The Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) is an annual awards show that recognizes outstanding achievements in television and film. The 10th AMVCA ceremony was held in Lagos, Nigeria, and Africa’s finest celebrities attended.
The AMVCA is our very own home-grown Oscars award show. This means, annually, there are a lot of fashion *lewks* to spotlight from our favorite on-screen baddies. From elegant ensembles to questionable slay decisions, let’s get into it.
Our Favourite Looks (In No Particular Order)
Nana Akua Addo
We have to give it to Nana, who has been consistent at slaying red carpets over the years. This year was no different in a 3D Design dress by Heidi Lee. She is truly in a league of her own. The diamond of the season.
Osas Ighodaro
First of all, God dey create. Osas looked ethereal in this dress by Veekee James. Gorgeous. Breathtaking. Spectacular. Ten over Ten. Anna Wintour should hand this woman a MET Gala invite, I want to see the commotion she will cause.
Beauty Tukura
There’s a reason Beauty won the best dressed at this year’s AMVCA. I mean, can you see the material the judges were working with? Unreal. What a beauty indeed.
Toke Makinwa
The host of the red carpet dazzled in a shimmery mermaid silhouette gown featuring a sculptural half-bow at the front, adding a dramatic touch to the ensemble. She looked luxurious, bold and perfect. A serve through and through. Toke Makinwa is Mother.
Diane Russet
I love it. The black up do, the minimal jewelry, the structure of the dress, the matching shoes. I love it all. Lady D gave us a very polished and regal look. It’s giving old Hollywood glam.
Genoveva Umeh
What a fun, youthful look for this AMVCA first-time winner! It’s refreshing to see the girlies play with fashion and wear things outside the usual asoebi-core that has dominated Nigerian red carpets. She looks incredibly beautiful in this sheer dress, done just right.
Nini Singh
Wow, Nini, green has never looked so beautiful. The only thing I’m not so keen on is the bottom part of the dress. Apart from that, she’s a perfect ten.
Simi Drey
With this impeccable wet look, Simi Drey was the quintessential muse at the red carpet.
Omowunwi Dada
Omowunmi brought all the heat to the red carpet with this beaded black and red gown. Exquisite.
Mitchel Ihezue
This beauty queen looked undeniably ravishing in this yellow beaded dress. Simple, yet classy.
Carolyna Hutchings
Now this is how you cause a commotion! This is how you turn heads! This is how you make jaws drop! A celestial slay!
Idia Aisien
Chic. Edgy. Refreshing. Take your flowers Idia!
Chioma Ikokwu
A showstopper. A fashion icon. The belle of the ball. Chioma never disappoints.
Uche Montana
Sheer perfection in all its glory. Ate and devoured, with no single crumb left at the scene.
Angel
Although Angel looked absolutely stunning, I hated the hideous flower right in the middle of her torso. It gave the look a very outdated feel that’s not suitable for the hot girl that Angel is. Aside from that, she looked amazing. Her skin and makeup? Flawless.
Our Least Favourite Looks (In No Particular Order)
Tolani Baj
Okay, don’t judge me. I kind of liked Tolani’s look, but it was too costumey for the event. I can’t decide if it’s the green colour—although it suits her, it reminds me of the Grinch—or the excessive feather details reminiscent of a sparsely decorated Christmas tree. Perhaps she missed road to the “Garden of Time” MET Gala event?
Princess Jecoco
This real housewife of Abuja decided to bring a lot of drama on the red carpet courtesy of that gigantic flower shoulder pad, ruffles on her arms, sparkles on her bustier, more ruffles down below and then some see-through magic when instead she should have declined the invitation and sat at home.
Yvonne Jegede
I see the vision but it was so poorly executed, the whole ensemble ended up looking tacky. The stems holding the flower pieces are so wonky and the flowers themselves are just somehow. While that detailing would have been forgivable, the atrocious embellished lining on the dress ruined what would have otherwise been a lovely dress.
Shaffy Bello
For the red carpet? Immediately no. For Sunday service as the pastor’s wife? Yes yes yes. It remains for her to wear a big ass hat on top her head.
Vee
A very hot mess. Vee looked undeniably beautiful, but the bra part of the dress was so ill-fitting that her tailor should be charged with a crime. Let’s not even get started on the skin lace between her chest, the pink tablecloth fabric, or how her claws protrude from her gloves. I have no words left.
Bisola
It’s not giving at all. The ensemble is so 2016. The fabric—the black sequins and minimal brown sheer net—looks cheap. And no one can convince me that the gold detail that frames the bodice was not an afterthought.
Iyabo Ojo
I thought that as a nation, we came together at the closing of 2023 and decided to discard Asoebi corsets on the red carpet. It’s such a lazy and annoying look. You can tell Iyabo wanted to add some pizzazz to this over-done style with the coffee brown train and flower details, but altogether there’s no coherence.
Pro-tip: she can start by throwing that gliterry brown train into the abyss.
Yvonne Godswill
I hate that this beautiful woman could have easily made the best-dressed list if she had removed those horrifying ruffles surrounding her hips. The hair and makeup look good, and the metallic fabric is gorgeous on her skin. The cut-outs are flattering. But things start to go amiss, from the ruffles to the ballroom train. Our prayer this Sunday is that we never begin to make questionable decisions at the end of a project that started out perfectly.
Tacha
What in the “buy one, get one free” is going on here? I appreciate the creativity, but Tacha (and no one else in this whole wide world) should ever try this again.
Toyin Abraham
Go girl, give us all the tackiness in the world!
The fashion from the 10th edition of the AMVCA is truly one for the books. The styles women graced us with were versatile, and it was so refreshing not to be bombarded with the usual asoebi core. Nigerian female celebrities (and their sabi designers) are gradually setting the tone as IT fashion icons. I’m super excited, not only to see what they have for us in coming years but also what the world has in store for them—hopefully bigger stages and wider audiences— where they can be celebrated for their hard work in entertainment and given their flowers for serving impeccably,
