anticipated night was chaired by Joke Silva,and the awards featured both jury- and audience-voted categories, allowing audiences to speak on what media they believed was the best.
Leading up to the awards, there were a number of frontrunners that many anticipated to win big during the night. These included Yemi Filmboy Morafa’s Gingerrr and Daniel Etim Effiong’s The Herd. While Akinola Davies Jr’s directorial debut, My Father’s Shadow, received multiple nominations as well and was just coming off a big BAFTA win, most were not expecting the movie to be the one to sweep the awards . To many people’s surprise and perhaps even more people’s discontent, the critically acclaimed drama received 5 wins, including the Best Movie, Best Director and Best Writing categories.
Frontrunner nominee Gingerrr which held 9 nominations didn’t win in any of its nominated categories. The Herd, which also had 9 nominations, only managed to snag one win with Linda Ejifor’s Best Supporting Actress victory. Many viewers also noticed that Funke Akindele’s emotional drama Behind the Scenes, while receiving 5 nominations and being one of the most enjoyed movies of the year, didn’t take home any wins. These perceived snubs have led to conversations about how the voting in the jury-voted categories are conducted, and whether there were any agendas during the voting.
A notable winner of the night was Linda Ejifor who historically won the awards for both Best Lead Actress and Best Supporting Actress for her roles in The Serpent’s Kiss and The Herd respectively. Alongside her, Lateef Adedimeji’s historical epic, Lisabi: A Legend Is Born also won in two categories, Best Indigenous Language West Africa and Best Make-up.
Also significant this year is that the awards were more inclusive of regions beyond Nigeria,with categories celebrating works in indigenous languages and the art of Africans across the continent.
The awards also focused on setting a path for the future of filmmaking by inspiring upcoming creators. This was especially evident when MTN awarded 5 million naira to Josh Olaoluwa and Orire Nwani, winners of the Best Short Film category.
The special awards of the night included the Trailblazer Award, which went to actress and producer Uche Montana and the Industry Merit Award, which went to both Sola Sobowale and Kanayo O. Kanayo for their contributions to Nollywood across the decades.
The tone of the night ranged from emotional to jovial, and a memorial tribute to late industry stars led by Purp, Nigerian Idol season 10 winner, gave the room a chance to reflect while musical performances by Tiwa Savage, BNXN, Fave, and more kept spirits up.
Here is the full list of winners in all categories –
Best Movie
WINNER: My Father's Shadow - Funmbi Ogunbanwo And Rachel Dargavel
Gingerrr - Ope Ajayi, Bisola Aiyeola, Bukunmi Adeaga-Ilori, Wumi Toriola, Bolaji Ogunmola, Onyeka Nnama
The Herd - Daniel Etim Effiong, Efe Ejukoriem, Ulogo Chukwudi, Kene Okwuosa, Craig Shurn, And Ladun Awobokun
3 Cold Dishes - Martial Dansou, Surf Amuwa Oluseyo And Ly Oumar
The Serpent's Gift - Winifred Mena-Ajakpovi
Behind The Scenes – Funke Ayotunde Akindele And Wendy Uwadiae Imaseun
Best Lead Actor
WINNER: Colours of Fire - Uzor Arukwe
Oversabi Aunty - Mike Ezuruonye
Lisabi: A Legend Is Born - Lateef Adedimeji
To Kill A Monkey - William Benson
Grandpa Must Obey - Kanayo o. Kanayo
Bet I Love You - Khumbuza Meyiwa
