Revered as the biggest motion picture award in Africa, the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award, AMVCA, is gearing up for the 8th edition of the award ceremony billed to hold in Lagos, Nigeria. In a rather unexpected announcement, the award organisers announced that the 2022 edition of the award will be held for eight days, kicking off on May 7 and running until the awards gala on May 14. The itinerary includes an opening night, a runway show tagged ‘Design for the Stars’, a talent factory, a session with content creators, a Pan-African food festival, and a cultural day.

For this year’s edition, there will be 33 categories of awards including a newly introduced ‘Best Online Social Content Creator’ category. A total of 12 categories will be decided by viewers’ votes while the remaining 21 will be decided based on the panels’ decisions.

As always, the AMVCA, which is returning after taking a one-year hiatus in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, gave the Nigerian film industry a healthy representation this year. Leading the charge is last year’s historic movie, Amina, produced by Okechukwu Ogunjiofor; it bagged 13 nominations including the ‘Best Overall Movie’ and ‘Best Director’ to beat Ramsey Nouah’s directed Rattlesnake: The Ahanna Story which got nine nominations overall. Funke Akindele’s Omo Ghetto and Nneka The Pretty Serpent got eight nominations respectively. Blockbuster movies such as Citation and Swallow were snubbed to everyone’s shock, however, the biggest omission is King Of Boys II which Nigerians felt was deserving of a seat at the table.

While we wait for movie’s biggest night, here is our list of predicted winners and the other nominees they are up against.

PUBLIC VOTING CATEGORIES

Best Actor in a Comedy (Movie/TV Series)
Samuel “Broda Shaggi” Perry – Dwindle

Broda Shaggi, as he’s fondly called, goes into a straight tussle with Deyemi Okanlawon for this one. After becoming famous for his Instagram skits where he only used to play an exaggerated and overenthusiastic thug, Perry would go on to try his hands at singing and acting in feature films. Four years in Nollywood and he has earned himself a podium finish for the first time. Can he take it all the way though? He is the funniest actor in the category and his role in Dwindle gives him a loud shout.

Other nominees
Shawn Faqua – Soole
Deyemi Okanlawon – Omo Ghetto (The Saga)
Gideon Okeke – Loving Rona
Femi Adebayo – Progressive Tailors Club
Williams Uchemba – Dear Affy
Timini Egbuson – Ponzi

Best Actor in a Drama (Movie/TV Series)
Gabriel Afolayan – For Maria Ebun Pataki
An actor’s role is to interpret different roles that require improvisation of different emotions, and more often than not, profound sadness is more difficult to translate on-screen. Not for Gabriel Afolayan however. Despite the dare-we-say legendary career the actor has had—spanning over two decades—a win at this year’s edition will be his first-ever. He’s our Leonardo DiCaprio and he is more deserving this time.

Other nominees
Stan Nze – Rattlesnake
Uzee Usman – Voiceless
Efa Iwara – This Lady Called Life
Femi Jacobs – Introducing The Kujus
Eyinna Nwigwe – Dear Affy
Timini Egbuson – Introducing The Kujus

Best Actress in a Comedy (Movie/TV Series)
Funke Akindele – Omo Ghetto (The Saga)
Having won this same category in the 2014, 2016, 2017, and most recently 2020 editions, it is increasingly looking like this category was created for Funke Akindele. It will take a big shock if history doesn’t repeat itself on this occasion.
Other nominees
Bimbo Ademoye – Breaded Life
Nse Nkpe Etim – Quams Money
Bisola Aiyeola – Dwindle
Nancy Isime – Kambili: The Whole 30 Yards
Sarah Hassan – Just In Time

Best Supporting Actor (Movie/TV Series)
Yemi Blaq – The New Normal
In the star-studded rather quiet 2020 comedy movie, The New Normal, Yemi Blaq’s performance stood out. Blaq has been nominated for a number of film awards with the most significant being Best Actor at the AMVCA for his role in the movie, My Idol. For this edition, he’s looking to get a hold on the plaque once again, howbeit this time in a supporting role.
Other nominees
Bucci Franklin – Rattlesnake
Adjete Anang – Gold Coast Lounge
Odunlade Adekola – Jankariwo
Eric Roberts – A Soldier’s Story
Magaji Mijinyawa – Amina
Tope Tedela – Country Hard

Best Actress in a Drama (Movie/TV Series)
Meg Otanwa – For Maria Ebun Pataki Meg Otanwa will fancy her chances of bagging a second AMVCA in this same category which she won back in 2017. She’s certainly deserving of it. Otanwa’s depiction of postpartum depression was nothing short of phenomenal. The mental condition that most Nigerians haven’t exactly come to terms with, it is easy for any actor to have overacted in exaggeration. The former banker brought her role to life as though she was battling it in real life.
Other nominees
Asabe Madaki – Voiceless
Osas Ighodaro – Rattlesnake: The Ahanna Story
Bisola Aiyeola – This Lady Called Life 2
Nancy Isime – Superstar
Genoveva Umeh – A Tune Away
Kehinde Bankole – Dear Affy

Best Supporting Actress (Movie/TV Series)
Chioma Chukwuka Akpotha – Omo Ghetto (The Saga)
Because of its storyline as a gangster comedy film, Omo Ghetto (The Saga) featured multiple supporting casts playing sidekicks as Funke Akindele’s character’s gang members. One of the characters that stood out is Chummy Choko deftly executed by Chioma Chukwuma Akpotha.
Other nominees
Bisola Aiyeola – Sugar Rush
Mercy Johnson – The New Normal
Clarion Chukwurah – Amina
Mumbi Maina – La Femme Anjola
Enado Odigie – The New Normal
Omowunmi Dada – Country Hard

