Nollywood actress and filmmaker, Funke Akindele, failed to secure a win at the 12th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards despite the strong online attention surrounding her movie, Behind The Scenes.
The Best Supporting Actress award eventually went to Linda Ejiofor for her performance in The Herd.
Many fans had expected Akindele to clinch an award after her film, which reportedly grossed over ₦2 billion at the box office, received nominations in four categories including Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Lead Actress and Best Movie.
However, Ejiofor emerged victorious in a highly competitive category that also featured Akindele, whose role in “Behind The Scenes” generated massive conversations online ahead of the ceremony.
Other nominees in the category included Bisola Aiyeola for “Gingerrr,” Sola Sobowale for “The Covenant,” Nadia Dutch for “Aljana,” Amal Umar for “The Herd,” Juliebrenda Nyambura for “MTV Shuga Mashariki,” and Olamide Kidbaby for “Oversabi Aunty.”
“The Herd,” which earned Ejiofor the award, is a satirical drama that explores insecurity and social challenges facing Nigerians. In the movie, she played the wife of a kidnapped man portrayed by Daniel Etim-Effiong.
Although “The Herd” recorded a more modest cinema performance compared to “Behind The Scenes,” the film reportedly gained significant attention on streaming platforms and secured multiple AMVCA nominations.
Prior to the ceremony, Funke Akindele had topped several online prediction polls conducted by entertainment blogs and movie influencers. However, the final decision rested with the AMVCA jury chaired by veteran actress Joke Silva.
In the Best Supporting Actor category, Bucci Franklin won for his role as “Oboz” in To Kill A Monkey.
Other nominees included Lateef Adedimeji for “Gingerrr” and “Red Circle,” Gabriel Afolayan for “Colours Of Fire,” Femi Adebayo for “King Of Thieves 2,” Femi Branch for “Owambe Thieves,” Uzor Arukwe for “Behind The Scenes,” and Simileoluwa Hassan for “The Yard.”