Omotola Jalade Ekeinde , MFR (/ˌoʊməˈtoʊlə/ OH-mə-TOH-lə; born Omotola Jalade, 7 February 1978) is a Nigerian actress, singer, philanthropist and former model.[1][2] Since her Nollywood film debut in 1995, Ekeinde has appeared in over 300 films, selling millions of copies.[1] Omotola is the second Nigerian and first Nigerian celebrity to receive over 1 million likes on her Facebook page.[3][4] She currently has a total of 3 million followers on Facebook.[5]
Omotola Jalade Ekeinde | |
|---|---|
 Omotola at the World Economic Forum in 2015 | |
| Born | Omotola Jalade 7 February 1978 Lagos State, Nigeria |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Other names | "Omo Sexy" Omotola Jolade Ekeinde Omotola Jalade Omotola Ekeinde |
| Citizenship | Nigerian |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Spouse | Captain Matthew Ekeinde |
| Children | 4 |
In 2013, she was included in Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world.[6]
In 2013, Ekeinde made a brief appearance on VH1's scripted series, Hit the Floor.[7] On 2 November 2013, she spoke at the 2013 edition of the WISE- Summit, held in Doha, Qatar.[8]
In 2014, she was honoured by the Nigerian government, when she became a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) for her contributions to Nigerian cinema.[9]
Early life and education
editOmotola Jalade, who is of Ondo descent, was born in Lagos State. She grew up with her parents and two younger brothers, Tayo and Bolaji Jalade. Her mother, Oluwatoyin Jalade née Amori Oguntade, Husband Captain Matthew Ekeinde, worked at J.T Chanrai Nigeria, and her father, Oluwashola Jalade, worked at the YMCA and the Lagos Country Club.[10] She attended Chrisland School, Opebi (1981–1987), Oxford Children School (1987), Santos Layout, and Command Secondary School, Kaduna (1988–1993).[11] She had a brief stint at Obafemi Awolowo University and completed her studies at Yaba College of Technology (1996–2004), where she studied Estate Management.[10] She originally wanted a career in business management. However, while awaiting her results from university, she began modelling to earn a living.[10]
Career
editActing career
editEkeinde was introduced to acting while accompanying a friend to an audition. Her first acting role was in the 1995 film Venom of Justice,[12] directed by Reginald Ebere.[13] She was given the lead role in the film. Her first major role was in the film Mortal Inheritance (1995), where she played a sickle-cell patient who fought for her life against small odds of survival.[14] Since then, she has starred in several films, including Games Women Play,[15] Blood Sisters,[16] All My Life, Last Wedding, My Story, The Woman in Me and others.
For her role in Mortal Inheritance, she won "Best Actress in an English Speaking Movie" and "Best Actress Overall" at the 1997 Movie Awards. She was the youngest actress in Nigeria at that time to win this.[17]
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, she starred in several sequel films, including Lost Kingdom II, Kosorogun II, and Blood Sister II, leading to a grand achiever award from the Global Excellence Recognition Awards in 2004. She was awarded best Actress in a supporting role during the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2005.[18]
After shooting roughly three hundred video movies, Ekeinde received her first cinematic movie role in the 2010 film "Ije".[19] This film was shot at locations in Jos and the United States."Ije" was the highest grossing Nollywood film at the time – A feat later broken by Phone Swap (2012). In 2012, she starred in the Nollywood thriller, Last Flight to Abuja which became the second-highest-grossing movie in West African cinemas in 2012.[20][21] She has gone on to win over forty domestic and international awards.[22][23][24]
