#MTVMAMA2016: Linda Ikeji & Wizkid go head-to-head as they get nominated in same category

The first round of nominations for the 2016 edition of the MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMA) 2016 set to be staged in the city of Johannesburg in South Africa has been released and for the first time ever, erstwhile foes Wizkid and celebrity blogger Linda Ikeji have been nominated in the same award category.

The duo will go head to head in the lifestyle category Personality of the Year, alongside Pearl Thusi (South Africa), soccer player Pierre Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon), middle distance runner and Olympic gold medallist Caster Semenya (South Africa).

Wizkid and Linda made headlines early in the year when they went hard at each other on social media before the Nigerian Police Force resolved the rift between them. 

Fifty MAMA nominees including artists and achievers from 18 countries were revealed in nine key music and lifestyle award categories were announced by the award organisers. Leading the line of nominees is Wizkid with three nominations in Best Male, Best Collaboration and Personality of the Year.

The second round of nominations, comprising 7 additional award categories, including Artist of the Year, Best Female, Listener's Choice, Best Breakthrough, Best Francophone, Song of the Year in partnership with Google, and Video of the Year, will be revealed at the Hard Rock Café, Lagos, Nigeria during Road to MAMA – Lagos 2016 (2 October 2016). 

Voting for MAMA 2016 opened at 10pm on Wednesday 21 September.

See list of nominees below:

Best Male

AKA (South Africa)
Black Coffee (South Africa)
Diamond (Tanzania)
Patoranking (Nigeria)
Wizkid (Nigeria)

Best Live
Cassper Nyovest (South Africa)
Eddy Kenzo (Uganda)
Flavour (Nigeria)
Mafikizolo (South Africa)
Stonebwoy (Ghana)

Best Group

Mi Casa (South Africa)
Navy Kenzo (Tanzania)
R2bees (Ghana)
Sauti Sol (Kenya)
Toofan (Togo)

Best Collaboration in partnership with Absolut
AKA feat. Burna Boy, Khuli Chana & Yanga – "Baddest" (South Africa/Nigeria)
DJ Maphorisa feat. Wizkid & DJ Bucks – "Soweto Baby" ((South Africa/Nigeria)
Nasty C feat. Davido, Cassper – "Juice Back Remix" (Nigeria/South Africa)
Patoranking feat. Sarkodie – "No Kissing" (Nigeria/Ghana)
Sauti Sol feat. Alikiba – "Unconditionally Bae" (Kenya/Tanzania)

Best Hip Hop in association with MTN
Emtee (South Africa)
Kiff No Beat (Ivory Coast)
Olamide (Nigeria)
Riky Rick (South Africa)
Ycee (Nigeria)

Best Pop/Alternative
Desmond & The Tutus (South Africa)
LCNVL (South Africa)
Shekinah (South Africa) / Kyle Deutsch (South Africa)
Timo ODV (South Africa)
Tresor (DRC)

Best Lusophone
C4 Pedro (Angola)
NGA (Angola)
Lizha James (Mozambique)
Nelson Freitas (Netherlands/Cape Verde)
Preto Show (Angola)

Personality of the Year in association with DStv
Caster Semenya (South Africa)
Linda Ikeji (Nigeria)
Pearl Thusi (South Africa)
Pierre Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon)
Wizkid (Nigeria)

Best International
Adele (UK)
Beyoncé (USA)
Drake (Canada)
Future (USA)
Rihanna (Barbados)