AMAA 2022: King Sunny Ade, P-Square thrill audience
Last Sunday, which was the 18th edition of the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAAs), will remain memorable to attendees and winners, as Nigerian films led with a total of eight awards.
At the glamorous ceremony that had King Sunny Ade serenading nominees, African film enthusiasts, and practitioners, Tanzania’s Tug of War and South Africa’s Surviving Gaza came after Nigeria with four awards each, while Borga, a film shot by a German director in Ghana, came next with three awards.
Other films that won different categories include Somalia and Kenya’s Ayaanle, Senegal’s Astel, Uganda’s No way out and Tembele, USA’s Contraband, Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story and Peru’s The Rumba King.
This year’s edition of the film awards was held at the Jewel Aeida Hall, Lekki, Lagos, with Funnybone, Chigul, and Kachi Offia taking the host position. The continental awards ceremony was televised live on StarTimes channels.
The Nigerian flag shone like a bright star with films by Nigerians and Nigerian directors winning a total of eight awards. The Nigerian films that won the eight awards are Bolanle Austen Peters’ Man of God with two awards, Kunle Afolayan’s Swallow with two awards, Tope Oshin’s Here love lies with one award, Tunde Aina’s Underbelly with one award, Ogo Okpue’s A Song from the Dark with one award and Walter Banger’s Jolly Roger.
With several nominees from different parts of Africa and the diaspora in attendance, the evening also saw thrilling performances from P-Square, Choc City’s Young Jon, Candy Bleakz, Zadok, and Yinka Davies.
Two of the high points of the awards ceremony include P-Square’s performance and King Sunny Ade’s two-time performance on the AMAA stage.
Speaking at the event, Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, the founder of AMAA and Chief Executive Officer of the African Film Academy chided African filmmakers for shunning ego and embracing more collaborations to enhance the growth of the African film industry.
She stressed the need for film practitioners in Africa to unite and chart a pathway for African leaders in supporting the creative sector.
The event had in attendance Commissioner for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Pharmacist Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf with her husband, Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Education, Tokunbo Wahab, the Jury led by Keith Shiri, Shaibu Husseini, Steve Ayorinde, and several film practitioners that include Richard Mofe Damijo, Keppy Ekpeyong Bassey, Idowu Phillips, Bimbo Manuel, Jennifer Eliogu, David Akande, Dickson Iroegbu, Wole Ojo, Daniel K. Daniel, Enyinna Nwigwe, Deyemi Okanlawon, Yemi Blaq, Osas Ighodaro, Denrele Edun, Sola Fajobi, bTony Akposeri, Osita Iheme amongst several others.
