Airtel, AMAA & The Lagos Government welcome a galaxy of stars to Nigeria

Leading telecommunications services provider and official sponsor of the eighth Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), Airtel Nigeria, the government of Lagos and organisers of the awards, have welcome a galaxy of stars to the country’s commercial capital for the pan Africa movies festival.

Many International and African movies and Cinema stars are in Nigeria for Africa’s biggest movies academy awards which will be held at the Expo Centre, Eko Hotel & Suites April 22, 2012.

A roster of big names in Lagos comprise numerous easily recognisable faces from Hollywood, including Morris Chestnut (American Horror Story, Boyz in the Hood); Emmy winner and Golden Globe nominee, Lynn Whitfield (The Josephine Baker Story and Without a Trace); Rockmond Dunbar (Prison Break, Sons of Anarchy) and Maya Gilbert (General Hospital, Days of Our Lives). These have been joined in Lagos by many movies stars and professionals from across Africa.

Airtel’s ambassador and Africa’s iconic pop star, 2Face Idibia, France based Nigerian singing sensation, ASA and Senegal’s Viviane Ndour are prepared to brighten up the night of shiny stars after a series of rehearsal in Lagos.

The organisers of the awards have assured all the event will be a night to remember. Airtel and the Lagos state government are giving AMAA organisers support to ensure the event live up to its billing and the visitors have a truly memorable experience.

The host for the night is Heroes star, Jimmy Jean-Louis. The awards seek to identify and honour the shinning lights in the continent’s fast growing industry.

Over 300 entries are vying for awards in the various categories. Nigeria leads the pack with 52 nominations while South Africa, Ghana and Kenya fill the other top spots with 45, 17, and 14 nominations each. Otelo Burning, How 2 Steal 2 Million and Adesuwa, a Benin (Nigeria)-set historical epic are top contenders for the glitzy stage with 13, 11 and 10 nominations respectively.

“The AMAAs is entirely unswerving committed to encouraging and rewarding creativity and celebrating the best, and thereby providing bringing joy to our people” says Peace Anyim-Osigwe, CEO of AMAA.

The jury for the 8th AMAA include Dr. Asantewa Olantunji (the director of programming and head of the jury), June Giavanni (programmer for Planet Africa at The Toronto International Film Festival); Keith Shiri (founder and film curator at the London festival, Africa at The Pictures); Dorothee Wenner (a curator at The Berlin Film Festival); and Ayoko Babu (executive director of The Pan African Film Festival)