The highly anticipated Nollywood film “A Tribe Called Judah” faced disappointment at the 2024 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, failing to secure any awards and sparking heated debates among movie enthusiasts on social media.
Despite nominations in several categories including Best Makeup, Best Writing in a Movie, Best Lead Actress, Best Movie, and Best Supporting Actor, the film stumbled in each category, losing to formidable contenders.
Feyisayo Oyebisi’s remarkable makeup artistry was overshadowed by Campbell Precious’s work on “Mami Wata”, while the writing skills of Funke Akindele, Collins Okoh, and Akinlabi Ishola were surpassed by Tunde Babalola’s script for “Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti”.
Although Funke Akindele’s powerful portrayal was notable, Kehinde Bankole’s performance in “Adire” earned her the Best Lead Actress award.
Even the film’s impressive achievement of grossing N1bn within 21 days couldn’t sway the judges, as “A Tribe Called Judah” lost the Best Movie title to “Breath of Life“.
Additionally, Timini Egbuson’s supporting role fell short against Demola Adedoyin’s outstanding performance in “Breath of Life”.
Surprisingly, “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). Chimezie Imo, another supporting actor in the movie, also received the Trailblazer Award.
The snubbing of “A Tribe Called Judah” has sparked fervent discussions on social media, with passionate fans divided over whether the movie was unfairly overlooked or if “Breath of Life” deserved its victories.
Despite the disappointment, the legacy of “A Tribe Called Judah” stands as a testament to Nigerian filmmaking’s indomitable spirit and the evolving landscape of African cinema.
