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Surprise winner of the night at the second edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) held Saturday, March 8, 2014, at the Eko Convention Centre of Eko Hotel and Suites was newcomer, Tope Tedela, who won the Best Actor Award for his role in low-budget drama, ‘A Mile from Home’. According to tweets of a respected journalist, Tope Tedela is yet to be paid for his role in the movie that has brought him glory. “Did you know that Tope Tadela has not been paid for the role that got him the #AMVCA Best Actor prize for A Mile from Home?” Olumide tweeted as he further revealed the movie was shot on a low budget.

“A Mile from Home was done on a shoestring budget. The guys all came together as friends to pull it off. It’s a case of more sense than money.” Three movies, ‘Nairobi Half-Life’ from Kenya, The Contract from Ghana, and Flower Girl from Nigeria were among the big winners of the night. The Contract won four awards for “Best Writing in a Drama”, “Best Video Editing”, “Best Directing”, and “Best Movie Prize”, as Kenya’s Nairobi Half Life won four awards including “Art Directing”, “Make-up”, “Lighting and Cinematography”. ‘Flower Girl’ won in the Best Supporting Actress and Best Writer in a Comedy categories. Hosted by the trio of IK Osakioduwa, Osas Ighodaro and Vimbai Mutinhiri, some other big winners of the night were Funke Akindele who won the Best Actress in a Comedy Award for ‘The return of Sheri-koko’, Desmond Elliot for the Best Supporting Actor in a Drama for his role in ‘Finding Mercy’, Osita Iheme for ‘Best Actor in a Comedy’ for his role in ‘The Hero’. Michelle Bello and Pete Edochie were presented new Hyundai cars for winning the Trailblazer category and for the Industry Merit Award respectively. See full winners list below: BEST MAKE-UP ARTIST Elayne Okaya – Nairobi Half Life (WINNER) Olabimpe Cole – Lekki Wives Alex Gakumo – Sumu La Penzi Episode 1 Season 1 Michael Wawuyo – The Felistas Fable Rehema Samo – Siri Ya Mtungi Olabimpe Cole – Lekki Wives Alex Gakumo – Sumu La Penzi Episode 1 Season 1 Michael Wawuyo – The Felistas Fable Rehema Samo – Siri Ya Mtungi Israel Moses – A Wish Rosemary Obika – Redemption BEST COSTUME DESIGNER Adeola Ramonu – Adebola Omo Oba Doreen Estazia Noni – Siri Ya Mtungi Catherine Kibugi – Sumu La Penzi Episode 5 Ruth Ndulu Maingi – Lies That Bind Episode 2 Season 2 Chiemela Nwagboso – The Kingdom (WINNER) BEST LIGHTING DESIGNER Don Izuchukwu Anozie – Brother’s Keeper Godwin Daniel – Living Funeral Ifeoluwa Balogun – The Benjamins Mohamed Zain – Nairobi Half Life (WINNER) Eric Aghimien – A Mile from Home BEST VIDEO EDITOR Ben Nugent & Obi Emelonye – Last Flight to Abuja Austin Faani Ikechukwu – Battle For Wealth Shirley Frimpong-Manso – Contract (WINNER) Chucks Madu Success – Oga On Top Jack Esterhuizen – Love Games Episode 25 BEST SOUND EDITOR Sola Awoponle – Ilari Obi Emelonye – Last Flight to Abuja (WINNER) Jordan Riber – Siri Ya Mtungi Carl Raccah – Journey to Self Maurice Kings – Murder at Prime Suites Paul Apel – Blue Flames BEST ART DIRECTOR Barbara Minishi – Nairobi Half Life (WINNER) Ken Attoh & Shirley Frimpong-Manso – Contract Shirley Frimpong-Manso – Adams Apples Miniseries Part 1 & 2 Kyle Quint – Siri Ya Mtungi Frank Rajah Arase – The Price BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER James Michael Costello – Last Flight to Abuja Christian Almesberger – Nairobi Half Life (WINNER) Idhebor Kagho – Living Funeral Imoh Umoren – Have A Nice Day Themba Masondo – Taxi Ride BEST WRITER (COMEDY) Jigi Bello – Flower Girl (WINNER) Jahmal Holland – Still Standing Ohis Udofia – Kuti’s Career Palace Patrick Onyeka – The Place Seun Arowojolu – Squatterz BEST WRITER (DRAMA) Shirley Frimpong-Manso & Hertey Owusu – Contract (WINNER) Patrick Yaadar & Andy Boyo – Off The Hook Akpor Kagho – Living Funeral Fatima Jabbe – Battered Pascal Amanfo – Single and Married BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE (HAUSA) Yasin Auwal/Umar K/Mazugal – Wana Gari 1 & 2 Hafizu Bello – Bakin Kishi Abba Muko Yakassai – Habib (WINNER) Nasir Sa’ad Gwangwazo – Ruwan Jakara Mikail I. Bin Hassan – Kurman Gari BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE (YORUBA) Afeez Eniola – Arinnakore Mercy Aigbe – Komfo (WINNER) Abdulrasaq Abdullahi – Edidi Olatunji Akeem Balogun – Aye Kooto Olatunji Akeem Balogun – Mufu Olosa Oloko BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE (SWAHILI) Edwin Maina Kariuki – Nairobi Half Life Jordan Riber – Siri Ya Mtungi Ann Hamberger – Nina Njoki Muhoho – Mama Duka (WINNER) Musa Venerable Mziba – Vagabond BEST DOCUMENTARY Dr Gilbert Chigbo – The Deadwood (WINNER) Sonia Maingi – Tumanka Goes To School Peter Murimi – Matatu: My Life, My Art Peter Murimi – Guardians of the Wild David Campbell – Shamba Shape Up BEST SHORT FILM Vincent Moloi – Berea Amarachukwu Onoh – Mother Tongue Amil Shivji – Shoeshine Walter ‘Waltbanger’ Taylaur – The Wages (WINNER) Enuma Chigbo – The Deadwood BEST TELEVISION SERIES COMEDY / DRAMA Grace Kahaki Munthali – Prem Episode 2 Catherine Phiri – Love Games Episode 6 (WINNER) John Riber – Siri Ya Mtungi Paul Igwe – The Benjamins Benson Akindeju – Nowhere To Be Found BEST MOVIE DIRECTOR Obi Emelonye – Last Flight to Abuja Tosh Gitonga – Nairobi Half Life Shirley Frimpong-Manso – Contract (WINNER) Udoka Oyeka – Living Funeral Frank Rajah Arase – Price Amil Shivji – Shoeshine BEST MOVIE 2013 Obi Emelonye – Last Flight to Abuja Udoka Oyeka & Orode Ryan – Living Funeral Shirley Frimpong-Manso, Yvonne Okoro & Ken Attoh – Contract (WINNER) Michelle Bello – Flower Girl James Omokwe – Awakening BEST NEW MEDIA – ONLINE VIDEO Stacey Mc Dermott & Neville Ossai – Jungle Jewel: The Short Film Mark Kaiyare – Deceit Stanlee Ohikhuare – Kpians Premonition Dorothy Ghettuba & Oyunga Pala – Next Big Host Amarachukwu Onoh – Mother Tongue (WINNER) BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA Juma Rajab Rashid – Siri Ya Mtungi Majid Michel – Somewhere in Africa Hlomla Dandala – Contract Majid Michel – House of Gold Tope Tedela – A Mile from Home (WINNER) BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA Stephanie Wilson – Living Funeral Veronica Waceke – Higher Learning Nse Ikpe-Etim – Journey To Self (WINNER) Nkiru Sylvanus – Kiss And The Brides Ivie Okujaye – The Volunteers BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA Valerie Kimani – Higher Learning Episode 26 Season 3 Jazmyn Batchan – Still Standing Liz Ameye – Living Funeral Nancy Handabile – Love Games Episode 7 Tamara Eteimo – Desperate House Girls Bikiya Graham-Douglas – Flower Girl (WINNER) BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA David Mulwa – Higher Learning Episode 26 Season 3 Ian Mbugua – House of Lungula Desmond Elliot – Finding Mercy (WINNER) Bimbo Manuel – Torn Chris Attoh – Flower Girl BEST MOVIE (DRAMA) Obi Emelonye – Last Flight to Abuja Edwin Maina Kariuki – Nairobi Half Life Udoka Oyeka & Orode Ryan – Living Funeral Frank Rajah Arase – The Price (WINNER) Frank Rajah Arase – Groom’s Bride Chris Eneaji & Jumafor Ajogwu – Murder at Prime Suites BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY Hlomla Dandala – Contract John Okafor – Return of Sheri Koko Osita Iheme – The Hero (WINNER) Osita Iheme – The Fighter Chinedu Ikedieze – The Hero BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY Funke Akindele – The Fighter Funke Akindele – The Hero Funke Akindele – The Return Of Sheri Koko: WINNER Mary Ogbonna – Clinic Matters Jackie Appiah – Cheaters Yvonne Okoro – Contract BEST MOVIE (COMEDY) Uche Jumbo – Lies Men Tell Shirley Frimpong-Manso, Yvonne Okoro & Ken Attoh – Contract Elvis Chucks – A Wish (WINNER) Martins Onyebuchi Onyemaobi – The Fighter Martins Onyebuchi Onyemaobi – The Hero