Entertainment
AMAA 2023 Celebrates Excellence in African Cinema
The 19th edition of the Africa Movie Academy Awards took place on Oct. 29, at the prestigious Balmoral Convention Centre in Ikeja, Lagos. This grand event gathered filmmakers from across the globe to celebrate the outstanding achievements in African cinema.
In a star-studded ceremony, Nancy Isime, Rahama Sadau, and Richard Ato Turkson hosted the celebrated awards gala, setting the stage for a night filled with excitement and glamour.
C.J. ‘Fiery’ Obasi’s cinematic masterpiece, “Mami Wata,” stood out with an impressive 12 nominations. The film received accolades in several categories, including Best Film in an African Language, Best Cinematography, Best Sound, Best Screenplay, and Best Director. The nominations highlighted the exceptional talent and creativity behind “Mami Wata.”
Another shining star of the evening was Tobi Bakre, who garnered attention and acclaim for his performance in “Brotherhood.” Bakre’s compelling portrayal earned him the Best Actor in a Leading Role award, cementing his place as one of the industry’s rising stars.
Nse Ikpe Etim, a seasoned actress known for her versatility, received the Best Actress in a Leading Role award for her outstanding performance in “4-4-44.” Her talent and dedication were evident as she brought her character to life on the silver screen, leaving an impression on the audience.
Nse Ikpe-Etim – Best Actress In a Leading Role
Additionally, the award-winning film “Anikulapo,” directed by renowned Nigerian producer and director Kunle Afolayan, also made its mark. The movie clinched two significant categories, Best Achievement in Production Design and the Ousmane Sembene award for Best Film in an African Language. Afolayan’s work demonstrated his commitment to storytelling and the visual arts, impressing both critics and the audience.
The Africa Movie Academy Awards celebrated not only established talents but also emerging voices in African cinema. It was a night of diversity, recognizing filmmakers from different African countries and the African diaspora who contributed to the industry’s growth and evolution.
See the full list of nominees and winners at the AMAA 2023 awards below.
Efere Ozaka Award For Best Short Film
Lions (Ethiopia) – Winner
Riel (Namibia)
Enmity Djin (Mauritania)
Jubril Malaifia Award For Best Animation
Lost (Uganda)
Azania Rises (South Africa)
Jabari (Ghana) – Winner
Bashorum Gaa (Nigeria)
Best Documentary
Africa Cradle of Humanity and Modern Civilization (Senegal/Canada)
Nightlife in Lasgidi (Nigeria)
Maayo Wonaa Keerol – The River is not a Border (Senegal)
Ifine (Beauty) (Sierra Leone)
Le Spectre de Boko Haram (Cameroon) – Winner
Ousmane Sembene Award For Best Film In An African Language
Pusha Pressa Phanda (South Africa)
Anikulapo (Nigeria) – Winner
The Kitera Chronicle (Uganda)
Four Walls (South Africa)
Mami Wata (Nigeria)
Michael Anyiam Osigwe Award For Best Film By An African-Born Director Living Abroad
Talia’s Journey (Senegal/Belgium) – Christophe Rolin
Golden Stripes (Nigeria/UK) – Peace Osigbe
KOFA (Nigeria/Canada) – Jude Idada – Winner
Apoline Traore – Best Director
Best Diaspora Short Film
We Were Meant To (United States) – directed by Tari Wariebi
