By Oluseun Fatope

The African Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) remains one of the most prestigious nights in African cinema and television. At the recently concluded 12th edition, the team behind Low Priest—a HouseGabriel Studios production for Africa Magic Showcase and Showmax, walked away with the coveted plaque for Best Scripted M-Net Original.

Among the cast and crew celebrating on that grand stage was Oluwaseun Ademoyegun, professionally known as Seun Moye. A recent graduate of the University of Ibadan (UI) and a proud former AFASite (Association of Faculty of Arts Students), Seun’s transition from the lecture halls of Ibadan to an AMVCA-winning project is both an inspiring milestone and a masterclass in dedication.

We sat down with Seun to discuss the win, his time at UI, the realities of the African entertainment landscape, and why he believes Theatre Arts is “the best course in the world.”

To kick things off, congratulations again on the massive win! For context, because Low Priest won under a major category, could you clarify how the award translates to you individually as part of the core cast?

Thank you! Yes, I want to clarify that Low Priest is an extended series made for Africa Magic by an affiliated production company, HouseGabriel Studios. Because of how these collaborative, long-form M-Net originals are structured, they don’t typically receive “solo” or individual acting awards at these events; the category itself honors the collective project.

However, an award like Best Scripted M-Net Original absolutely counts for everyone who poured their heart into it. It practically puts everyone’s name under the title of an “AMVCA winner.” While personal awards naturally carry a different kind of weight in people’s minds, this collective recognition holds the exact same institutional value.

It’s been just over some weeks since you attended the AMVCAs and stood under that spotlight. How has life changed for you in the immediate days following the win?

To be completely honest, winning something like this has added a certain air of fulfillment to the way I carry and present myself. But life itself hasn’t really changed much. I have a couple of years of experience in theatre and a relatively brief stint in film so far, so I’m very conscious of not letting it get to my head. I know I still have a very long way to go.

We still have a long way to go in Africa regarding how “value” is construed. In more developed industries, an award like this instantly floods your inbox with new opportunities, whether you are an upcoming talent or an established name. It’s not quite the same here yet. But that is no excuse; you must always chase and aggressively strive to get what you know you are worth.

Looking back at your time walking the corridors of the Faculty of Arts at UI, how did the creative culture, the local productions, and the academic rigour of AFAS shape the storyteller who just took home an AMVCA?

I found an immense amount of motivation, creative inspiration, and pure zeal from my experience as an AFASite, but even more specifically as a Theatre Artist. The rigorous performances, the deep-rooted discipline entrenched in theatre practice, and the daily interactions with perhaps some of the best budding minds in the Nigerian creative space, having them as friends and colleagues profoundly shaped me.

Furthermore, university life exposes you to people from all walks of life. Each interaction contributed to the wonders, lessons, and beauty that expanded my mind. It gave me a much more rounded worldview, which is perhaps the most critical asset you can have when developing yourself as a storyteller and an actor. Those experiences are permanently etched into my subconscious, and they actively aid me in doing my job to the best of my ability every time I step on set.

When the winner’s name was announced and you climbed that stage, did you have a momentary flashback to any specific memory from your student days in Ibadan?

Interestingly, Low Priest was shot almost entirely on the University of Ibadan grounds, utilising restricted parts of the campus that were reserved for filmmaking with permission from the school’s administration. So, in the aftermath of the initial rush of happiness, my mind didn’t just drift to distant student memories, it went directly to the grueling days of making the series itself. I remembered the sheer hard work, navigating the intense filming schedule alongside my academic responsibilities, and the profound realization that it had all finally paid off. But in that exact moment on stage? It was just pure joy and a bit of beautiful disbelief.

The mainstream entertainment industry can sometimes feel overwhelming or uncompromising for young creatives. What has your professional journey taught you so far about staying true to your artistic vision?

The reality is that we find ourselves in an environment where people often ascribe value to the wrong things. When it comes to art and entertainment, the mainstream system can sometimes lean toward exploitation and a certain level of mediocrity.

But even before I set foot on this career path, I drew a line in the sand: I never want to compromise on the quality of whatever project my name is attached to, whether anyone is watching or not. I tried my best to uphold that as a theatre artist in school—though I admit, there were times I didn’t keep up with it a hundred percent.

What’s beautiful is that the production of Low Priest actually validated that standard for me. On that set, I got to work with some of the finest actors in the country. They are true artists in every sense of the word. They were so incredibly particular about quality and they absolutely refused to accept mediocrity. It taught me that craving excellence isn’t idealistic; it is necessary.

There is a cliché, persistent worry among students about what studying Theatre Arts will actually yield after graduation. As an alumnus who has successfully made that leap to the grandest stage, what would you say to a current student sitting in a UI lecture hall right now, dreaming of an AMVCA?

I actually had this exact conversation with an alumnus who graduated a few sets before me, and I’ll say the same thing now: “I believe Theatre Arts is the best course in the world.”

At the same time, I believe the exact same fate that awaits a graduate of Medicine can await a Theatre Arts graduate. What you study is vital, but it is not what ultimately determines your outcome. Every single course in the university system has thousands of graduates who never practice in that line of work later in life. It is what you make of your life that matters.

To any student looking down on the course or asking those cliché questions about how Theatre Arts will be of use to them, I say: you are focusing on the wrong things. That negativity is the very starting point of failure. If you want to excel in any field, you must seize opportunities by the neck.

If they shouldn’t focus on the plaque itself, where should their focus be?

When you climb that AMVCA stage and hold that plaque, you quickly realise there is no inherent fulfillment inside the physical award itself. The fulfillment lies entirely in the recognition it symbolizes for your hard work.

My absolute advice to anyone sitting in a lecture hall right now dreaming of this is to focus entirely on doing whatever you are doing to the absolute best of your ability. This isn’t a corny motivational speech; it’s the plain truth. Why choose to spend your time and tuition doing something if you aren’t going to put your absolute best into it? Engage your mind to the maximum. Pour your time, energy, and soul into perfecting and learning your craft. It is a lifelong process anyway—you can never outgrow learning. Focus on doing undeniable work; the recognition, the awards, and the showmanship are just byproducts.

In what ways do you hope this win impacts or inspires the next generation of filmmakers, writers, and actors coming out of UI?

I don’t consider myself a popular or famous figure in UI, especially now that I’ve graduated. But I genuinely hope that students who see this, those who have a burning interest in filmmaking, theatre, and entertainment, take up the mantle of responsibility. I want them to understand that there is profound fulfillment in following your heart and doing what you love to the absolute peak of your capabilities.

I still have a long way to go on my own journey, but this recognition, in a very real way, reaffirms to me that anything is possible. Anything at all. And I believe that with every single fiber of my soul.

This interview was first published in AFASPRESS.