Best Africa Magic Original Comedy Series
My Flatmates – Bright “Basketmouth” Okpocha & Solomon Adekunle
My Flatmates is a situational comedy documenting the lives of four friends who share an apartment. All sorts of chaotic and hilarious things happen as they go about their daily escapades in pursuit of a better life for themselves. It has every component of an award-winning show.
Other nominees
The Johnsons – Rogers Ofime
My Siblings & I – Funke Akindele Bello & JJC Skillz

Best Online Social Content Creator
Multi Personality Disorder – Mr. Macaroni
Known by his stage name Mr. Macaroni, Debo Adedayo is one of Nigeria’s foremost comics. Although the other content creators on this list are also very talented, Mr. Macaroni’s collaborations that have seen him feature a large portion of the Nigerian entertainment industry in his short films places him firmly in the lead.
Other nominees
Nollywood Epic Love Story 1 & 2
(Parody) – Tee Kuro
Kayamata – Bukunmi Adeaga-Ilori
Mr Funny – Oga Sabinus
Road Rage – Taaooma
Of Line And Layers – Jacqueline Suowari
First Date-Mummy’s Boy – Edem Victor
Affiah-De Ja Vu – Elozonam Ogbolu

Best Director (Movie)
Rattlesnake: The Ahanna
Story – Ramsey Nouah
Veteran actor and one-time DOWNTOWN cover personality, Ramsey Nouah made his directorial debut in 2019 with the film Living in Bondage: Breaking Free and has since been more involved in similar projects. In 2020, he went on to direct the Nollywood classic Rattlesnake: The Ahanna Story which is a remake of the 1995 action thriller film. His pristine approach to directing which saw him win multiple awards for his work on Living in Bondage: Breaking Free is enough to help him secure another win with Rattlesnake on the big night.
Other nominees
La Femme Anjola – Mildred Okwo
Amina – Izu Ojukwu
Collision Course – Bolanle Austen – Peters
Voiceless – Robert O. Peters
Light In The Dark – Ekene Som
Mekwunye Namatse Wahala – Tiencepay Lawal & Hamisha Daryani Ahuja

Best Soundtrack (Movie/TV Series)
Rattlesnake: The Ahanna Story – Larry Gaaga
Larry Ndianefo, known professionally as Larry Gaaga, won this same category last edition for his work on Living in Bondage: Breaking Free soundtrack. His work on Rattlesnake: The Ahanna Story is equally as good and the 8-track album deserves something on the night.
Other nominees
Collision Course – Tchella and Dannybeats
Just In Time – Boumeester
Lindsay & Kagwe Mungai
Amina – Dabs Agwom
Gold Coast Lounge – Pascal Aka & Raquel
Light In the Dark – Awele Mekwunye & Bizzouch
The White Line – Michael Pulse & Ponti Dikuua

Best Movie (West Africa)
Breaded Life – Biodun
Stephen and Tara Ajibulu
Ideally, the best overall movie is supposed to be the best in its region. However, we are tipping Breaded Life for this category just because we think it is deserving of something. Although we have not predicted Bimbo Ademoye and Timini Egbuson to cart away the best actress and actor awards respectively, their performances in this movie were outstanding and so is the storyline.
Other nominees
Tainted Canvas – Orwi Manny Ameh
Collision Course – Bolanle Austen-
Peters & Joseph Umoibom
Amina – Okey Ogunjiofor
Rattlesnake: The Ahanna Story – Chris Odeh
Omo Ghetto (The Saga) – Funke
Akindele Bello and JJC Skillz
Nneka The Pretty Serpent – Chris Odeh

Best Overall Movie
Omo Ghetto (The Saga) – JJC Skillz & Funke Akindele Bello
Omo Ghetto (The Saga) holds the record as the highest-grossing movie in Nollywood’s history. On paper, the sequel has all it takes to, but if there is anything we know about award shows, they most certainly have no respect for the paper, or the numbers on it. The blockbuster, produced by one of Nollywood’s finest couples, Funke Akindele and JJC Skillz was the talk of the town when it hit the cinemas in 2020.
Other nominees
Amina – Izu Ojukwu & Okey Ogunjiofor
Voiceless – Robert O. Peters & Rogers Ofime
Rattlesnake – Ramsey Nouah, Chris
Odeh and Charles Okpaleke
Collision Course – Bolanle Austen-Peters
Nneka The Pretty Serpent – Tosin Igho,
Chris Odeh and Charles Okpaleke
La Femme Anjola – Mildred Okwo & Rita Dominic
Just In Time – Dolapo Adeleke & Sarah Hassan.

Best Documentary Road2Blow – Taiwo Adeyemi
Road2Blow chronicles the journeys of some of Nigeria’s emerging talents who have gone through the difficult realities of becoming famous and successful in the Nigerian entertainment industry. Talent and brand manager, Taiwo Adeyemi deserves a plaque just for telling this story.
Other nominees
Unmasked: Leadership, Trust And The COVID-19 Pandemic In
Nigeria – Femi Odugbemi
This Love – Eugene Mbugua
Sunset In Makoko – Allen Onyige
If Objects Could Speak – Saitabao Kaiyare, Mumo Liku, Elena Schilling, Daniella Fritz, Ann, Katrina Boberg
Streets Of Lagos: Dear Little
People – Lawrence Adejumo

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