On March 24, Multichoice Nigeria and Africa Magic unveiled the nominees for the 10th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards.
This esteemed annual event honors remarkable accomplishments in television, film, entertainment, and now in digital content creation across Nollywood and the wider African content landscape. Standout movies such as “Over The Bridge,” “Mami Wata,” and “Breath Of Life” emerged as frontrunners among the nominated films.The AMVCAs stand as one of the continent's premier awards ceremonies. This year, amidst a pool of talented nominees, numerous individuals are savoring their inaugural AMVCA nomination experience.
Discover the first-time nominees who are leaving their mark in their respective fields at the AMVCAs below:
Itele D Icon
Actor, producer and director Ibrahim Yekini, known as Itele D Icon, began acting in 2000. He has featured in many movies, including the notable “Omo Ghetto: The Saga” and “Jagun Jagun (The Warrior),” where he played the role of the warrior Gbogunmi, which earned him his first AMVCA nomination in the Best Supporting Actor category. In 2019, he won the best actor in the Best of Nollywood Awards for his role in “Return of Kesari,” a film he also produced.
Tana Adelana
The first Nigerian on the music channel, Channel O, Tana Adelana made her acting debut in the TV series, “Disclosure,” and from there has acted in many other movies. In 2011, she won the On-Air Personality of the Year (TV) at the Future Awards Africa, a City People Movie Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2017 and a Best Actress in a Lead Role (English) win at the Best of Nollywood Awards in 2018. In 2019, she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress (English) at the Best of Nollywood Award.
Most recently, her role as the mother of Oby in Kunle Afolayan’s “Ijogbon (The Chaos)” earned her her first AMVCA nomination.
Demola Adedoyin
Having played lead roles in popular movies like “October 1” “The Bridge,” and “King of Boys,” Demola Adedoyin is no stranger to the acting scene, and his versatility as an actor is undisputed. In “Breath of Life,” produced by Eku Edewor, he played the character of young Timi, a gifted and accomplished young man who relocates to Nigeria in the 1960s with his wife and daughter, but their lives are tragically upended. This compelling performance earned him his first AMVCA nomination for Best Support Supporting Actor.
Levi Chikere
A singer and a talented actor, Levi Chikere has been nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Legbe in “Blood Vessels.” In the movie, he is one of six young people fleeing a town devastated by oil pollution and political unrest. They stow away on a ship laden with stolen crude oil, embarking on a perilous journey across the Atlantic Ocean, unaware of the dangers that await.
Layi Wasabi
In a category added in 2021 to spotlight the talents of creators captivating audiences through entertaining, exciting, and creative content, Layi Wasabi’s skits “Medical Negligence” and “Copyright Infringement” have earned him not just one, but two AMVCA nominations in the Best Digital Content category. “Medical Negligence” depicts a woman seeking legal recourse for medical negligence, with Lawyer Layi navigating the complexities of justice. Copyright Infringement” delves into a rapper’s world of intellectual property rights, Layi Wasabi tackles the issue of copyright infringement.
Layi also made his acting debut in the series, “Anikulapo: The Rise of the Spectre.”
Ropo Ewenla
A broadcaster, culture consultant and producer, Ropo Ewenla has played various characters in films such as Dr. Grillo in “Citation,” Officer in “Cordelia,” Asohun Oba (the voice of the King) in “Anikulapo” and “Anikulapo: The Rise of the Spectre.” His portrayal of Ayorode in “Over The Bridge” earned him his first AMVCA nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
David Ezekiel
David is known for his lead role in Moses Inwang’s film “Blood Vessels“ where he played Abbey, Oyin’s lover whose tryst and pregnancy have invoked rage from her father. He is nominated for Best Lead Actor at the AMVCAs for this role.
Adaobi Dibor
Nominated for Best Lead Actress at the AMVCAs, Adaobi plays Oyin in “Blood Vessels.” Oyin, Abbey’s girlfriend, finds herself facing the wrath of her enraged father after an unexpected pregnancy.
Ejiro Onojaife
Her heart-wrenching performance in “The Origin: Madam Koi-Koi” earned her a Best Supporting Actress nomination in the AMVCAs. A versatile actress, she has also been featured in films such as Jadesola Osiberu’s “Brotherhood,” “Domitilla,” “Blind Date” and “When The Living Is Dead.”