2025 Critics Poll: List of Participating Critics and How They Voted

We have broken down all of the individual votes that were counted as part of the 2025 What Kept Me Up Critics Poll. 

You can find the full list of this year’s results here.

In order of submission

What kept Me Up

My Father’s Shadow
Over The Bridge
Freedom Way
My Mother is a Witch
The Fire and the Moth
Directors: –
Performances: –

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Mr Critic (Iroko Critic)

Say Who Die
–
–
–
–
Directors: Paul Utomi (Say Who Die)
Performances: Baaj Adebule (Say Who Die) & Oiza Abu (Say Who Die)

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Dami Dawson (It’s A Wrap)

Blackout
My Father’s Shadow
Makemation
Over The Bridge
Ori Rebirth
Directors: Allison Emmanuel (The Boy Who Gave)- ineligible, Okechukwu Oku (Blackout), Nwamaka Chikezie (To Adaego With Love)- ineligible
Performances: Bucci Franklin (To Kill a Monkey)- ineligible, Toyin Abraham (Ori Rebirth), Allison Emmanuel (The Boy Who Gave)- ineligible

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Vivian Nneka Nwajiaku (Afrocritik)

My Father’s Shadow
Freedom Way
Shaping Us
Over The Bridge
The Fire and The Moth
Directors: Akinola Davies Jr. (My Father’s Shadow), Kambili Ofili (Shaping Us), Afolabi Olalekan (Freedom Way)
Performances: Bucci Franklin (Shaping Us), Uzoamaka Power (Shaping Us), Femi Jacobs (Freedom Way)

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Adedamola Adedayo (Freelance)

My Father’s Shadow
Over The Bridge
Say Who Die
Suky
The Herd
Directors: Nnamdi Kanaga (Water Girl)- ineligible, Ola Cardoso (Suky), Paul Utomi (Say Who Die)
Performances: Ibrahim Abubakar (The Herd), Amal Umar (The Herd), Zainab Balogun (Landline)

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Seyi Lasisi (Culture Custodian)

Over The Bridge
My Father’s Shadow
The Fire and The Moth
Landline
Osamede
Directors: Tolu Ajayi (Over The Brigde), Taiwo Egunjobi (The Fire and The Moth)
Performances: Ozzy Agu (Over The Bridge)

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Michael Kolawole (Freelance)

My Father’s Shadow
The Herd
The Fire and The Moth
My Mother is a Witch
Reel Love
Directors: Akinola Davies Jr. (My Father’s Shadow), Niyi Akinmolayan (My Mother Is A Witch), Taiwo Egunjobi (The Fire and The Moth)
Performances: Mercy Aigbe (My Mother Is A Witch), Sope Dirisu (My Father’s Shadow), Toyin Abraham (Ori Rebirth)

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Akinwande Jordan (Freelance)

The Fire and The Moth
Shadow of Greed
Say Who Die
Freedom Way
–
Directors: Taiwo Egunjobi (The Fire and The Moth), Dika Ofoma (God’s Wife)- ineligible
Performances: Tayo Faniran (The Fire and The Moth)

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Elijah Oluwanisola (Freelance)

The Fire and The Moth
Say Who Die
My Mother is a Witch
Suky
Landline
Directors: Taiwo Egunjobi (The Fire and The Moth)
Performances: Mercy Aigbe (My Mother is a Witch)

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Nelson Chigozirim (Freelance)

The Fire and The Moth
Freedom Way
My Mother is a Witch
I Am Anis
Red Circle
Directors: Afolabi Olalekan (Freedom Way), Taiwo Egunjobi (The Fire and The Moth), Biodun Stephen (I Am Anis)
Performances: Mercy Aigbe (My Mother is a Witch)

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Victor Salami (Marapolsa Movies)

Unclaimed
The Herd
The Serpent’s Gift
Blackout
Red Circle
Directors: Kayode Kasum (The Serpent’s Gift), Daniel Etim-Effiong (The Herd), Akay Mason (Red Circle)
Performances: Daniel Etim Effiong (The Masked King), Gideon Okeke (Blackout), Shaffy Bello (The Masked King)

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Ini-Abasi Jeffrey (Freelance)

My Father’s Shadow
The Fire and The Moth
Freedom Way
Say Who Die
The Herd
Directors: Taiwo Egunjobi (The Fire and The Moth), Paul Utomi (Say Who Die)
Performances: Daniel Etim Effiong (The Herd)

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Shalom Tewobola (Culture Custodian)

Over The Bridge
The Fire and the Moth
My Father’s Shadow
Freedom Way
My Mother is a Witch
Directors: Tolu Ajayi (Over The Bridge), Taiwo Egunjobi (The Fire and The Moth), Akinola Davies Jr. (My Father’s Shadow)
Performances: Adebowale Adedayo (Freedom Way), Ozzy Agu (Over The Bridge), Sope Dirisu (My Father’s Shadow)

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Jerry Chiemeke (Freelance)

My Father’s Shadow
Freedom Way
The Fire and The Moth
Son of The Soil
The Herd
Directors: Akinola Davies Jr. (My Father’s Shadow)
Performances: Sope Dirisu (My Father’s Shadow), Segilola Ogidan (Over the Bridge), Adebowale Adedayo (Freedom Way)

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Ekwe (EkweReviews)

Say Who Die
Suky
Finding Nina
The Fire and The Moth
Ms Kanyin
Directors: Kemi Adetiba (To Kill A Monkey)- ineligible, Paul Utomi (Say Who Die)
Performances: Bucci Franklin (Landline), Zainab Balogun (Landline)

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Ebubechukwu Orji (Freelance)

My Father’s Shadow
The Fire and The Moth
Freedom Way
The Serpent’s Gift
Over The Bridge
Directors: Akinola Davies Jr. (My Father’s Shadow), Taiwo Egunjobi (The Fire and The Moth), Ola Cardoso (Suky)
Performances: James Damilare (Suky), Sope Dirisu (My Father’s Shadow), Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman (The Herd)

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Mrs C (Iroko Critic)

Say Who Die
–
–
–
–
Directors: –
Performances: Meyi Abu (Say Who Die)

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Tito Abumere (Tito’s Second Channel)

The Herd
Something About The Briggs
My Mother is a Witch
Freedom Way
My Father’s Shadow
Directors: Daniel Etim Effiong (The Herd)
Performances: Amal Umar (The Herd), Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman (The Herd), Mercy Aigbe (My Mother is a Witch)

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Joseph Jonathan (Afrocritik)

My Father’s Shadow
The Fire and The Moth
Freedom Way
The Herd
Osamede
Directors: Akinola Davies Jr. (My Father’s Shadow), Taiwo Egunjobi (The Fire and The Moth), Afolabi Olalekan (Freedom Way)
Performances: Genoveva Umeh (The Herd), Abba Ali Zaky (The Herd)

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Shalom O. Obisesan (Nollycritic)

Blackout
My Father’s Shadow
Over The Bridge
Something About The Briggs
The Fire and the Moth
Directors: Okechukwu ‘Okey’ Oku (Blackout), Tolu Ajayi (Over The Bridge), Taiwo Egunjobi (The Fire and The Moth)
Performances: Gideon Okeke (Blackout), Padita Agu (Blackout), Daniel Etim Effiong (The Masked King)

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