3 Cold Dishes - Wale Ojo
Red Circle - Femi Branch
Best Lead Actress
WINNER: The Serpent's Gift - Linda Ejiofor
To Kill A Monkey – Bimbo Akintola
The Lost Days - Ifeoma Fafunwa
Something About The Briggs - Ariyike Owolagba
Her Excellency – Sola Sobowale
Behind The Scenes - Scarlet Gomez
The Herd - Genoveva Umeh
Mother Of The Brides – Gloria Anozie-Young
Best Supporting Actor
WINNER: To Kill A Monkey – Bucci Franklin
The Yard - Simileoluwa Hassan
Gingerrr - Lateef Adedimeji
Colours Of Fire – Gabriel Afolayan
Agesinkole (King Of Thieves) 2 - Femi Adeboye
Red Circle - Lateef Adedimeji
Owanbe Thieves - Femi Branch
Behind The Scenes - Uzor Arukwe
Best Supporting Actress
WINNER: The Herd - Linda Ejiofor
Oversabi Aunty - Olamide Kidbaby
Gingerrr - Bisola Aiyeola
The Covenant Series - Sola Sobowale
Aljana - Nadia Dutch
The Herd - Amal Umar
MTV Shuga Mashariki - Juliebrenda Nyambura
Behind The Scenes - Funke Ayotunde Akindele
Best Writing Movie
WINNER: My Father’s Shadow - Wale Davies
The Herd - Lani Aisida
Blackout - Ikenna Okpara
Cards On The Table - Shirleen Wangari
Gingerrr - Xavier Ighorodje
Suky - Isaac Ayodeji
3 Cold Dishes - Tomi Adesina
Best Director
WINNER: My Father's Shadow - Akinola Davies Jr
Cordelia - Tunde Kelani
Osamede - James Kalu Omokwe
The Herd – Daniel Etim Effiong
Gingerrr - Yemi Filmboy Morafa
3 Cold Dishes – Asurf Amuwa Oluseyi
Best Cinematography
WINNER: My Father’s Shadow - Jermaine Edwards
To Kill A Monkey - Kabelo Thathe
The Herd - Emmanuel Igbekele
Finding Nina - Daanong Gyang
The Serpent’s Gift - Emmanuel Igbekele
Stitches - KC Obiajulu
Gingerrr - Emmanuel Igbekele
Best Art Direction
WINNER: Colours of Fire - Ajamolaya Bunmi
The Serpent’s Gift - Zainab Oladipupo
The Herd - Omolade Abisola
Aljana - Olatunji Afolayan and Gideon O Stephen
Suky - Victor Akpan
Inimba - Thabiso Senne
Best Score Music
WINNER: My Fathers Shadow - Duval Timothy, CJ Mirra
To Kill A Monkey - Oscar Herman-Ackah
3 Cold Dishes - Nissi Ogulu
Osamede - Chubb Okobah
Gingerrr - Tolu Obanro
The Party - Tolu Obanro
MTV Shuga Mashariki - SoFresh
Best Costume Design
WINNER: Colours of Fire - Valerie Okeke
The Serpent's Gift - Mary Chukuma
The Real Housewives of Lagos S2 - Deola Art Alade, Darey Art Alade
Something About The Briggs - Yolanda Okereke
To Kill A Monkey – Ikechukwu Urum and John Joseph Angel
Best Sound Design
WINNER: My Father's Shadow - Pius Fatoke and CJ Mirra
Gingerrr – Tolu Obanro
Ben Made It – Vaughan Phillips
The Party – Tolu Obanro
Sebata (The Beast) - Vaughan Phillips
The Herd - Fisayo Adefolaju
Best Writing TV Series
WINNER: MTV Shuga Mashariki - Annette Shadeya, Natasha Likimani, Mkamzee Mwatela, Arnold Mwanjila, Makgano Mamabolo
The Wives – Donald Tombia, Timendu Aghahowa, Chiemeka Osuagwu
Our Husband – Xavier Ighorodje
Addis Fikir - Besufekade Mulu
Baba Oh – Temilola Balogun
The Party - Stephen Okonkwo
Gizat - Yednekachew Ayne
Best Series (Scripted)
WINNER: Inimba - Siphosethu Tshapu, Thandi Ramathesele and Yolanda Ndhlovu
To Kill A Monkey – Kemi Adetiba
The Yard - James Kalu Omokwe
The Chocolate Empire - Grace Kahaki and Phillipe Bresson
Kash Money - Grace Khaki and Phillipe Benson
Best Series (Unscripted)
WINNER: Nigerian Idol S10 - Suleiman Kassim And Anneke De Ridder
The Real Housewives Of Lagos S3 - Deola Art Alade And Darey Art Alade
Ultimate Girls Trip: Africa - Graeme Swanepoel And Jemma Ford
Offair With Gbemi And Toolz - Gbemi Olateru-Olagbegi And Toolz Oniru-Demuren
