Entertainment
Nollywood Films Shine At The 2024 Africa Movie Academy Awards [Full List]
The 2024 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) celebrated African cinema’s finest on Saturday, November 2, 2024, in a grand ceremony held at the Balmoral Convention Centre in Lagos.
Marking its 20th anniversary, the prestigious event, hosted by Nollywood veteran Segun Arinze and Ghanaian actress Joselyn Dumas, awarded standout films and talent across the continent.
READ MORE: New Tax Reforms Will Benefit All Regions Equally – Tinubu
The AMAA, founded in 2005, continues its mission to spotlight African film, honoring both veteran and emerging filmmakers.
Among the evening’s biggest winners were the Nollywood films Jagun Jagun and The Weekend, both securing multiple awards.
Daniel Oriahi’s The Weekend was a significant highlight, taking home the coveted Best Film award alongside honors for Achievement in Cinematography and Best Screenplay.
Starring industry heavyweights like Keppy Ekpenyong-Bassey, Uzoamaka Aniunoh, and Gloria Anozie, the film drew accolades for its powerful storytelling and compelling visuals.
Jagun Jagun, a gripping Yoruba action film directed by Adebayo Tijani and Tope Adebayo, also made an impressive impact.
Here’s a full list of winners from the 2024 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA):
BEST FILM
The Weekend — WINNER
Under The Hanging Tree
This is Lagos
A Smile, A Wink and A Tear
Orah
Letters to Goddo
The Queenstown Kings
ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Weekend — WINNER
Nawi
Kipkemboi
Letters to Goddo
This is Lagos
The Queenstown Kings
A Smile, A Wink and A Tear
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Femi Adebayo (Jagun Jagun) — WINNER
Sandile Mahlangu (The Queenstown Kings)
Ochungo Benson (Nawi)
Keppy Ekpeyong-Bassey (The Weekend)
Ikechukwu Onunaku (This is Lagos)
Lucky Ejim (Orah)
Solomon Fixon Owoo (Letters to Goddo)
ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP
Jagun Jagun — WINNER
The Weekend
Nawi
Letters to Goddo
Out of Breath
Anjola
White and Black
ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECT
Jagun Jagun — WINNER
Kipkemboi
Under The Hanging Tree
The Weekend
Bokwagter
Out of Breath
ACHIEVEMENT IN SCREENPLAY
The Weekend — WINNER
Under The Hanging Tree
Letter To Goddo
This is Lagos
Boda Love
The Queenstown Kings
Out of Breath
NATIONAL FILM AND VIDEO CENSORS BOARD (NFVCB) AWARD FOR BEST NIGERIAN FILM
The Weekend — WINNER
This is Lagos
Afamefuna
Jagun Jagun
Mai Martaba
A Smile, A Wink and A Tear
Out of Breath
EFERE OZAKO AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM
The Last Shoe Maker (Uganda) – WINNER
Seben (Mali)
Dear Future Wife (South Africa)
Isolated (Nigeria)
Joia (Angola)
Strike A Blow And Die (Malawi)
Don’t Call Me Beautiful (Ghana)
Sins Of A Father (Zimbabwe/USA)
JUBRIL MALAFIA AWARD FOR BEST ANIMATION
Counter Punch (Kenya) – WINNER
Heavy Crown (Libya)
Journey of the Legend (Cameroon)
Hadu (Nigeria)
Between Paya and Koulou (Senegal)
Oya (The goddess of gods) (Nigeria)
Set Pieces (Sudan)
BEST DOCUMENTARY
The Night Still Smells of Gun Powder (Mozambique) – WINNER
A Quand L’Afrique (Congo Brazzaville)
The Return Train (Mali)
Gateway To Dreams (Cameroon)
Rainbow Nation (South Africa)
Dela- The Making of EL-Anatsui (Nigeria)
Donga (Libya)
Rising Up At Night (DRC)
BEST DIASPORA SHORT FILM
The Neighbourhood Alert (USA) – WINNER
Bottled Up (Jamaica)
The Golden Boy (USA)
BEST DIASPORA DOCUMENTARY
The Wu-Tang Clan: Live at Red Rocks Amphitheatre (USA) – WINNER
A Rising Tide (USA)
Colour (USA)
BEST DIASPORA NARRATIVE FEATURE
Outlaw Posse (USA) – WINNER
Mickey Hardaway (USA)
Love After Holidays (USA)
