The Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) are this Saturday, and the biggest and brightest names in African entertainment will be celebrated for their work in the past year.
There are many categories with strong contenders, including Best Movie, where House of Ga’a, Farmer’s Bride, and Lisabi are competing; Best Lead Actor, featuring nominees like Femi Adebayo and Adedimeji Lateef; and Best Director, where Awam Amkpa is nominated for his Wole Soyinka biopic The Man Died, and Daniel Oriahi for his Tribeca Film Festival official selection The Weekend, among others.
As we count down to the awards ceremony, we asked industry insiders to share their predictions for the most coveted categories. See the complete list of nominees here.
Here’s what some of them had to say:
Best Digital Content Creator
Ganiu Oloruntade (Senior Editor, TechCabal)
Predicted Winner: Elozonam
Why: Tough call but I’d say Elozonam. He makes really fantastic videos and his content isn’t “regular” if you get what I mean. He isn’t exactly a skit maker or comedian like the others.
Nominees:
Jide “Pounds” Ibitoye (Jide Pounds)
Dorcas Ariyiike Owolagba (Ariyiike Dimples)
Iyo Prosper
Elozonam
Maryam Apaokagi (Taaooma)
Best Supporting Actress
Adeyinka Odutuyo (Culture Writer, Zikoko)
Predicted Winner: Mercy Aigbe
Why: I’ll go with Mercy Aigbe. I think her performance in Farmer’s Bride is solid, and it was my first time watching her play a character that’s not typically within her comfort zone. It was interesting to watch her stretch her creativity and just bring that character to life. I imagine some other directors would have cast a Sola Sobawale or Patience Ozokwor, but whoever made the bet on Aigbe made a good call. I think she’s bringing this one home.
Nominees:
Meg Otanwa – Inside Life
Tina Mba – Suspicion
Ireti Doyle – All’s Fair in Love
Ini Dima-Okojie – Skeleton Coast
Mercy Aigbe – Farmer’s Bride
Omoni Oboli – The Uprising: Wives on Strike 3
Darasimi Nnadi – Aburo
ALSO READ: Inside the 2024 S16 Film Festival for Artistic Filmmakers
Best Lead Actor
Samson Toromade (Culture Critic)
Predicted Winner: Bucci Franklin
Why: It’s a close call between Gideon Okeke, Femi Branch and Femi Adebayo, but I’m rooting for Bucci Franklin in The Weekend. His performance carries more emotional depth and complexity than the rest, and it’s in what I’d argue is the strongest film in the category.
Nominees:
Gideon Okeke – Tokunbo
Bucci Franklin – The Weekend
Femi Branch – House of Ga’a
Thapelo Makoena – Skeleton Coast
Bimbo Manuel – Princess On A Hill
Stan Nze – Suspicion
Femi Adebayo – Seven Doors
Adedimeji Lateef – Lisabi: The Uprising
Best Supporting Actor
Tomiwo Ojo (Editor, The Net Ng)
Predicted Winner: Richard Mofe-Damijo
Why: I think Mike Afolarin is a decent actor, and as I expected from a supporting actor, he did very well. I had no problems with his work in House of Ga’a. But I think RMD might win because he’s a legend and he killed his role.
Nominees:
Gabriel Afolayan – Inside Life
Adedayo Adebowale Macaroni – Lisabi: The Uprising
Aliu Gafar – Seven Doors
Femi Jacobs – Freedom Way
Richard Mofe-Damijo – Christmas In Lagos
Uzor Arukwe – Suspicion
Mike Afolarin – House of Ga’a
Efa Iwara – Princess on a Hill
Best Lead Actress
Inem Udodiong (Freelance Culture Editor)
Predicted Winner: Uzoamaka Aniunoh
Why: I’m rooting for Uzoamaka Aniunoh. She always delivers, but her performance in this film, which I saw at a private screening, was exceptional. I understood why the film won so many accolades at AFRIFF. She brought so much intensity to the performance. It was such a heavy character, and the film had heavy themes, but she did it so well.
Nominees:
Chioma Chukwuka – Seven Doors
Gbugbemi Ejeye – Farmer’s Bride
Uzoamaka Onuoha – Agemo
Uche Montana – Thinline
Uzoamaka Aniunoh – Phoenix Fury
Hilda Dokudo – The Uprising: Wives On Strike 3
Bimbo Ademoye – Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre
Best Director
Ademola Soares (Director and Cinematographer)
Predicted Winner: Bolanle Austen-Peters
Why: Seven Doors is in the category, and though it created a lot of buzz when it was released, winning the category would just be too ridiculous. I’m inclined to say Bolanle Austen-Peters, just because.
Nominees:
Robert O Peters – Skeleton Coast
Norman Maake – Inkabi
Bolanle Austen-Peters – House of Ga’a
Awam Amkpa – The Man Died
Daniel Emeka Oriahi – The Weekend
Femi Adebayo, Adebayo Tijani, Tope Adebayo – Seven Doors
Best Movie
Eniola Tito (Film Critic)
Predicted Winner: Farmer’s Bride
Why: My choice to win is Farmer’s Bride. It was a really good film. The production and costume design were really good. The acting too. It was one of the best films of 2024. They might give it to Christmas in Lagos, but I don’t know if the AMVCA would be keen on giving a Prime Video original Best Movie two years in a row.
Nominees:
Lisabi: The Uprising
Skeleton Coast
Suspicion
Inkabi
House of Ga’a
Freedom Way
Christmas in Lagos
Farmer’s Bride
