Lionheart, Nigeria's first-ever Oscar entry has been disqualified from the International Film Category for failing to meet requirements of consideration.
Organisers held the view that Lionheart, which was directed and starring renowned actress Genevieve Nnaji, had to much English.
Entries to be considered in the formerly foreign language category must have a predominantly non-English track.
The film has just under 12 minutes of dialogue in the Igbo language while the rest of it is in English.
Nnaji took to Twitter to voice her disapproval of the academy's decision to disqualify the Oscar entry, saying that English was Nigeria's official language.
''1/1 1/2 Thank you so much @ava. I am the director of Lionheart. This movie represents the way we speak as Nigerians. This includes English which acts as a bridge between the 500+ languages spoken in our country; thereby making us #OneNigeria. @TheAcademy, '' she tweeted.
''2/2 It’s no different to how French connects communities in former French colonies. We did not choose who colonized us. As ever, this film and many like it, is proudly Nigerian, '' she added.
Nigeria was colonised by the British who left the country with the English language.
Ava Durnay, a renowned filmaker, also took issue with Nigeria's disqualification.
"You disqualified Nigeria's first-ever submission for Best International Feature because its in English. But English is the official language of Nigeria. Are you barring this country from ever competing for an Oscar in its official language?" Ava Durnay tweeted.