MICHAEL ANYIAM OSIGWE AWARD FOR BEST FILM BY AN AFRICAN LIVING ABROAD
Under The Hanging Tree (Namibia/UK) – WINNER
Out Of Breath (Nigeria/UK)
Orah (Nigeria/Canada)
Isolated (Nigeria/UK)
Kipkemboi (Nigeria/Canada)
OUSMANE SEMBENE AWARD FOR BEST FILM IN AN AFRICAN LANGUAGE
The Queenstown Kings (South Africa) – WINNER
Makula (Uganda)
Jagun Jagun (Nigeria)
Kaka (Nigeria)
Eskhalemi Sikantombella (South Africa)
Unheard (Uganda)
Out of Breath (Nigeria)
ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN
Mai Martaba – WINNER
The Beads
The Weekend
White and Black
Jagun Jagun
The Queenstown Kings
Out of Breath
ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUNDTRACK
Boda Love – WINNER
The Weekend
Under the Hanging Tree
The Queenstown Kings
Orah
Mojisola
Red Carpet
ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND
The Queenstown Kings — WINNER
A Smile, A Wink and A Tear
The Weekend
Under the Hanging Tree
Boda Love
Kipkemboi
ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN
Out of Breath — WINNER
Orah
The Queenstown Kings
The Weekend
Jagun Jagun
Kipkemboi
Makula
ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING
Under The Hanging Tree — WINNER
The Weekend
This is Lagos
Nawi
Kipkemboi
The Beads
Anjola
BEST YOUNG/PROMISING ACTOR
Michell Lemuya (Nawi) — WINNER
Likhona Mgali (The Queenstown Kings)
Agape Mngomezulu (Orah)
William Dias (Bokwagter)
Kofi Adu-Gyamfi (Tejiri)
Ruby Akubueze (She)
Fatima Muhammed (Mai Martaba)
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Elsie Chidera Abang (Kipkemboi) — WINNER
Meg Otanwa (The Weekend)
Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa (The Queenstown Kings)
Tessa Twala (The Queenstown Kings)
Bukunmi Oluwashina (White and Black)
Somkele Iyamah-Idhalamah (Orah)
Chioma Akpotha (Mojisola)
BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Zolixa Xaluva (The Queenstown Kings) — WINNER
Gabriel Afolayan (This is Lagos)
Duncan Murunyu Mungai (Boda Love)
Nenesenor Abloso (Letters to Goddo)
Bucci Franklin (The Weekend)
Femi Jacobs (Anjola)
Chidi Mokeme (Out of Breath)
BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Jackie Appiah (Red Carpet) — WINNER
Girley Jazama (Under The Hanging Tree)
Oyin Oladejo (Orah)
Unati Faku (The Queenstown Kings)
Uzoamaka Aniunoh (The Weekend)
Laura Pepple (This is Lagos)
Efe Irele (A Smile, A Wink and A Tear)
BEST DEBUT FEATURE FILM BY A DIRECTOR
Letters to Goddo (Harry Bentil) — WINNER
Rising Up At Night (Nelson Makengo)
She (Seun Richards)
BEST DIRECTOR
Jahmil X.T Qubeka (The Queenstown Kings) — WINNER
Daniel Emeka Oriahi (The Weekend)
Kenneth Gyang (This Is Lagos)
Perivi Katjavivi (Under The Hanging Tree)
Lonzo Nzekwe (Orah)
Harry Bentil (Letters To Goddo)
Izu Ojukwu (A Smile, A Wink and A Tear)
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Souleymane Cisse (Mali)
Nacer Khemir (Tunisia)
Haile Gerima (Ethiopia)
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Alain Gomis (Senegal/Gabon)
Tsitsi Dangarembga (Zimbabwe)
Entertainment
BBNaija’s Eloswag Responds To Leaked Sextape
Eloswag, a former contestant on Big Brother Naija Season 7, has broken his silence following the release of his private video online.
The reality star reportedly uploaded a clip featuring himself and an unidentified woman on his Snapchat account at approximately 3 a.m. on Sunday.
Though Eloswag swiftly deleted the video, it had already caught the attention of the internet.
The explicit content quickly gained traction after being reposted by the controversial gossip blog, Gistlover, sparking widespread conversations across social media platforms.
In response to the incident, Eloswag took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his frustration and consider possible legal action.
