Garden City hots up for AMAA

Mike Ezuronye, Germain, Lioane Take Centre Stage

Port Harcourt, the capital city of Rivers State, has been in a frenzy mood since yesterday, as celebrities and stakeholders in the motion picture industry from across Africa and beyond, stormed the Garden City for this year’s Africa Movie Academy Award (AMAA), with Governor Nyesom Wike as host.

Meanwhile, it’s been confirmed that the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, will, this evening, lead the Federal Government delegation to the most prestigious and respected Pan-African awards designed to celebrate and recognise practitioners in the motion picture industry.

The 2016 AMAAs will have Ghana Musician, Jon Germain, Nollywood actor Mike Ezeuronye and very popular South African Radio Personality, Kgopedi Lioane as the show hosts at the event, which holds at the Obi Wali International Conference Centre, Port Harcourt.

According to the Director of Administration of AMAA Mr. Tony Anih, the 2016 awards event will be the 12th consecutive edition and the 11th time it will hold in Nigeria, having been hosted in 2015 by the City of Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

“It is a great development in the evolution of AMAA that we are back home this year having made the first voyage outside Nigeria last year to South Africa. We are indeed grateful to His Excellency, Governor Nyesom Wike, the government and good people of Rivers State for accepting to host us this year. We are set to forge a good relationship with the state, going forward. Rivers State is a very strong brand and partnering with AMAA, an equally strong continental awards brand will provide a win-win for the state and the work we do to promote Africa to the rest of the world through our films,” said Mr. Anih.

On the readiness of the State to host the guests coming from over 40 countries within and outside Africa and security, Mr. Anih said Governor Wike and his government have made adequate arrangement to ensure visitors and residents in the state live in peace and harmony.

“Rivers State is a very secured State. Port Harcourt is not just called the Garden City for nothing. It is a city bustling with energy and creativity. Visitors and our international guests will have a good and exciting experience.”

The Board of Jurors of AMAA, which has members from the academics, filmmakers, critics and Film Festival curators from Nigeria, Germany, United States, Zimbabwe, Jamaica and Burkina Faso will decide on which film and individual talents that will emerge eventual winners in the 28 categories.