The Story⚡
The AMVCA 12-nominee list was released on March 29, and while a handful of titles cleaned up, the glaring omissions of several major stars and directors have become the main topic of conversation.
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The Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) officially released the nominees for its 12th edition during a live broadcast on Africa Magic channels on Sunday, March 29, 2026, hosted by AMVCA-winning actor Chimezie Imo. Gingerrr and The Herd each picked up nine nominations, To Kill A Monkey followed with eight, and My Father’s Shadow secured seven. The list covers 32 categories in total, but what has drawn the most attention are the noticeable omissions and the projects that performed better than expected.
Stella Damasus Snubbed for Best Lead Actress
Veteran actress Stella Damasus, known for her decades of consistent work across film and television, did not land a nomination in the Best Lead Actress category. Her absence has surprised many who expected her name to appear, especially given the calibre of roles she has taken on in recent productions.
Daniel Etim Effiong Snubbed for Best Lead Actor
Daniel Etim Effiong directed The Herd and also appears in its lead cast, yet he received no nod in the Best Lead Actor category. With his project earning the joint-highest total of nine nominations, the omission of his acting performance stands out as one of the more unexpected decisions made.
Tobi Bakre Snubbed for Best Supporting Actor
Popular actor Tobi Bakre did not receive a nomination in the Best Supporting Actor category. Given his previous AMVCA wins and steady presence in recent productions, the omission has been noted by fans as one of the more surprising exclusions from the acting shortlists.
Kemi Adetiba Snubbed for Best Director
Kemi Adetiba, one of the most respected directors working in African cinema, was not nominated in the Best Director category even though her series To Kill A Monkey collected eight nominations overall. The project picked up nods in acting, writing, cinematography, and technical areas, making the directorial snub particularly noticeable.
My Father’s Shadow Makes a Strong Showing
Linda Ejiofor and Sola Sobowale Earn Double Acting Nods
Two experienced actresses received recognition in both lead and supporting categories. Linda Ejiofor is nominated for Best Lead Actress for The Serpent’s Gift and Best Supporting Actress for The Herd. Sola Sobowale appears in both the Best Lead Actress and Best Supporting Actress fields. The dual nods underline the strength and range of their performances this year.
Emmanuel Igbekele Secures Three Cinematography Nominations
Cinematographer Emmanuel Igbekele received three separate nominations in the Best Cinematography category for The Herd, The Serpent’s Gift, and Gingerrr. Having his work recognised across three different projects in a single awards cycle is a rare achievement and highlights the technical quality on display this season.
Nomination Counter Shows a Tight Race at the Top
The full nomination tally highlights how closely contested the major categories have become:
Gingerrr – 9
The Herd – 9
To Kill A Monkey – 8
My Father’s Shadow – 7
The Serpent’s Gift – 6
3 Cold Dishes – 6
Behind The Scenes – 5
The top four titles account for the bulk of attention, but the next tier of projects with six and five nominations each shows that the competition extends deeper than first expected.
In Summary
Gingerrr and The Herd, with nine nominations apiece, are positioned to pick up multiple awards at the May 9 ceremony, while To Kill A Monkey and My Father’s Shadow remain close behind with strong chances in the technical and major categories. Linda Ejiofor and Sola Sobowale are among the actors most likely to take home acting honours.
Viewers can cast votes in the 11 public categories right now at www.africamagic.tv/amvca. You can also check out the full list of nominees on shockng.
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