In 2015, Ekeinde celebrated her 20th anniversary in the entertainment industry, having appeared in about two hundred films.[25] In June 2018, Ekeinde and fellow Nigerian Femi Odugbemi received invitations to be voting members at the Academy Awards.[26]
Music career
editEkeinde launched a music career in 2005 with the release of her debut album titled "gba". The album produced the singles "Naija Lowa" and "The Things You Do To Me."[27][28] Her unreleased second album – Me, Myself, and Eyes, brought in production from Paul Play and Del B. It was supported by the songs "Feel Alright", featuring Harrysong, and "Through the Fire", featuring Uche.[29]
In late 2012, Ekeinde began working on her third album and enlisted the help of The Bridge Entertainment. She went to Atlanta, Georgia in the United States to work with producers and songwriters who could help create a sound that would resonate with American audiences. She had studio sessions with Kendrick Dean, Drumma Boy and Verse Simmonds[30] and recorded a song with singer Bobby V.[31][32]
Reality show
editIn 2012, Ekeinde also launched a reality television show, Omotola: The Real Me, on Africa Magic Entertainment, a M-Net subsidiary broadcast on DStv. She was the first Nigerian celebrity to star in her own reality show.[33]
Philanthropy
editEkeinde became a United Nations World Food Programme Ambassador in 2005, going to missions in Sierra- Leone and Liberia. She also supports organisations such as Charles Odii's SME100 Africa to empower youth and young women in society. She has been active in the Walk the World project and participated in the Walk the World campaign in Liberia with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.[34]
Her human rights campaign work is centered on her NGO project, called the Omotola Youth Empowerment Program (OYEP). This undertaking brought hundreds of youths together for the Empowerment Walk and Convention.[35] She lent her voice in 2010 to the "Rewrite The Future" campaign of Save The Children UK.[11]
She became an Amnesty International campaigner in 2011 and has participated in campaigns in Sierra-Leone (Maternal Mortality) and a 2012 campaign for the Niger Delta in Nigeria, where she shot a video asking Shell plc and the government to "own up, clean up, pay up| and take responsibility for the oil spills in the Niger Delta.[36][37]
In June 2020, she visited an orphanage home in Tanzania run by Tanzania Mitindo House which focuses on HIV infected children, with Tanzanian actress Wema Sepetu.[38]
To promote the 2021 World No Tobacco Day and the #SmokeFreeNollywood campaign, Ekeinde and actors (Dakore Egbuson-Akande, Daniel Effiong, Meg Otanwa, Michelle Dede, Osas Ighodaro pledged to stop smoking in their movie scenes, as it had a negative influence on young kids who looked up to them.[39] The campaign was backed by US non-profit organization Tobacco-Free Kids and a sub-Saharan public strategy firm - Gatefield.[40][41]
Awards and recognition
editEkeinde has a regular column in OK! Nigeria Magazine titled "Omotola's Diary", which features writings about her life and experiences.[42] On 5 November 2013, she received the Ebony Vanguard Award at the Music Video and Screen Awards (MVISA) held in Birmingham, England.[43] On 9 November 2013, Oba Victor Kiladejo, the Royal king of Ondo Kingdom conferred on Omotola a chieftaincy title in her hometown of Ondo State.[44]
In 2012, CNN Travel included Ekeinde's accent on their list of the "world's twelve sexiest accents|.[45] The Nigerian accent ranked fifth on the list. In 2013, she was included in Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world.[6]
Ekeinde was included in the list of Top 100 most influential Africans by New African magazine in 2013.[46]
