Entertainment
Lateef Adedimeji, Tina Mba, Ruby Akubueze shine at 2025 AMAA awards
Lateef Adedimeji, Tina Mba, Ruby Akubueze shine at 2025 AMAA awards
The 2025 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) celebrated the best of African cinema on Sunday, honouring outstanding films and talents from across the continent at a glittering ceremony held at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Ikeja GRA, Lagos.
Now in its 21st edition, the prestigious awards night drew top filmmakers, actors, cultural icons, and international guests, reaffirming AMAA’s status as Africa’s biggest celebration of film excellence.
South Africa’s “The Heart Is a Muscle” emerged as the overall winner, clinching Best Film, along with awards for Cinematography, Editing, and Best Debut Feature for director Imran Hamdulay.
Nigeria’s “3 Cold Dishes”, a multilingual thriller co-produced by Burna Boy and Osas Ighodaro, also recorded multiple wins, including Best Nigerian Film and Best Young/Promising Actor for Ruby Akubueze.
Lateef Adedimeji received the Best Actor in a Leading Role award for his remarkable performance in Lisabi: The Uprising, while Tina Mba was honoured as Best Actress in a Supporting Role for The Serpent Gift.
Burkina Faso’s “Katanga: Dance of the Scorpions” won three major categories — Best Film in an African Language, Best Screenplay, and Best Costume Design — highlighting the growing influence of Francophone African cinema.
The ceremony also paid tribute to African film practitioners who passed away between January and November 2025 and featured lively musical performances that added colour to the night.
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Full List of Winners
- Best Nigerian Film (NFVCB Award): 3 Cold Dishes
- Best Young/Promising Actor: Ruby Akubueze – 3 Cold Dishes
- Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Clemento Ashietey – Last Stop
- Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Tina Mba – The Serpent Gift
- Best Actor in a Leading Role: Lateef Adedimeji – Lisabi: The Uprising
- Best Actress in a Leading Role: Florence Mariserena – Small Gods
- Best Debut Feature (Director): The Heart Is a Muscle – Imran Hamdulay
- Best Director: Dany Kouyaté – Katanga: Dance of the Scorpions (Burkina Faso)
- Best Film: The Heart Is a Muscle – South Africa
- Best Film in an African Language: Katanga: Dance of the Scorpions – Burkina Faso
- Best Short Film (Eferé Ozako Award): The Missing Piece – Kenya
- Best Animation (Jubril Malafia Award): Dawn – Cameroun
- Best Documentary: The Journey East – DRC
- Best Diaspora Short: Cartes – USA
- Best Film by an African Living Abroad (Michael Anyiam Osigwe Award): Ancestral Visions of the Future – Lesotho/France/Germany
- Achievement in Costume Design: Katanga: Dance of the Scorpions
- Achievement in Sound: Algiers
- Best Diaspora Documentary: Rediscovering Fenon – USA/Algeria/Martinique
- Best Diaspora Narrative Feature: Romeo N Juliet 4EVA – Jamaica
- Achievement in Production Design: 3 Cold Dishes
- Achievement in Make-up: Lisabi: The Uprising
- Achievement in Soundtrack: Old Righteous Blues
- Achievement in Visual Effects: For Land, For Love, For Power
- Achievement in Cinematography: The Heart Is a Muscle
- Achievement in Editing: The Heart Is a Muscle
- Achievement in Screenplay: Katanga: Dance of the Scorpions – Burkina Faso
The 2025 AMAA reaffirmed its reputation as a vital platform for celebrating African storytelling, inspiring filmmakers to push creative boundaries and amplify the continent’s cultural voice on the global stage.
Lateef Adedimeji, Tina Mba, Ruby Akubueze shine at 2025 AMAA awards
Entertainment
2Baba Breaks Silence, Accuses Family of Fueling Marital Crisis With Wife Natasha
2Baba Breaks Silence, Accuses Family of Fueling Marital Crisis With Wife Natasha
Nigerian music legend Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba or 2Face, has publicly addressed the escalating controversy surrounding his marriage to his wife, Natasha Idibia, accusing some members of his family of worsening the situation under the guise of trying to “save” him.
The marital dispute, which has dominated social media conversations in recent days, reportedly began in the United Kingdom, where Natasha was allegedly heard raising her voice during a heated argument with the singer. The confrontation, according to circulating reports, drew the attention of UK authorities and led to 2Baba’s brief arrest.
Tensions heightened further after a dramatic exchange between the couple during an Instagram Live session hosted by broadcaster Daddy Freeze. The live video, which quickly went viral, showed the couple trading accusations in a manner that alarmed fans and sparked widespread debate about the state of their marriage.
Compounding the situation were comments made by 2Baba’s brother, Hyacinth Idibia, which many interpreted as a sign that the Idibia family had become actively involved in the crisis and increasingly concerned about the singer’s wellbeing.
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However, in a strongly worded video released on social media, 2Baba pushed back, insisting he does not need rescuing and accusing some family members of aggravating the situation and damaging Natasha’s reputation.
