Actress Linda Ejiofor emerged as the primary victor at the 12th Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) on May 9, securing two major acting categories.
Held at Eko Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos, the ceremony celebrated the continent’s premier cinematic talent, though it was marked by a significant shutout for box-office record-breaker Funke Akindele.
Ejiofor claimed the titles of Best Lead Actress for The Serpent’s Gift and Best Supporting Actress for The Herd. In the men’s categories, Uzor Arukwe was named Best Lead Actor for his performance in Colours of Fire, while Bucci Franklin took home the Best Supporting Actor award for To Kill a Monkey.
The night’s top honour, Best Movie, was awarded to My Father’s Shadow. Despite earning four nominations for her cinema hit Behind the Scenes, which grossed over N2 billion, Funke Akindele failed to secure a win in any category, including Best Lead Actress and Best Movie.
Veteran performers Sola Sobowale and Kanayo O. Kanayo were honoured with the Industry Merit awards for their lifelong contributions to African cinema. Other notable winners included Uche Montana, who received the Trailblazer Award, and Hakeem Onilogbo, who won Best Makeup.
In the regional and digital categories, Lateef Adedimeji’s Lisabi (A Legend is Born) won Best Indigenous Language Film (West Africa). The Best Digital Content Creator award went to Emmanuel Kanaga and Sophia Chisom for Leave To Live.
The AMVCA is an annual gala established to recognise excellence in African film and television. It remains one of the most influential platforms for the continent’s creative economy, drawing participants from across Africa to celebrate technical skill and storytelling.
