Comedian Bovi Ugboma and South African actress Nomzamo Mbatha delivered one of the most talked-about moments at the 12th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards as they humorously recreated the viral encounter involving Funke Akindele and Toyin Abraham.

The awards ceremony, held at Eko Hotels and Suites on Saturday night, was filled with glamour, emotional speeches and memorable wins.

However, one of the evening’s biggest highlights came during the hosting segment when Bovi and Mbatha turned a recent social media controversy into a comedy sketch that had guests roaring with laughter.

In the satirical performance, Mbatha played the role of Akindele, while Bovi portrayed Toyin Abraham. Acting out the now-famous moment, Bovi approached Mbatha and called out, “Aunty, Aunty Funke,” only to be ignored.

He then delivered the punchline that sent the audience into fits of laughter: “Mtcheew! If I ever present an award to you, call me b*****d.”

The joke referenced Abraham’s widely circulated reaction after the original incident, when she reportedly declared that if she ever greeted Akindele again, she should be called “a bastard.”

The reenactment quickly became one of the standout moments of the evening, with clips spreading across social media and drawing praise for Bovi’s timely and witty humour.

In a show of good sportsmanship, Abraham was later seen approaching Bovi after the ceremony. Smiling, she told the comedian she had expected him to reference the controversy and admitted she found the joke amusing.

Her light-hearted response was widely applauded online, with many commending her ability to laugh at a situation that had previously generated intense public debate.

The original incident occurred in March at the premiere of The Return of Arinzo, a film by Iyabo Ojo.

In the viral video, Toyin Abraham was seen approaching Akindele’s table and greeting her respectfully as “Aunty Funke”. Despite making repeated attempts to get her attention, Akindele appeared not to acknowledge her, instead focusing elsewhere.

The clip sparked widespread discussion on social media, with fans and netizens debating whether the apparent snub reflected a deeper rivalry between two of Nollywood’s most successful actresses.

The controversy intensified after reports emerged that both stars had unfollowed each other on Instagram. Abraham also posted a strongly worded reaction on social media, which was later deleted.

Although the incident fuelled speculation about tension between the actresses, neither Akindele nor Abraham publicly addressed the matter in detail.