AMAA 2023: Who wins Best Actor and Actress in a leading role crest?

Nigeria got five spots on the award slate of the 2023 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) in the best actor and actress in a leading role category.

When curtain opens on the 19th edition of the prestigious and highly coveted AMAA on Saturday, October 28, popular actor and multiple award winner Richard Mofe-Damijo (Four Four Forty Four), the actor Tobi Bakre (Brotherhood), Adesua Etomi (King Of Boys), Nse Ikpe Etim (Four Four Forty Four) and Bimbo Ademoye (Anikulapo) will be battling for honours with other top acting celebrities from other parts of the continent including DRC’s Marc Zinga (Omen), Burkina Faso’s Mike Danon (Sira), Rwanda’s Ama Qamata (Fight Like A Girl) and South Africa’s Ehle Mbali Mlotshwa (Four Walls).

Described by observers as a category with a tough line up, observers predict that any of these acting personalities from Nigeria look good to clinching the diadem that will undoubtedly mark a career peak for some of them. So, who among these acting personalities will do Nollywood proud at the AMAA?

Adesua Etomi Wellington (Gangs Of Lagos)
Beautiful and talented wife of the Singer Banky Wellington, Adesua earns her third AMAA nomination. The actress with an amazing talent was nominated in 2016 for her unerring role in ‘Falling’, the movie by Niyi Akimolayan but she didn’t win. The recipient of the 2016 edition of the AMVCA for best actress earned another nomination in 2019 in the best supporting actress category for her role as Kemi in King Of Boys (KOB). This time, Adesua is on the slate as a nominee for the category of best actress in a leading role.

Observers have tipped her to return from the award ceremony with the crest. A thorough bred professional, Adesua has from an appearance in her short film ‘Brave’ to a leading performance in that engaging telling by Royal Pictures Academy ‘Knocking on Heavens Door’ and the groundbreaking television series ‘Gidi Up’, shown stuff and has proven that she is that actress any good producer should engage if he or she wants someone who can live a role believably.

Born in Owerri, Imo State, to a father who is from Edo State, Adesua acts with a lot of depth. She throws herself into a role and makes every role she has played seem as though it was written with her in mind. If she gets the crest, it will be the first AMAA win for the star of ‘King of Boys’, ‘Muna’ and ‘The Wedding Party’.

An actor with his eyes on the summit, this is the first AMAA nomination for the actor, model, show host who is also known for ‘Sugar Rush’, ‘The Blood Covenant’ and ‘Mokalik’. Tobi, who made his first big appearance on the Big Brother Nigeria reality show where he emerged second runner up of 20 housemates, showed stuff and lived the lead role of the twin of a cop caught on the other side of the law in ‘Brotherhood’ delightfully.

The actor, who was born and raised in Lagos, has gone ahead to secure roles in some highly anticipated movies such as ‘The Other Side of the Bridge’ and ‘Post Cards’.

Nse Ikpe Etim (Four Four Forty-Four)
Leading actress, Nse Ikpe Etim, is on the nomination grid and on the category of best actress in a leading role. Nse earned the nomination for her unerring role interpretation in the movie by Izu Ojukwu titled ‘Four Four Forty-Four’ (4-4-44).

The University of Calabar trained actress has been nominated thrice for the AMAA. This is her fourth nomination. She was nominated in the fifth edition of the prestigious award scheme for her co-lead role in Emem Isong’s ‘Reloaded’. The writer and engaging show host was also nominated at the eight edition for her role in the critically acclaimed ‘Mr and Mrs’ by Chinwe Egwuagu. Nse’s role as Isioma in Ogo Okpue’s ‘A Song From The Dark’ earned the actress her third nomination in 2019.

Observers say she looks too good to win the crest this time around considering her inimitable portrayal in ‘Four Four Forty-Four’. An incredible talent and recipient of the Best Actress crest at the Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards in 2014, Nse is star of critically acclaimed movies such as ‘Phone Swap’, ‘Journey To Self’, and ‘King of Boys II’.

Richard Mofe-Damijo (Four Four Forty Four)
Notable actor, Richard Mofe-Damijo or RMD for short, is in nomination for the leading actor’s award for his role in Izu Ojukwu’s ‘Four Four Forty-Four’. RMD is not new to AMAA nominations.

The Delta State-born actor of vast credit has been nominated four times and he has hugged the AMAA crest for best actor in a leading role twice. He was voted best actor in the maiden edition of the award, held in Bayelsa in 2006 and he was awarded the crest in 2018 for his role in Seyi Siwoku’s ‘Cross Roads’. RMD was nominated in 2019 for his role in the comic film by Opa Williams titled ‘Three Wise Men’. If RMD grabs the award at this edition of the AMAA, it will be triple AMAA recognition for him and it will be recorded as the first actor to win the leading actor award thrice. An approachable, quintessential, magnetic and immensely talented actor, RMD who served as Delta State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism under the Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan administration, has signed a few works as producer and he has a rich pouch of motion picture appearances. A world-class material, RMD has had a remarkable career as an actor and has indeed enjoyed super roles on stage, on the movie turf and outside the turf.

Bimbo Ademoye (Ademoye)
Bimbo Ademoye is on the nomination list in the category of best actress in a leading role. Her performance in Kunle Afolayan’s ‘Anikulapo’ earned the Business Administration graduate of Covenant University her first AMAA nomination. A recipient of the 2023 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award (AMVCA) for best actress in a comedy/television series, she has starred in a number of critically acclaimed movies such as ‘Nneka the Pretty Serpent’ (2020), ‘Creepy Lives Here’ (2021), ‘Lies in Between’ (2021) and ‘Jagun Jagun’ (2023)