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Venue & Host
The 9th annual Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA), widely celebrated as one of the continent’s most prestigious entertainment events, took place Saturday night, May 20, 2023, at the Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The award show, renowned for its glamour and panache, lit up Victoria Island with an array of African stars and a vibrant black carpet event commencing at 4 pm, leading up to the main event at 7 pm Nigerian time. Hosts for the night were popular Nigerian TV and Radio host, IK Osakioduwa, and Miss Universe 2019, South African Zozi Tunzi, ensuring an event filled with charm and grace.
The Glamour
The night belonged to the Nollywood stars Bimbo Ademoye, Tobi Bakre, and Osas Ighodaro, who emerged as the shining stars of the evening, amongst a constellation of seasoned and legendary celebrities from the entertainment industry. The awards night was a celebration of cinematic excellence, with winners in various categories scooping up the coveted awards.
Recognitions
Among the films with significant recognition were ‘Anikulapo’ with 16 nominations, and ‘Brotherhood’ and ‘Shanty Town’ each garnering 11 nominations. Kunle Afolayan’s ‘Anikulapo’, Femi Adebayo’s ‘King of Thieves’ Jade Osiberu’s ‘Brother’, and Funke Akindele’s ‘Battle on Buka Street’ were also shortlisted for the Best Overall Movie, setting a high benchmark for African cinematic talent.
Fashion
Fashion was in full swing as well, with Toke Makinwa, Uti Nwachukwu, Sika Osei, and VJ Adams as black carpet hosts, adding an extra layer of splendour to the evening as they interacted with the celebs making their grand entrances. One of the ex-BBNaija stars, Tacha, was among the celebrities causing a stir, donning a dress worth ₦9.2 million.
Theme
The event, themed ‘Cultural Diversity’, was live-streamed on all Africa Magic channels, providing viewers the opportunity to witness the extravaganza and the stunning red carpet looks right from their homes. In an age of digital consumption, AMVCA has also paid attention to the digital content creators and young filmmakers, marking their celebration days before the award night.
Runway
The runaway shows featuring spectacular designs from Nigerian brands were a significant highlight, contributing to an unforgettable night of glamour, talent, and celebration of the African entertainment industry. Exhilarating and emotional speeches further added a warm and human touch to the glittering event.
The 9th AMVCA wrapped up, leaving behind a trail of spectacular moments, it remains evident that African cinema continues to thrive, pushing boundaries and setting higher standards. Congratulations to all the winners and participants for their significant contributions to Africa’s growing entertainment landscape. See full list of winners below:
Winners
- BEST OVERALL MOVIE — Kunle Afolayan – Anikulapo
- BEST DIRECTOR — Loukman Ali – Brotherhoods
- BEST SOUND EDITOR (MOVIE/TV SERIES) — Anu Afolayan – Anikulapo
- BEST PICTURE EDITOR (MOVIE/TV SERIES) — Holmes Awa & Daniel Tom – Crime & Justice
- BEST ART DIRECTOR (MOVIE/TV SERIES) — Wale Adeleke – King Of Thieves (Agesinkole)
- BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER — Loukman Ali – Brotherhood
- BEST WRITER (MOVIE/TV SERIES) — Sola Dada – Anikulapo
- BEST COSTUME DESIGNER (MOVIE/TV SERIES) — Adeola Art-Alade – The Real Housewives of Lagos Reunion Episode
- BEST MAKE UP (MOVIE/TV SERIES) — Maryam Ndukwe, Hakeem Effects Onilogbo – Shanty Town
- BEST SOUND TRACK (MOVIE/TV SERIES) — Kent Edunjobi – Anikulapo
- BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE – SWAHILI (MOVIE/TV SERIES) — Philip Karanja Njenga – Click Click Bang
- BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE – HAUSA (MOVIE/TV SERIES) — Abubakar Bashir Maishadda – Aisha
- BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE YORUBA (MOVIE/TV SERIES) — Kunle Afolayan – Anikulapo
- BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE – IGBO (MOVIE/TV SERIES) — Victor Iyke – Uhuruchi
- BEST SHORT FILM/ ONLINE VIDEO — Adeoye Adetunji – Pa Aromire
- BEST ONLINE SOCIAL CONTENT CREATOR — Elozonam, Kie Kie – Back From The Future
- BEST TELEVISION SERIES — Yinka Edward – Crime & Justice
- BEST DOCUMENTARY — Nora Awolowo – ‘Nigeria: The Debut’
- BEST MOVIE EAST AFRICA — Click Click Bang – Philip Karanja Njenga
- BEST MOVIE WEST AFRICA — Brotherhood – Jade Osiberu
- BEST MOVIE SOUTHERN AFRICA — Elvis Chucks – Jewel
- BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR (MOVIE/TV SERIES) — Abdisattar Ahmed – Gacal
- BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY (MOVIE/TV SERIES) — Bimbo Ademoye – Selina
- BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY (MOVIE/TV SERIES) — Samuel Perry (Broda Shaggi) – Inside Life
- BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA (MOVIE/TV SERIES) — Osas Ighodaro – Man of God
- BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA (MOVIE/TV SERIES) — Tobi Bakre – Brotherhood
- THE MULTICHOICE TALENT FACTORY FILM — Leaked
- BEST ORIGINAL DRAMA SERIES — Ricordi
- BEST ORIGINAL COMEDY SERIES — Njoro Wa Uba
- BEST ORIGINAL TELENOVELA (NEW CATEGORY) — Mpali
- BEST MNET UNSCRIPTED ORIGINAL (NEW CATEGORY) — King Buger
- INDUSTRY MERIT AWARDS — Patience Ozokwor
- TRAILBLAZER AWARD — Angel Unigwe
Watch
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Osas Ighodaro retains her spot as the Best Actress in a Drama – AMVCA 9
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The iconic Red Carpet looks – AMVCA 9 | Africa Magic
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'Mpali' wins Best Original Telenovela Award – AMVCA 9
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'King Bugar' wins the Best Unscripted Original Award – AMVCA 9
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Elozonam and Kie Kie are the Best Online Social Content Creators – AMVCA 9
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Abdisattar Ahmed is the 2023 Best Supporting Actor in a Movie – AMVCA 9
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'Ricordi' is the Best Original Drama Series winner – AMVCA 9
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The Best Original Comedy Series winner – AMVCA 9
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Daniel Perry bags another win as the Best Actor in a Comedy – AMVCA 9
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Bimbo Ademoye wins Best Actress in a Comedy award – AMVCA 9
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Tobi Bakre emerges as the Best Actor in a Drama – AMVCA 9
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Backstage with Zozi and IK – AMVCA 9 | Africa Magic
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All work and even more play at Rehearsals! – AMVCA 9 | Africa Magic
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The stars come out to play at the Nominee Gala – AMVCA 9 | Africa Magic
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Fashion wins at the Runway Show – AMVCA 9 | Africa Magic
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All about the African vibe – AMVCA 9 | Africa Magic
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A glam Opening Night and Cultural Day – AMVCA 9 | Africa Magic
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Battle for the Top 10 spot – Nigerian Idol | S8 | E4 | Africa Magic
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Roses and rave reviews – My Beautyful Life | S1 | E5 | Africa Magic