Trust Charles Novia to say it as he feels it. Here's his very
interesting review about the Africa Magic Viewers' Choice
Awards which happened last Saturday. Read and let's know if
you agree with him..
At 21:52 pm CAT, when IK Osakioduwa and Vimbai,
hosts of the 2015 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards,
had signed off from the show and brought in P Square, I
was left scratching my head a bit as I walked out slowly
out of the hall with some of the invited guests.
I was puzzled. There was something about this year’s
AMVCA which lacked the punch the last two editions
had. I couldn’t place my finger on it and it kept nagging
me all night as I played the event over and over in my
mind.
You see, I have attended lots of high-profile events and
the AMVCA is one I always
look forward to attending, not just as a filmmaker but
also as a reviewer and this year’s was no exception.
And the chaps at MNET have told me a number of times
that my annual reviews are read sometimes in post-
event meetings and no matter how scathing the reviews
might be in some areas, they good-naturedly take the
corrections and plan to plug loopholes for the next
edition.
And so, I decided to understand more of the behind-the-
scenes planning of the AMVCA this year. A day before
the event, I silently sneaked into the hall at Eko Hotels
and Suites, where I watched the professional crew
rehearse both the presenters and the host and hostess,
painstakingly. No one really noticed me in the hall and
the attention to detail during the rehearsals was
impressive. I only spent thirty minutes in the hall but I
appreciated the efforts put in by the crew.
And so, the evening of the show came upon us all. And
walking on the red carpet to the main hall, one had to
appreciate the fashion sense on display. I can bet that
the fashion and make-up industry must have made a
few millions in Nigeria yesterday because of the AMVCA.
Everyone looked quite glam in their own estimation!
Everyone? So, it seemed to me, even though I can safely
say that the fashion on display was a combination of
the outstanding, the outlandish and the outrageous!
Fashion wise, I think the irrepresible Denrele Edun flew
over the cuckoo’s nest. I noticed earlier a masked lady
walking the red carpet and thought to myself that
someone was perhaps doing an artistic Peter Cech of
Chelsea on the red carpet. Imagine my surprise when
the ‘lady’ walked up to me and called my name in
Denrele’s voice! It was Denrele, dressed as a lady, with
butt pads and all!
‘Uncle Charles, that’s the idea!’ He laughed as I took a
picture with him, telling him in the process that he was
crazy! Did I say he was doing a Cech? Change that to
Bruce Jenner, maybe! I can safely say though, that Seyi
Shay could take appropriate dress lessons from Denrele
though, when next she’s performing for the President or
top dignitaries!
But I digress.
The show started at 6.30pm CAT with an opening
performance by an African dance troupe. An interesting
monologue by Osas Ighodaro, dressed somewhat like an
African queen, asked the niggling African question ‘What
if I am African?’.
I don’t know how the Shakira-styled hip shaking which
Osas and a couple of female dancers did while that
question was being asked, had to do with being African
but I kinda thought those hips onstage lied a bit during
the wriggle.
The opening performance was average, in my opinion. It
seemed more like the kind of performance for a boring
gala night for African Heads of states than for a top
profile event like AMVCA.
That flat opening skit set the tone for the drone first half
of the show. The show dragged a bit and looking at
some faces seated in the hall, behind the heavily caked
make-up of some people in the hall, one saw a bit of
irritation during the first thirty minutes of the show.
IK and Vimbai tried to spike up the show those first few
minutes. However, I had the feeling that Vimbai’s sing-
song voice wasn’t helping the nerves in the hall. IK and
Vimbai tried a couple of banter which the audience
received with polite laughter. IK cracked a joke about
make-up and how a white lady he shagged turned out
to be Mercy Johnson the next morning! Now, that was…
well..politically inappropriate…for lack of a better phrase.
That joke was overboard and IK got away with it,
perhaps. Anyway, I think IK and Vimbai found their
presenting mojo later in the show though.
Nonso Diobi and Linda Ejiofor came onstage to present
the first award of the night. Nonso seemed to like the
sound of his voice as he went on a bit about how it was
a tough category and how every nominee bla bla
bla.Next time, keep it straight and simple, please!
Next duo of Presenters were Akin Lewis and Oge Okoye.
Oge Okoye got quite some appreciative applause from
the audience for her outfit. By the way, I think her
character in ‘Hotel Majestic’ is one of my favourite
characters in the serial and she interpretes that role
quite well.
During the commercial breaks in the hall, the audience
was a bit restless. Last year, there was a Disc Jockey
who spinned some vibes which kept the audience all
hyped up by the time the cameras returned to the live
event. I wonder why that was not the case this year?
Africa needs to see excited faces all thrilled and happy
at the end of such breaks. Little details such as those
help the overall tempo of the event. And what was
wrong with the cooling system in the hall? The
temperature was quite humid in most areas inside the
hall and not a few people were fanning themselves.
Tunde Babalola won two awards in the Writing
categories and gave kudos to both Kunle Afolayan and
Mildred Okwo, the Producers of the films which won him
both awards in seperate categories.