Out N’ About (Harar) - Bruk Yibrah
Best Make-up
WINNER: Lisabi: A Legend Is Born - Adeola Thelma Bamgboye
Behind The Scenes - Mojisola Imam
Gingerrr – Dablaq Artistry
Abanisete – Adeola Thelma Bamgboye
Warlord - Hakeem Onilogbo (Hakeem Effect)
Suky - Ruth Harcourt
Labake Olododo - Adeola Thelma Bamgboye
Best Editing
WINNER: To Kill A Monkey – Daniel Anyiam
Cordelia - Kazeem Agboola
My Father's Shadow - Omar Guzman Castro
Landline - Nwanguma Peter Chidebere, and Dele Doherty
3 Cold Dishes – Asurf Amuwa Oluseyi
Osamede - Winston Aig-Ohioma
Best Documentary
WINNER: Beyond Olympic Glory - Sedrack Sahlami
The Good x The Bad of Afrobeat - Louis Ejiofor
The People Shall - Mark Maina and Nick Wambugu
Not Addressing This Anymore - Huzzain Bello
BOU - Mwaka Gerald Remmy
Best Scripted M-NET Original
WINNER: Femi D. Ogunsanwo – The Low Priest
James Kalu Omokwe – The Yard
Lizz Njagah and Alexandros Konstantaras – Adam To Eve
Maurice Muendo – Bobo
Rogba Arimoro and Bio Arimoro – Mother of the Brides
Best Un-Scripted M-NET Original
WINNER: Suleiman Kassim and Anneke De Ridder – Nigerian Idol (S10)
Graeme Swanepoel and Jemma Ford – Ultimate Girls Trip: Africa
Ercilla Justino, Jojo Almeida and Gabriela Ueno – Chapa Chapa My Love
Bruk Yibrah – Out N About (Harar)
Hatibu Madudu – Undugu
Best Indigenous M-NET Original
WINNER: Siphosethu Tshapu, Thandi Ramathesele and Yolanda Ndhlovu – Inimba
Bruk Yibrah – Out N’ About (Harar)
David Akande – Kukoyi
Eze Izu – Mgbuka
Grace Kahaki and Phillippe Bresson – The Chocolate Empire
Hatibu Madudu – Undugu
Joel Ndugwa – Kampala Creme (S2)
Best Short Film
WINNER: Hussainin – Orire Nwani and Josh Olaoluwa
Telephone – Fimisinuola Adejonwo
Rise – Jessie J. Rowlands
Fleas – Jordy Sank
My Body, God’s Temple – Uzoamaka Power
Best Digital Content Creator
WINNER: Emmanuel Kanaga and Sophia Chisom – Leave To Live
Akwaman – Did I Just Hear Muah
Benedict Ehimare Oriaifo – The Rat Race
Destiny Ogie Osarewinda – The Marriage List
Elozonam Ogbolu and Genoveva Umeh – Dr Judgina – Situationally Transmitted Delusion
Maryam Apaokagi-Greene (Taaoma) – Luxury Koko
Steve Chuks – August Meeting Election
Best Indigenous Language West Africa
WINNER: Lisabi: A Legend Is Born – Lateef Adedimeji
Olorisha – Abiola Adeshina
Labake Olododo – Alice Iyabo Ojo, Olukanmi Abayomi, Alaba Onaolapo, Kene Okwuosa, Ladun Awobokun
Aljana – Grace Yachat Yakubu
The Serpent’s Gift – Winifred Mena-Ajakpovi
Best Indigenous Language East Africa
WINNER: Addis Fikir – Leul Shoaferaw
Kimote – Hassan Mageye
My Son – Isarito Mwakalindile
Inside Job – Kamau Wandug’u, Joe Mahinda, and Barbara Njeri Maina
Sayari – Omar Hamza and June Wairegi
Best Indigenous Language Southern Africa
WINNER: Tlhaho Ya Mosadi – Naledi Galane , Promise Ramoroka, Ernest Ramoroka, Modipadi Mokgohloa
Sebata: The Beast – African Entertainers
Bet I Love You – Joseph Duke and Keamogetse Modise
Terra Of Queens And Kuma 2 – Neo Leonardo Mokoena
Ben Made It – Thabang Mathumetse and Thapelo Dikhutso
Best Indigenous Language North Africa
WINNER: Artal Alhanin – Our Memories – Mohamed Awad and Mohamed Abdulraham Eldouma
The Delivery – Abdalla Ezyan
This Is Portsaid – Abdalla Ezyan
The Hidden Voice – Houssem Eddine Abdelwahed
The Omnipresent – Youssef Ben Khalifa
Best Indigenous Language Central Africa
WINNER: Mabanda – Kang Quintus
Golden Spoon – Egbe Francis Ettabrown
Safou: A Gift From Nature – Nyasha Makamba
