I’ll celebrate AMVCA win for as long as possible, says Meg Otanwa

After giving stellar performances in MNet series Hush and thriller Derailed, Meg Otanwa’s Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards nominations came as no surprise to many.

Going into the awards, she didn’t exactly expect to win, owing to the strong pool of nominees she had to contend with – in both the best actress in a drama category and the AMVCA recognition award for MNET original series.

It was going to be a nail-biting contest, she knew this, yet was excited at the opportunity of being nominated.

When called on stage to receive her plaque for best actress for a MNET original series, Otanwa was bursting with emotions, holding back tears and evidently overwhelmed.

In a chat with TheCable Lifestyle, Meg Otanwa spoke about her win, the feeling thereafter and plans for the road ahead.

Your AMVCA speech was extremely emotional. How did it feel to win?

I felt really humbled and grateful by the show of love and support from the fans. When I got up there and looked into the crowd it felt so surreal that I was being appreciated on such a large scale and it was just tough to control my emotions.

Did you envisage that you’d win?

Not at all, when I learned of the special recognition category, I was way behind most of the nominees, I didn’t think I would win, I was just very excited at a second nomination.

What measures did you take to get people to vote for you?

I basically spread the word on social media and had family and friends do same. Thank God for my family.

You were nominated alongside some strong actors. Which of them did you think was going to win?

Initially, I felt it was anybody’s game until the deadline drew near and it was clear who the major contenders were.

Winning major awards is a catalyst for career advancement. What do you aim to do with the AMVCA platform?

I hope to maximise every opportunity that comes my way and use the platform to reach out to, and positively impact others. It is great to win, it is also great to be aware of the responsibility that comes with winning.

Paint for us a vivid account of how you celebrated your win

I went straight into my room and I held hands with my sister and friend and we said a prayer of thanksgiving. Then we joined the after party for a short while. The truth is I am going to keep celebrating my win for a good while. Each time I see a different set of people or family/friends, it’s celebration all over again.

How proud is your family of your award?

Oh, they are super proud…… very very proud and happy for me.

What projects are you currently working on?
I have a movie coming out soon titled Gwoza and a futuristic feature to be released soon titled Ratnik. There are also a few movies in the pipeline.

You seem to have a good relationship with Richard Mofe-Damijo, would you say he is a role model to you?

Uncle Mofe is an amazing man, he is a professional to the core and I learned so much from him working with him for a whole year.