By Ogova Ondego
Published December 19, 2013
Africa Film Academy has on December 19, 2013 named Ghanaian actress Lydia Forson as Ambassador for her 10th Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA). Forson is a leading actress Ghana and Nigeria and winner of the Best Actress in a Leading Role at AMAA in 2010.
As AMAA ambassador, Forson is expected to travel across Africa and around the world to engage with critical stakeholders in a year-long speaking engagement activities.
Also unveiled during the event that took place at African Sun’s Amber Residence Hotel in the Lagos State capital of Ikeja, was what AMAA founder and chief executive office Peace Anyiam-Osigwe referred to as “People’s Choice Awards system as part of the way of re-engaging with the past winners of AMAA and create a two-way communications between the past winners and the populace.”
“We are giving the public across Africa the chance to choose their best from our past winners in all the categories of AMAA. This is different from the main award which is Jury-based. Winners in each of the categories will each get cash rewards of US$10,000. It is our tenth anniversary and Africans will have the opportunity to win fabulous prizes ranging from phones, Ipad, and a car by just texting who their best among our best of the past nine years is,” said Anyiam-Osigwe.
Media practitioners, too, shall have the chance to win cash prizes based on their coverage of AMAA over the past nine years.
Steve Ayorinde, Chairman of the Jury for the 10th anniversary edition, said journalists in the print, broadcast and online media will have a chance to win US$5000, US$3000 and US$2000, respectively, by submitting their best two articles or features stories that depict the essence of AMAA and impact on African Cinema.
“This media award is open to all journalists in Africa and we will have the first, second and third prizes and the biggest amount goes to the journalist with the best story. So if you think you don’t have any good story in the last nine years, start writing now till March 2014,” Ayorinde, Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of National Mirror in Nigeria, said.
