Lilian Afegbai Apologises to AMVCA After Outburst Over ‘To Kill a Monkey’ Snub
- Lilian Afegbai apologised to AMVCA for a disrespectful social media post she made after failing to secure a nomination for her role in To Kill a Monkey
- The actress admitted that she reacted from a place of hurt and entitlement when her name was missing from the Best Supporting Actress category despite her outstanding role in the movie
- She explained that she had carried deep feelings of invisibility throughout her career and held on too tightly to the validation she hoped the nomination would bring
Nigerian actress Lilian Afegbai has tendered a public apology to the organisers of the 2026 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) after her earlier social media outburst over not being nominated in the 12th edition.
She admitted that her initial reaction was disrespectful to the awards, the nominees, the cast and crew of To Kill a Monkey, and her supporters, stating that it came from personal disappointment rather than any valid reason.
Source: Instagram
The Nollywood actress explained that her role as Idia in Kemi Adetiba’s Netflix series To Kill a Monkey felt like a breakthrough moment in her career, one that finally gave her visibility after years of feeling overlooked.
However, when her name was missing from the Best Supporting Actress category of the AMVCA nominees, she said she reacted from a place of hurt and entitlement, something she now regrets.
“This apology should have come earlier, that tweet should not have happened. No excuse. It was disrespectful to AMVCA, the nominees, my To Kill A Monkey family, and all of you who have supported me. Honestly, I was disappointed. But that’s not an excuse for how I responded.”
Lilian Afegbai added that she had carried feelings of invisibility for a long time and held tightly to the recognition she thought the nomination would bring.
She admitted that her response was out of character and asked for another chance to do better.
“Please give me a chance to be better. I no go fall una hand again. Love, forever your Lilly.”
Read Lilian Afegbai's post below:
Fans react to Lilian Afegbai's apology
Legit.ng compiled the reactions of netizens below:
@Iamlyday1 said:
"We're all human and no one is infallible. We see you though so please don't feel invisible. We see you."
@Abelpter commented:
"AMVCA has an organization is already stretch enough. It features movies, Tv Shows, Series and many more. How las las how many people can they nominate? As it stands now I feel the nomination for each category is too much."
@adwapapoku wrote:
"Aww don't worry at the right time your efforts would be rewarded and we'll all be here to celebrate with you."
@AdaPereway reacted:
"Well done. Taking responsibility for your actions is a big deal."
@Vero_Onyemowo said:
"U did so well, ur accolades are coming and they are not far anymore."
@musingsofenigma commented:
"Believe this, the paths and stars are aligned. Your accolades, you shall seek to flee from when the deluge unleashes. Best believe, we are already clapping hard for you from all corners of the globe. Be you, be human, be easy on yourself."
Source: Instagram
Lilian Afegbai opens up on mental health
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that fans of Lilian Afegbai reacted after she shared a message on her Instagram Story about her well-being.
The actress said she was not okay and needed to focus on her mental health, adding that she was dealing with personal issues she chose not to disclose publicly.
She also explained that although she had movies to promote, she could not do so at the moment, while fans advised her to prioritise her health and take a break.
Source: Legit.ng
