The 2024 AMVCA nominee list is a testament to the fact that the Nigerian movie industry continues to grow and expand, showcasing both the quality of films nominated and the calibre of male and female nominees. This year, we’ve witnessed some very intriguing nominations, but our focus will be on the men whose nominations were well-deserved.
We start our list with every girl's sugar-daddy spec, Richard Mofe Damijo, popularly known as RMD. RMD, a Nigerian actor, writer, producer, lawyer, and former journalist, began his acting career in the late 1980s on the widely watched Nigerian television show, Ripples. He has been featured in notable films such as King of Boys: The Return of The King, Diamond Ring, and Out of Bounds. His outstanding performance as the lead actor in Editi Effiong’s action thriller, "The Black Book," which received five nominations, earned him a spot on the 10th AMVCA nominee list in the Best Lead Actor category.
If you have watched Phone Swap, The CEO, Meet the Adebanjo and Alter Ego, you will agree that Wale Ojo’s AMVCA nomination is well-deserved. Wale Ojo, a British Nigerian actor, started as a child actor on television and continued to act in both the UK and Nigeria. He gained prominence in 1995 for his role in The Hard Case. This year, Wale Ojo’s nomination as best lead actor came because of his compelling performance in the drama ‘Breath of Life,” which received nine additional nominations, including the Best Supporting Actor category.
Gabriel Afolayan, also known as G Fresh, is another fine actor who makes it to our list. The 39-year-old musician and actor has starred in movies such as Citation, Golden Statue, and Gone. He is also a familiar face in the Yoruba movie industry. His performance in the movie “This is Lagos” earned him a nomination in the best lead actor category.
Keeping with the narrative, another talent deserving recognition is Adedimeji Lateef. Lateef, a Nigerian actor and filmmaker, gained popularity with his first major role in Yewande Adekoya's 2013 movie titled Kudi Klepto. In recent times, we have seen Lateef entertain us with his performance in English movies such as Breaded Life, Stranger, and Hotel Lamba. His nomination is for his stellar performance as best lead actor in the epic drama “Jagun Jagun,” which also received a nomination in the Best Indigenous Language Film category.
Another noteworthy talent is Stanley Ebuka Nzediegwu, known professionally as Stan Nze. Stan, no stranger to the Nigerian movie scene and the AMVCA, won an AMVCA Award in 2020 under the 'Best Actor in Drama' category for his role in the remake of Amaka Igwe's Rattlesnake. This year, he has been nominated in the Best Lead Actor category for his performance in the compelling Igbo apprenticeship system movie, Afamefuna. Stan will compete against talents such as Wale Ojo, Gideon Okeke, David Ezekiel, Richard Mofe Damijo, Adedimeji Lateef, and Gabriel Afolayan. We wish him the best of luck.
Our list is not complete without mentioning the male talents nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category. They include Demola Adedoyin (Breath of Life), Ibrahim Yekini aka Itele d Icon (Jagun Jagun: The Warrior), Gregory Ojefua (This is Life), Timini Egbuson (A Tribe Called Judah), Levi Chikere (Blood Vessel), and Ropo Ewenla (Over the Bridge).
The 10th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards is brought to viewers by Africa Magic in partnership with Amstel Malta as the lead sponsor. The award show is scheduled for the 11th of May with a live broadcast across all Africa Magic Channels on DStv and GOtv.