Tomi Odunsi of ‘Tinsel’ and the dreadlocked actor in
‘Hotel Majestic’ presented the ‘Best Editor’ award to
Victoria Akujobi, a young lady. She kept giggling shyly in
her acceptance speech like a village virgin and her gush
got the audience laughing too. It was heartwarming
though to see that a woman won in that category, which
is usually male dominated.
One of the disappointments of the event was the
performance by the Mavins. It was below par. I do not
know how it looked to those who watched it live on
television but to us in the hall, it didn’t do jack. They
performed their hit song ‘Dorobucci’ and I must say that
maybe the audience was ‘Doro-weary’ because the
performance lacked excitement.
The artistes kept singing over each other’s lines in an ‘I-
too-know’ kind of way. Dija sang ( or rather mimed) for
Tiwa Savage who was absent probably for obvious
reasons-pregnancy or another engagement? The
performance was sluggish and received just some polite
applause. I wonder why they didn’t move the audience
much. I can only believe that it must be because their
appearance in the awards was massively overhyped and
people really didn’t have anything to look forward to. It
was a bit too much of MTN to have hyped their
performance so much before the awards that when they
came up and we all expected a bomb (oops..no
apologies to Boko Haram!)all we got was a firecracker!
Funlola Aifoyebi and Ali Nuhu had quite a good banter
on stage as they presented the ‘Best Indigenous
Language-Hausa’ awards. And when Fathia Balogun
won in the Yoruba category, she identified with her roots
by revealing that she’s just an Urhobo Babe who speaks
Yoruba fluently, even though she had a couple of her
Yoruba ‘supporters club’ members with her onstage.
Obi Emelonye, who won in the Igbo category,
commendably spiked the audience with his Igbo
acceptance speech, after Mike Ezuronye had gingered
the category with his ‘Igbo Kwenu’ greetings.
Comedians, Eddie Kadi and Basketmouth gave good
account of themselves in their stand-up segments.
Tuface Idibia also performed. I felt it was an average
performance. Maybe it had to do with the din from his
live band or his raunchy-looking dancers onstage, which
seemed unlike Tuface. I’m wondering if he’s trying hard
at this period in his career to show us he too can do the
lewd background dancers stuff too? I think he’s too
much of a superstar to fall for that.
Ivie Okujaye, another actress who has impressed me in
her outing on ‘Hotel Majestic’, presented The Trailblazer
Award which was won by CJ Obasi. Obasi climbed up
the stage and seemed to snatch the microphone from
Ivie!
The late Amaka Igwe got a posthumous Lifetime
Achievement Award which was presented by Richard
Mofe-Damijo, whose voice broke in pain when he called
up Charles Igwe to receive the award on her behalf. The
whole hall gave a standing ovation in her honour. Rest
in peace, Amaka. It was heartwarming to note that she
was remembered and honoured. Before that category,
the names of the departed artistes in the past year
scrolled across the screen, most poignantly was Muna
Obiekwe’s.
OC Ukeje won the ‘Best Actor in a drama’ category,
making it the second time he would be winning an
AMVCA. He was gracious enough to recognise Peace
Anyiam-Osigwe of AMAA who gave him his big break,
according to him. His award was presented to him by
Genevieve Nnaji , who really looked good in her evening
gown. Genevieve though, made a slip when she extolled
Amstel Malta. She announced that the winner in that
category gets a million naira and six months of Amstel
Malta, a brand which she endorses as a brand
ambassador. She ended her speech by cheekily saying
‘Get fat!’.
Huh? I thought Amstel Malta projects itself as a low
sugar, healthy, low fat beverage? Why would a brand
ambassador quip on international television that it has
fat, even if it was light-hearted? If I talk now, una go
say….anyway. Lef matter.
Kunle Afolayan won the ‘Best Director’ and ‘Best Movie’
categories and I think it was well deserved. ‘October 1′
is quite a formidable movie. Congrats, Kunle.
The show ended with a performance by P Square, which
was more for the watching viewers as most of the
guests trooped out of the hall.
Having observed a bit of the rehearsals a day before, I
must commend the organisers for planning an event
which had less mistakes this year. Everyone seemed
guarded and one could not really point to any bloopers
during the awards. However, in my honest opinion, I
think the event lacked the full punch.
Perhaps the show had been overhyped and one expected
more? Or what? Let me put it this way; the show scores
full marks for glamour. I am yet to see a more
glamourous entertainment event like the AMVCA. But the
excitement for the show itself was damp.
My thoughts? Next year, give us a surprise guest
appearance or something. I can bet that current raves
like Kiss Daniels could have spiked that crowd. Give us
better entertainment value. A movie award show should
leave the audience and viewers gasping.
This year, people are going to talk more about who wore
what ( or is it who wore who as those sneer-inducing
Naija red carpet presenters would ask!) than who won
which. Perhaps a Bovi could join next year as host or
even Eddie Kadi or Basketmouth? Perhaps something
not expected could be added to the show? It’s Africa
Magic, come on! Where did the magic go?
And something has to be upgraded about the writers
who scripted the show? I didn’t feel the jokes, if any.
The Presenters mostly improvised unlike last year which
had a good script prompt. This year was quite bland.
The 2015 AMVCA had the best of glamour and much
guts. I just didn’t see the glitter in the event.
-Charles Novia
