The 12th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, held at the glamorous Eko Hotel and Suites, came with everything we expected: dramatic trains, impossible corsets, glitter flying from every angle, and celebrities walking so slowly you’d think they were carrying national secrets under their gowns. In some cases, they practically were.
This year’s AMVCA red carpet did not believe in subtlety. Not even a little bit.
There were sculptural dresses. Cathedral-inspired gowns. Firebird fantasy looks. And then there was bread. Yes, actual bread. Five hundred loaves of it.
Because apparently, regular fashion is no longer enough…LOL.
The carpet officially turned into a bakery when reality TV star Queen Mercy Atang arrived wearing a dress made from more than 500 loaves of bread. The look came complete with maidens carrying trays of bread beside her while assistants struggled to move the outfit through crowds of photographers and screaming fans.
It was giving runway meets Sunday market.
Speaking about the look, Atang explained that the dress was less about shock value and more about business. The outfit promoted her bread-making company, which honestly makes sense in the wonderfully chaotic world of AMVCA fashion. She said:
What other place is better to advertise my business than the AMVCA?
And you know what? Fair point.
The dress, created by celebrity designer Toyin Lawani of Tiannah’s Empire, immediately took over social media. Some fans called it genius marketing. Others wondered why anyone needed that much bread attached to one human being. A few people criticized it as wasteful, but Atang quickly pushed back against that narrative.
Either way, the internet ate it up. Pun fully intended.
Then came Nana Akua Addo, who once again proved she treats the AMVCA carpet like a personal Olympic event.
The Ghanaian fashion star arrived dressed like an actual cathedral. Not cathedral-inspired. Cathedral-adjacent. A cathedral.
Her silver architectural gown, inspired by Germany’s famous Cologne Cathedral, featured dramatic hand-painted window details, giant structured extensions, and enough silver to blind a front-row camera lens. Members of her team helped carry parts of the outfit as she floated through the carpet like a very glamorous church monument.
Her designer, Abasswoman, revealed the dress had been in production since November 2025 and was only completed two days before the ceremony.
Which honestly explains the stress in everyone’s faces behind her.
Meanwhile, Uche Montana, mama Monica’s daughter decided subtle elegance was not on today’s agenda either.
The actress arrived in a fiery red-and-gold feathered look inspired by “fire” and “the rising of the phoenix.” Red-studded stones wrapped around both hands while layers of dramatic feathers exploded from her outfit like she had personally risen from lava five minutes earlier.
And somehow, it worked.
Montana later explained that celebrity fashion is far more expensive than most people think. Contrary to popular belief, stars are not always handed designer looks for free. A lot of money, planning, stress, fittings, and panic attacks happen before anyone steps onto that carpet. She said:
A lot of financial and mental work goes into these looks.
She also had an even bigger reason to celebrate that night after receiving the AMVCA Trailblazer Award, which honors rising stars making major moves in the industry.
Away from the fashion madness, the awards themselves delivered emotional moments too.
Bucci Franklin won Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Oboz in To Kill a Monkey, and his win hit people right in the chest.
Franklin played a loud, loyal cybercrime boss deeply tied to Benin street culture. To prepare for the role, he reportedly studied Benin slang, influencers, music, and local mannerisms to make the performance feel real. Viewers especially connected with the authenticity of the character.
But the emotional weight of the moment became even heavier when Franklin dedicated the award to his mother, who passed away just seven days before the movie’s release.
You could feel the room pause for a second.
“To Kill a Monkey” also won Best Cinematography, making it one of the night’s standout films.
Then there was Linda Ejiofor, who quietly walked into AMVCA history like it was just another Sunday evening.
Ejiofor became the first person ever to win both Best Lead Actress for The Serpent’s Gift and Best Supporting Actress for The Herd in the same night.
Imagine preparing one acceptance speech and suddenly needing two.
After her win, the actress shared that she had hoped to win at least one category, while her husband confidently predicted she might take home both awards. Turns out he knew exactly what he was talking about.
Ejiofor also spoke emotionally about her family’s support, especially her mother, who helped her perfect her Igbo pronunciations for one of the roles.
And finally, there was My Father’s Shadow, which continued its unstoppable victory lap.
Directed by Akinola Davies Jr, the film won Best Movie, Best Director, and Best Writing. The project had already made history in 2025 as the first Nigerian film officially selected at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, so its AMVCA dominance felt almost inevitable.
Elsewhere, Uzor Arukwe won Best Lead Actor for Colours of Fire, while industry legends Sola Sobowale and Kanayo O. Kanayo received Lifetime Achievement Awards.
By the end of the night, the AMVCA once again proved that African entertainment doesn’t do things halfway. Not the fashion. Not the emotions. Not the drama. And definitely not the entrances.
Because where else can you see a cathedral, a phoenix, and 500 loaves of bread all competing on the same red carpet in one night?
