All eyes will be on the Eko Convention Centre of Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, tonight as African movie stars and stakeholders throng there to see which movie and actor that will win the trophies as Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards,AMVCAs, holds.However, some nominees are already tipped as potential winners no matter how one wants to look at it. And one of such nominees is star actress Funke Akindele best known as “Jenifa’s Diary” star.
The actress is reputed to be the most awarded Best Actress in Comedy category at the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards, AMVCA, right from the inception. It’s on record that the comic actress has won the coveted award a total of five times in the past, establishing her role as a queen of comedy as well as solidifying her respectable place in the Nigerian movie industry.
At the second edition of the AMVCA in 2014, Akindele won the Best Actress in Comedy for her role in the 2013 movie, “The Return of Sheri Koko.” Also, in the 2016 and 2017 editions, the actress repeated the feat, winning her second and third AMVCA awards for Best Actress in Comedy for her role as Jenifa in “Jenifa’s Diary.” Not done yet, the star actress came back in 2020 to win the Best Actress in Comedy award again for her performance in “Moms at War.”
She clinched her fifth Best Actress in Comedy award in 2022 for her stellar performance in “Omo Ghetto: The Saga.” And this year, the producer of the highest grossing movie in Nigeria, “A Tribe Called Judah” is back again to consolidate on her wins.
She’s nominated in the Best Lead Actress category for role in her movie, “A Tribe Called Judah.” This time , the Jenifa Diary’ star, will have the likes of Segilola Ogidan (Over The Bridge), Lucie Debay (Omen), Omowunmi Dada (Asiri Ade), Ireti Doyle (The Origin: Madam Koi Koi), Kehinde Bankole (Adire), Evelyne Ily (Mami Wata) and Adaobi Dibor (Blood Vessel) to beat in order to clinch the award for the sixth times. Can she pull through?
Looking at the strength and performances of other contenders, it would be difficult to conclude Akindele will easily coast home to victory. For instance, Ireti Doyle’s stellar performance in the Netflix TV Series and first horror series from Nollywood, “The Origin: Madam Koi Koi”is one to be applauded. Critics described her role as ‘Madam Superior’ in the movie as the best portrayal that the 56-year-old actress has given in recent times and it’s not unlikely that she’s a potential winner of the award. Just as one cannot overlook the strength and performances of the likes of Adaobi Dibor, Kehinde Bankole and Segilola Ogidan which pose a serious threat to Funke Akindele’s clinching the coveted award.