The Ballad of Olive Morris (United Kingdom) – directed by Alex Kayode-Kay
Fifty-Four Days (United Kingdom) – directed by Cat White and Phoebe Torrance
Raw Materials (Jamaica) – Directed by Sosiessia Nixon – Winner
Best Diaspora Documentary
Sound of the Police (United States) – Directed by Stanley Nelson – Winner
Fantastico Negrito – Have You Lost Your Mind Yet (United States) – directed by Yvan Iturriaga and Francisco Nuñez
Black Rio (Brazil) – directed by Fernando Sousa and Gabriel Barbosa
Best Diaspora Narrative Feature
Cheese (Trinidad & Tobago) – directed by Damian Marcano
Our Father, The Devil (United States) – Directed by Ellie Foumbi – Winner
The Pastor and the Revolutionary (Brazil) – directed by José Eduardo Belmonte
Best Achievement in Production Design
Pat Nebo – Anikulapo – Nigeria – Winner
Eve Martin – Omen – DRC
Sira – Burkina Faso
Antoine Nshimiyimana – Fight Like a Girl – Rwanda
Chantel Carter – Gereza – South Africa
Rokhaya Niang – Best Actress In a Supporting Role
Best Achievement in Costume Design
Bunmi Demilola Fashina – Mami Wata – Nigeria
Toyin Bifarin Ogundeji – Anikulapo – Nigeria
Millicent Jack – 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four) – Nigeria
Djibril Drame – Xalé – Senegal – Winner
Elkehoste and Baloji Omen – DRC
Sidi Ouedraogo Sira – Burkina Faso
Best Achievement in Make-Up
Campell Precious Arebamen – Mami Wata – Nigeria – Winner
Hakeem Effect and Toyin Bifarin Ogundeji – Anikulapo – Nigeria
Lila Vander Elst – Omen – DRC
Our Lady of the Chinese Shop – Angola
Omowunmi Okungbure – Gangs of Lagos – Nigeria
Best Achievement in Soundtrack
Fight Like a Girl – Rwanda – Winner
L’Axe Lourd (The Highway) – Cameroon
Gereza – South Africa
Omen – DRC
Obinna Arua – 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four) – Nigeria
Best Achievement in Visual Effects
Andrej Gregori, Voranc Kumar, Ziga Radulji -Omen – DRC
Alexandre Dachkevitch – Mami Wata – Nigeria
Josh Borrill – The Trade – Nigeria
Emmanuel Bassey – Gangs of Lagos – Nigeria – Winner
Baloji – First Debut Feature By A Director
Best Achievement in Sound
Juliana Oswald – Our Lady of the Chinese Shop – Angola
Vianney Aube – Sira – Burkina Faso – Winner
Erik Griekspoor – Omen – DRC
Samy Bardet – Mami Wata – Nigeria
Michel Tsagli – Xalé – Senegal
Best Achievement in Cinematography
Lilis Soares – Mami Wata – Nigeria – Winner
Joachim Philippe – Omen – DRC
Richard Henkels – Fight Like a Girl – Rwanda
Thomas Wilski – Talia’s Journey – Senegal/Belgium
Eduardo Kropotkine – Our Lady of the Chinese Shop – Angola
Best Achievement in Editing
Nathan Delannoy – Mami Wata – Nigeria
Bertrand Conard – Omen – DRC – Winner
Sylvie Gadner – Sira – Burkina Faso
Layla Swart – Gereza
Matthew Leutwyler – Fight Like a Girl
Best Achievement in Screenplay
C.J. ‘Fiery’ Obasi – Mami Wata – Nigeria
Ufuoma MeHHri – 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four) – Nigeria
Moussa Sene Absa, Pierre Magny, Ben Diogay Beye – Xalé – Senegal – Winner
Matthew Leutwyler – Fight Like a Girl – Rwanda
National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVB) Award for Best Nigerian Film
Mami Wata – Winner
Anikulapo
4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four)
Gangs of Lagos
The Trade
L.I.F.E.
