Controversy at AMVCAs as 'A Tribe Called Judah' snubbed for 'Breath of Life"

The glittering lights of the 2024 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards darkened for the highly anticipated Nollywod film, “A Tribe Called Judah” as it failed to secure a single award sparking a heated debate among movie enthusiasts on social media.

Held at the prestigious Eko Hotel & Suites in Lagos, the awards night honoured the crème de la crème of African cinema. However, for actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele, the creator of "A Tribe Called Judah", it was not all that sweet.

Lost categories

Despite securing nominations in various categories such as Best Makeup, Best Writing in a Movie, Best Lead Actress, Best Movie, and Best Supporting Actor, the film stumbled at each turn, losing out to formidable contenders.

Feyisayo Oyebisi’s remarkable makeup artistry was outshined by Campbell Precious’s stellar work on “Mami Wata”, while the writing prowess of Funke Akindele, Collins Okoh, and Akinlabi Ishola was trumped by Tunde Babalola’s poignant script for Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti.

For most African cinema lovers, there is no doubt that Fuke Akindele popularly known as Jenifa’s powerful portrayal was outshined by Kehinde Bankole’s magnetic performance in “Adire”, which earned her the coveted Best Lead Actress award.

Even the monumental achievement of grossing N1bn within 21 days of its release failed to sway the judges, as “A Tribe Called Judah” lost the Best Movie title to “Breath of Life”.

Furthermore, Timini Egbuson’s supporting role fell short against Demola Adedoyin’s outstanding performance in “Breath of Life”.

Breath of life

In a surprising turn of events, “Breath of Life” emerged as the night’s biggest winner, securing five prestigious awards, including Best Movie, Best Sound Design, Best Director (BB Sasore), Best Lead Actor, and both Best Supporting Actor and Actress (Ademola Adedoyin and Genoveva Umeh respectively). That was not all for “Breath of Life”. Chimezie Imo who also played a supporting character in the movie also had the Trailblazer Award.

Social media debate

The snubbing of “A Tribe Called Judah”, a ground-breaking film in its own right, has ignited fervent discussions across social media platforms, with passionate fans divided over whether the movie was unfairly overlooked or if “Breath of Life” truly deserved its victories.

As the dust settles on this year’s Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, one thing remains certain – the passion and fervent debates surrounding the event highlight the lasting power of African cinema to captivate, inspire, and provoke impassioned debate.

The legacy of “A Tribe Called Judah”, though unrecognized on this occasion, undoubtedly stands as a testament to the indomitable spirit of Nigerian filmmaking and the ever-evolving landscape of African cinema.