In a now-deleted post, he wrote, “I mistakenly posted a video on my Snapchat by 3am and deleted it immediately, guess who has the video? GISTLOVER? How? Please, can I sue? Because it doesn’t make sense.”
READ MORE: N1.3trn Fraud: EFCC Arrests Ex-Delta Gov, Ifeanyi Okowa
The reality star’s reaction highlights the challenges celebrities face when intimate content finds its way online.
While some supporters have shown empathy, others have engaged in heated debates about the responsibility of public figures in handling their digital content.
Eloswag’s predicament places him alongside other Nigerian celebrities who have dealt with similar scandals, such as Moyo Lawal, Tiwa Savage, Oxlade, and James Brown, whose private videos have previously surfaced online.
Legal experts have weighed in on Eloswag’s potential case, noting that while pursuing legal action against individuals or platforms that share such content can be complex, it is not impossible.
The development has reignited discussions on digital privacy and the ethical responsibilities of content-sharing platforms.
As Eloswag’s fans and critics await further updates, the incident underscores the precarious nature of online privacy and the far-reaching consequences of a single momentary lapse.
Entertainment
Nigerian Contender, Chidimma Adetshina Makes Top 2 On Miss Universe Hot Picks List
Nigeria’s Chidimma Vanessa Adetshina has claimed the No. 2 spot on the Miss Universe Pre-Arrival Hot Picks, solidifying her position as a top contender in the upcoming November 16, 2024, pageant.
As excitement builds for Miss Universe 2024, Adetshina’s ranking has sparked national pride and optimism in Nigeria, with many hopeful she could secure the title.
READ ALSO: Court Orders Arrest Of Dana Air CEO In N1.3bn Fraud Case
Adetshina arrived in Mexico last month to prepare for the competition and has since captured widespread attention.
However, her path to Miss Universe has been marked by challenges.
Initially competing as Miss Taraba in Miss Universe Nigeria, she withdrew from the Miss South Africa pageant following online backlash regarding her nationality and accusations of fraud by the South African Home Office.
This setback, however, did not deter her ambitions.
Her current standing as a top pick underscores her growing international recognition and support, positioning her as a formidable contender ahead of the competition.
Many have taken to social media to voice their support, with some declaring her Nigeria’s best chance yet to secure the Miss Universe crown.
Entertainment
FULL LIST: Nigeria Ranks 5th Worldwide For Daily Social Media Usage
Nigerians have been ranked among the top social media users globally, with 2024 data positioning the country fifth in the world for average daily time spent online.
According to figures from Cable.co.uk and We Are Social, shared by World of Statistics on X, Nigerians spend an average of 3 hours and 23 minutes per day on social media.
Leading the global list is Kenya, where users spend the most time on social media at 3 hours and 43 minutes daily. South Africa follows closely with 3 hours and 37 minutes, Brazil with 3 hours and 34 minutes, and the Philippines at 3 hours and 33 minutes.
READ MORE: Prayers Won’t Build Roads, Fund Children’s Education – Jesse Jagz To Nigerians
With an average of 3 hours and 23 minutes, Nigeria ranks just behind these top four countries in social media engagement.
Other nations with notable social media usage include Colombia at 3 hours and 22 minutes, Chile and Indonesia both at 3 hours and 11 minutes. Completing the top ten are Saudi Arabia and Argentina, with daily averages of 3 hours and 10 minutes and 3 hours and 8 minutes, respectively.
By comparison, some countries report lower social media usage. Ghana averages 2 hours and 43 minutes, Egypt 2 hours and 41 minutes, and Thailand 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Among European countries, social media engagement is generally lower, with Portugal averaging 2 hours and 23 minutes, Romania 2 hours and 20 minutes, and Italy 2 hours and 17 minutes, highlighting significant regional variations in social media usage.
Full list:
Kenya – 03:43
South Africa – 03:37
Brazil – 03:34
Philippines – 03:33
Nigeria – 03:23
Colombia – 03:22
Chile – 03:11
Indonesia – 03:11
Saudi Arabia – 03:10
Argentina – 03:08
Mexico – 03:04
Malaysia – 02:48
Ghana – 02:43
Egypt – 02:41
Thailand – 02:30
Bulgaria – 02:26
Vietnam – 02:23
Portugal – 02:23
Romania – 02:20
Italy – 02:17