At the 12th edition of Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA), held in 2026, the most controversial outcome ever to be witnessed in Nollywood took center stage.
My Fathers Shadow AMVCA 2026, Although commercially successful stars such as Funke Akindele and Sola Sobowale went into the event as the most favored winners, it was My Father’s Shadow that came out as the big winner.
Some of the categories in which My Father’s Shadow was declared the winner include Best Movie, Best Director, Best Writing, Best Sound Design, and Best Music Score.
Why My Father’s Shadow Got So Many Awards
In contrast to other popular movies released in 2026, My Father’s Shadow distinguished itself due to its artistic direction, emotional complexity, and technical excellence.
As a result, the film took place during the politically unstable 1993 period in Nigeria and told a story of both personal and national importance.
According to industry analysts, AMVCA 2026 is characterized by a distinct focus on cinematic craftsmanship.
The Significance of Technical Excellence
Contrary to award shows driven by popularity, many AMVCA categories are voted for by a professional jury panel that gives a lot of weight to the following aspects:
- Screenplay
- Filmography
- Sound design
- Direction
- Emotionality
- Production
This year, My Father’s Shadow scored highly in all of them, especially sound, editing, and narrative structure.
Reasons Why Fans Thought Funke Akindele Was “Snubbed”
Funke Akindele had been in high demand due to the massive success she attained with the Behind The Scenes production that had become one of Nollywood’s highest-grossing films of all time, earning ₦2 billion.
Her supporters had expected Behind The Scenes to dominate most of the acting awards, but she left empty-handed in all categories.
The biggest shock was reserved for her in the Best Supporting Actress category, where Linda Ejiofor beat her out as the winner in the production The Herd.
It is believed that, though Funke Akindele continued to be the strongest performer in Nollywood films, the jury preferred performances that were more challenging artistically.
What Happened to Sola Sobowale
Another prominent actress who failed to secure an acting award amidst high expectations was Sola Sobowale.
But she was not forgotten, as she got the recognition from the industry when she was honored as a part of the Industry Merit Award.
It appeared like recognition based on her contribution to African cinema rather than her acting skills.
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