#AMVCA Starts Today! Looking for standout cultural attires? Here are 5 shows that will inspire you

The ninth edition of the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA) starts today and the three-day event is packed with activities.

The opening night, which is also the cultural night, is one of the most exciting of all the planned celebrations and will require guests to show up repping their tribes. At the core of it, anyone can decide to rep any tribe so long as they are able to accurately represent and pull together the attires.

If you are looking for inspiration, here are five AMVCA-nominated films that should give you all the ‘ginger’ you need.

• Itura: this epic series is an Africa Magic original that takes viewers into pre-colonial Yoruba ‘Ibaokuta’. As the people strive to find a new king in replacement of their late King Jagungbade and his god-stricken brother, Balogun Ojuade, they make all moves in gorgeous Yoruba fashion. From the ‘Olekus’ to the authentic ‘Aso-Okes’ and the bead-crafted caps, ‘Abeti-ajas’ and the ‘Bubus’, you’ll find a plethora of authentic Yoruba fashion to inspire you.

• Nnewi: A Land of Gold: This film has a mix of the modern and cultural. It follows a rich man whose wife dies and he has to face the wrath of her mother who is convinced he killed her for money ritual. You’ll find a mix of Igbo cultural attires – both modern and ancient. There’s everything from double wrappers to Isiagus to inspire you.

• Anikulapo: This film received 16 AMVCA nominations this year, and it’s not surprising, as the eclectic storyline had social media buzzing for days after its release. The story, which follows a man whose lover helped him to beat death and in the same breath gives him powers to revive others, also had deep cultural connotations. Part of its appreciation of the Yoruba tribe it represented, was a great display of the fashion. Guests looking for authentic African cultural fashion will find an excess of ideas in this feature film.

• Agesinkole (King of Thieves): Femi Adebayo’s Agesinkole had a fantastic cinema outing, raking in over 250 million Naira in its first three weeks at the box office. The film, nominated in eight AMVCA categories, was a retelling of a Yoruba folklore about an invincible bandit, Ageshinkole, who driven by revenge, exerts a reign of terror on the fictional Kingdom of Ajeromi. It will give you several ideas on how to bring 1900 Yoruba to life at the cultural day and definitely help you stand out.

• Tarella: This African take on the Cinderella story will give guests so many West African cultural attire ideas. Set in the mythical Kingdom of Akkaya in West Africa, Prince Nosa, heir to the throne and Tarella, the orphaned maiden, must overcome numerous obstacles in their quest to find true love and their happy ever after. But what’s most important about this film right now, are the outfit ideas. The film, which has 2 AMVCA nominations, will give you a little bit of inspiration from at least 10 West African tribes and a little bit of Afro-futurism vibes. You just have to pull it together properly.

Now that you have an idea of how to find the best costume inspiration, it’s time to get ready to have a blast at the AMVCA costume and opening night.

The Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) will hold over three days, from Thursday, May 18, to Saturday, May 20, 2023. The events will kick off with the Opening/Cultural Night on Thursday, May 18, followed by the MTF Day and Digital Content Creators Day on Friday, May 19 and the Nominee Gala/Runway show will hold later that day. The event will culminate in the awards night on Saturday, May 20.

Don’t miss the ninth edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards live on all Africa Magic channels on DStv and GOtv from 16:00 WAT (17:00 CAT)  on Saturday, May 20, 2023.