“This whole thing has gotten dangerously out of hand. I’m not going to be quiet anymore,” he said. “I am a grown man. My family, under the pretext of trying to save me, has actually destroyed me and killed someone’s daughter’s character. Natasha is getting death threats right now.”
He continued: “Yes, we argue — who doesn’t argue with their spouse? But this is getting out of hand. I am perfectly okay. I recently did my show in Abuja, and a lot of people were there. How do you claim you want to save me but are messing everything up?”
2Baba also referenced past tensions involving his ex-wife, Annie Idibia, saying the ongoing pattern of family interference had become dangerous.
His remarks have generated fresh debate, splitting fans and observers between those urging his family to step back and those calling for more intervention to ensure emotional and physical safety for everyone involved.
The controversy continues to dominate online spaces, with many expressing deep concern over the emotional strain on the singer and his wife.
2Baba Breaks Silence, Accuses Family of Fueling Marital Crisis With Wife Natasha
Entertainment
DStv warns subscribers of possible loss of CNN, discovery, 10 other channels in 2026
DStv warns subscribers of possible loss of CNN, discovery, 10 other channels in 2026
MultiChoice has warned that DStv subscribers may lose access to CNN and 11 other Warner Bros. Discovery channels from January 1, 2026, if ongoing negotiations fail to produce a new broadcast agreement.
The pay-TV operator issued the alert to customers on Monday, noting that its current carriage contract with Warner Bros. Discovery will expire on December 31, 2025.
According to MultiChoice, “While discussions between the parties continue, no agreement has been reached at this stage. If this remains unchanged, a number of Warner Bros. Discovery channels may no longer be available on DStv from 1 January 2026.”
Channels that could go dark include CNN International, Discovery Channel, TNT Africa, TLC, Food Network, Cartoon Network, HGTV, Cartoonito, Investigation Discovery, Real Time, Discovery Family, and Travel Channel.
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The potential blackout comes at a difficult time for MultiChoice, which has been battling significant subscriber losses across Africa. In the last two financial years, the company shed 2.8 million active users, with 1.2 million lost in 2025 alone.
In Nigeria, the company lost 1.4 million DStv customers over two years, as rising subscription prices and economic pressures forced households to cut entertainment spending.
The channel uncertainty adds to MultiChoice’s widening content challenges. Paramount Africa has already announced that BET Africa and MTV Base will be withdrawn from DStv on January 1, 2026, while CBS Reality and CBS Justice will cease operations on December 31, 2025.
The disruptions reflect broader shifts within the global media industry. Warner Bros. Discovery is restructuring amid reported takeover interest from Paramount, Comcast, and Netflix. Reports indicate that Paramount is interested in acquiring the entire company, while Comcast and Netflix are eyeing studio and streaming assets.
Meanwhile, MultiChoice’s new parent company, Canal+, is moving to reposition DStv for Africa’s increasingly competitive streaming market through price adjustments, investment in local content, and a renewed focus on premium sports broadcasting.
Together, the Canal+–MultiChoice group now serves more than 40 million subscribers across nearly 70 countries in Africa, Europe, and Asia, employing about 17,000 staff worldwide. A full strategic update is expected in early 2026.
Industry analysts warn that losing CNN, Discovery Channel, and other major Warner Bros. Discovery brands could significantly weaken DStv’s documentary and entertainment offerings, leaving sports content as its strongest competitive edge.
DStv warns subscribers of possible loss of CNN, discovery, 10 other channels in 2026
Entertainment
Sabinus Confirms Marriage Crash, Says He and Ex-Wife Are Focused on Co-Parenting
Sabinus Confirms Marriage Crash, Says He and Ex-Wife Are Focused on Co-Parenting
Popular Nigerian comedian and content creator Sabinus — real name Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Ejekwu — has officially confirmed that his marriage has ended. The 30-year-old revealed during a recent TikTok live session that the union, formalised in 2023, ended on peaceful terms.
“I’m not married, despite any rumors. My child’s mother and I ended things peacefully, and she’s completely fine with it,” he stated.
Sabinus assured fans that he and his former wife remain on good terms and are committed to co-parenting their daughter. “The mum and I are good. My daughter is okay, and she is doing fine,” he said.
Rumours about the Sabinus marriage had circulated for months, despite earlier denials from both parties. His latest confirmation finally puts an end to the long-standing speculation.
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Sabinus, who began his online comedy journey in 2015, rose to mainstream prominence in 2019 and has since featured in Nollywood films such as Billionaire’s Bride and Man of War. His rising profile earned him the AMVCA Best Online Content Creator award in 2022.
Reflecting on his early struggles, the comedian recalled how difficult it was to gain support from established entertainers. “Even some top celebrities blocked me on Instagram because I asked for help. To an extent, I knew it was every man for himself,” he said.
Despite the marital setback, Sabinus continues to maintain his position as one of Nigeria’s most influential content creators and comedic voices.
Sabinus Confirms Marriage Crash, Says He and Ex-Wife Are Focused on Co-Parenting
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