Brotherhood
Best Young/Promising Actor
Maleek Sanni – Gangs of Lagos – Winner
Ewube -L’axe Lourd (The Highway
Darisimi Nadi – Obara’m
Sanou Titiama – Le chant des fusils (The Song of the Rifle
Eyiyemi Afolyan – Anikulapo
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Francis Onwuchei – The Trade – Nigeria
Jeff Jackson – Four Walls – South Africa
Hakeem Kae-Kazim – Fight Like a Girl – Rwanda
Jimmy-Jean Louis – Rise – Winner
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Uzoamaka Aniunoh – Mami Wata – Nigeria
Rokhaya Niang – Xalé – Senegal – Winner
Clarck Natmbwe – Fight Like a Girl – Rwanda
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Richard Mofe Demalo – 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four) – Nigeria
Marc Zunga – Omen – DRC
Fenando Kamugisha – The Fallen Advocate –Uganda
Tobi Bakre – Brotherhood – Nigeria – Winner
Justine Murichii – Shimoni – Kenya
Mike Danon – Sira – Burkina Faso
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Lucie Debay – Omen – DRC
Ehle Mbali Mlotshwa – 4 Walls – South Africa
Nafissatou Sisse – Sira – Burkina Faso
Adesua Etomi – Gangs of Lagos – Nigeria
Nse Ikpe Etim – 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four) – Nigeria – Winner
Bimbo Ademoye – Anikulapo – Nigeria
Ama Qamata – Fight Like a Girl – Rwanda
First Debut Feature by a Director
Baloji – Omen – DRC – Winner
Ery Claver – Our Lady of the Chinese Shop – Angola
Jean Elliot Ilboudo (le Chant des fusils) The Song of the Riffle – Cameron
Best Director
Moussa Sene Absa – Xalé
C.J. ‘Fiery’ Obasi – Mami Wata
Baloji – Omen
Apolline Traore – Sira – Winner
Izu Ojukwu – 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four)
Kunle Afolayan – Anikulapo
Kgosana Monchusi, Menzi Mzimela, Juvaiś Dunn – 4 Walls
Best Film
Xalé- Senegal – Winner
Mami Wata – Nigeria
4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four) Nigeria
Omen – DRC
4 Walls – South Africa
Sira – Burkina Faso
Anikulapo – Nigeria
Nollywood actress Lizzy Anjorin has questioned the authenticity of an interim order issued by the Lagos State High Court on 2 September 2026, restraining her from publishing photographs of Priscilla Ojo’s one-year-old son, Rakeem Mkambala, and from posting editorials concerning the family on specified social media platforms.
Anjorin raised the issue during an Instagram Live session on Friday, 4 September, after Priscilla shared a copy of the court order online.
The actress argued that publicising court documents before formally serving the respondent undermines the case.
“Your case na dead on arrival. If you post court letter on any platform before serving person wey you wan go serve, that court case na fake court case,” Anjorin said during the live session.
Her comments came shortly after the High Court of Lagos State granted an ex parte application brought by Priscilla, her husband, Tanzanian singer Juma Mussa Mkambala, and their son, Rakeem.
Justice Yetunde Adesanya issued the interim order in Suit No. LD/ADR/6646/2026.
The order restrains Anjorin, as well as people acting under her authority, from publishing, posting, circulating, uploading or broadcasting photographs of Rakeem on specified social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and TikTok.
The court also directed Anjorin to cease publishing or broadcasting editorials concerning the applicants on the platforms covered by the order.
An ex parte order is made at an interim stage without the respondent being heard. The order is therefore not a final determination of the dispute and remains subject to further proceedings.
Priscilla shared the certified copy of the order on her Instagram Story on Friday, bringing the legal development into public view.
Anjorin’s reaction centres on the timing and manner in which the court documents were publicised. Her assertion that such publication makes a case “fake” is her own claim and is not a finding contained in the court order.
The development marks another chapter in the prolonged public dispute between Anjorin and Priscilla’s family, particularly Priscilla’s mother, actress Iyabo Ojo.
The disagreement has played out largely on social media and has previously resulted in legal action, including a ₦1 billion defamation suit filed by Iyabo Ojo against Anjorin.
In recent weeks, the dispute has also drawn Priscilla and her young son into the controversy, following public comments by Anjorin concerning the family.
Kesiena Tony Adjekpovu, popularly known as Kess, has said that participating in Big Brother Naija can make life harder, offering a candid reflection on the challenges that may come with the reality television experience.
The former Big Brother Naija housemate made the comment in a statement shared on social media, where he suggested that winning or simply taking part in the reality show does not necessarily make life easier after leaving the house.
“Big Brother makes your life harder,” Kess said.
The remark has drawn attention because life after reality television can bring a different set of expectations, particularly as former housemates adjust to increased public attention and the pressure that can accompany visibility.
Kess was a housemate on the seventh season of Big Brother Naija, which aired in 2022. He entered the show as a businessman and was among the contestants who competed for the season’s grand prize.
His time on the programme also placed him in the public eye, giving viewers an opportunity to follow his personality and relationships inside the house.
Kess’s latest comment offers a more reflective view of the reality TV platform, suggesting that the experience does not end when a contestant leaves the house.
However, he did not provide further details in the available post explaining which specific aspects of life after Big Brother he was referring to.
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