This year’s edition of the prestigious Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) has started to take shape. As part of the preparations for a grand show later in the year, the organisers of the awards during the week announced the appointment of veteran film and television professional, Deborah ‘Debbie’ Odutayo as Head Judge.
Debbie is bringing to the table over 30 years experience spanning television production, content creation and administration, and is famous for being one half of the brains behind Nigeria’s leading production company, Royal Roots Communication Network, which birthed Royal Roots Television (R2TV) and Royal Roots FM (R2 92.9FM) in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Speaking on Odutayo’s appointment, Director, M-Net West Africa, Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu, said: “Debbie Odutayo is a respected and seasoned television professional who brings extensive experience to the AMVCA judging process. Her appointment as Head Judge is in tandem with the AMVCAs being the biggest celebration of film and television talent in Africa, with its impact seen in the improvement of the quality of entries, year after year. Debbie’s appointment reiterates yet again our commitment to excellence and professionalism, even as the AMVCAs mark another milestone by entering the sixth successive year.”
Odutayo is the immediate past president of Electronic Media Content Owners Association of Nigeria (EMCOAN), the umbrella body for corporate TV content producers in the country. She is a member of National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP), and was also the first Nigerian female judge for the first AMVCAs whilst serving as a judge on other editions.
“Besides being renowned and respected in the African film and TV space, Debbie also boasts experience with the AMVCA judging process, having worked on all previous editions. We are thrilled to have her with us as Head Judge, and we ask that our viewers stay tuned as preparations for the show enter the final stages,” Mba-Uzoukwu added.
After a hiatus necessitated by a busy production calendar, Africa Magic in association with MultiChoice, announced the 2018 AMVCA in February. Entries for the awards opened on March 1 and closed on April 30 with films, made-for-television movies or television series previously entered into or nominated for an award, being eligible for submission. The show will be broadcast live on all Africa Magic channels on September 1, 2018.