Late Esiri Wins AMAA Best Actor Award

    The late Nollywood actor, Justus Esiri, emerged best actor in a leading role, with his female counterpart, Florence Maseba of South Africa as best actress in this year’s Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), held at the Gloryland Cultural Centre, Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
Out of the 27 categories of the awards, Nigeria clinched 13, followed by South Africa with four awards.
Belinda Effah, who featured in the film “Kokoma,” won the award in the category of best promising actor, while best director went to Niyi Akanni, courtesy of the film, “Heroes and Zeros.”
Kweku Ananse of Ghana won best short film, while best animation was won by the South African film, “Adventures of Zambezi.”
Haiti and the United States of America clinched best  diaspora feature award, with the film “Stones In The Sun.”
    Chief Pete Edochie and Tunde Kelani were among recipients of the AMAA lifetime achievement awards, while the Nigerian documentary, “Fueling Poverty,” took top honours in the best documentary category.
The event was rounded off at about 4.00 a.m on Sunday morning, and was attended by the Bayelsa State governor, Mr Seriake Dickson; deputy governor of Rivers State, Mr Tele Ikuru, who stood in for Governor Rotimi Ameachi; Minister of Culture and Tourism, Chief Edem Duke, who represented President Goodluck Jonathan; South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Lulu Loius Nmguni, as well ministers and family members of Malawian president, Joyce Banda, among others.