Head Judge Joke Silva addresses Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards nomination concerns

Following the unveiling of the nominees list in March, which saw films like Gingerrr and The Herd receive nine nominations each, and To Kill A Monkey eight, some fans and actors expressed disappointment over omissions. Silva explained in an interview with Guardian Life that non-voting categories were reviewed by professionals with deep understanding of film, performance, and technical execution. She stated that award decisions can be subjective, with final nominations determined through a grading process by multiple judges.

Silva admitted that even she was surprised by some projects not making the final cut despite their quality, attributing it to the aggregate of scores. Her comments come amid criticism, including actress Lilian Afegbai's public disappointment over her exclusion from the Best Supporting Actress category for her role in To Kill A Monkey. Silva defined an award-worthy performance as deeply embodying a character to the point of believability.

Despite the debates, Silva expressed pride in the growth and quality of Nollywood productions, noting that the volume of strong projects submitted reflects the increasing standard of African film and television storytelling. This year's awards feature 32 categories, including 18 jury-voted, 11 audience-voted, and three special recognition awards, with new categories for Best Ind