In 2015, she was listed among the highest-grossing movie actors. Others on the list included Shah Rukh Khan, Frank Welker, Bob Bergen, Jack Angel, Mickie McGowan, Michael Papajohn, Martin Klebba, Clint Howard and Chris Ellis. This listing was compiled and researched by Yahoo!.[47]
Personal life
editJalade married Captain Matthew Ekeinde in 1996. Together, they have four children.[48]
Selected filmography
edit| Title | Year | Role | Notes |
| Venom of Justice | 1995 | ||
| Mortal Inheritance | 1996 | Kemi Johnson | |
| Scores to Settle | 1998 | with Pete Edochie, Kanayo O. Kanayo | |
| Lost Kingdom | 1999 | ||
| Kosorogun | 2002 | with Faithia Balogun, Shan George | |
| When Love Dies | 2003 | Mary | |
| Under Fire | with Chiege Alisigwe, Charles Awurum | ||
| The Outsider | |||
| Rescue | |||
| Blood Sisters | Gloria | with Genevieve Nnaji | |
| Royal Family | 2004 | ||
| Die Another Day | Queen | ||
| A Kiss from Rose | with Desmond Elliot, Fred Amata | ||
| Games Women Play | 2005 | Yvonne | |
| Brave Heart | with Zack Orji, Emma Ayalogu | ||
| Taste of Sin | 2006 | Debbie | With Funke Adewusi, Uduak Akrah |
| The Revelation | 2007 | ||
| Sand in My Shoes | with Tchidi Chikere, Mike Ezuruonye | ||
| Careless Soul | With Emeka Ike, Ralph Onu | ||
| Yankee Girls | 2008 | Immaculate | With Suen Akindele, Musa Abudu |
| Temple of Justice | with Nonso Diobi, Queen Nwokoye | ||
| My Last Ambition | 2009 | Amanda | With Nonso Diobi, Nadia Buari |
| Ije: The Journey | 2010 | Anya Opara Michino | With Genevieve Nnaji, Odalys Garcia, Ulrich Que |
| A Private Storm | 2010 | Gina | With Ramsey Nouah, Ufuoma Ejenobor, John Dumelo |
| Ties That Bind | 2011 | Adobea Onyomena | With Ama K. Abebrese, Kimberly Elise |
| Last Flight to Abuja | 2012 | Suzie | With Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Jim Iyke, Jide Kosoko |
| Amina | Amina | With Charlie Buck, Alison Carroll, Jonathan Cohen | |
| Hit The Floor | 2013 | Omotola | |
| Blood on the Lagoon | 2014[49] | Scarlett Belo | With Stephen Abeng, Akuma Agu, Niran Aladetan |
| My Only Inheritance | |||
| Alter Ego | 2017 | Ada Igwe | With Wale Ojo and Kunle Remi |
| The Island | Mrs Tokunbo Bowe Cole | TV series | |
| The Tribunal | |||
| Up Creek a Paddle | TBA | Desiye | Post production |
| RattleSnake: The Ahanna Story | 2020 | Maimuna Atafo | With Stan Nze, Osas Ighodaro |
| Shadow Parties | 2021[50] | as Princess Fadekemi | With Toyin Abraham, Ayanfe Adekunle |
| Lockdown | 2021 | Dr Njoku | With Omini Aho, Chioma Chukwuka Akpotha |
Discography
editStudio albums
edit- GBA (2005)
- Me, Myself, and Eyes (unreleased)
Singles
edit| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | "Barren Land"[51] | Me, Myself, and Eyes |
| 2015 | "Strong Girl (Remix)"[52] As featured artiste | — |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | The Movie Awards (THEMA) | Best Actress English | Mortal Inheritance | Won | |
| Best Actress Overall | Won | ||||
| 2004 | City People awards for Excellence | Best Actress | Herself | Won | |
| Global Excellence Recognition Awards | Best Actress & Grand Achiever | Won | |||
| Civil Enlightenment Organization of Nigeria (CEON) | Best Individual & Symbol of Creativity | Won | |||
| NUSEC Awards | Best Actress | Won | |||
| 2005 | 1st Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) | Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Won | ||
| 2006 | Youths Benefactor's Award | Most friendly Actress | Won | ||
| 2009 | 2009 Best of Nollywood Awards | Best Actress Leading Role (Yoruba) | Nominated | ||
| 2009 Nigeria Entertainment Awards | Best Actress | Nominated | |||
| 2010 | 2010 Nigeria Entertainment Awards | Best Actress Film/Short Story | Deepest of Dreams | Nominated | |
| 2010 Ghana Movie Awards | Best Actress-Africa Collaboration | A Private Storm | Nominated | ||
| 2011 | 8th Africa Movie Academy Awards | Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Ties That Bind | Nominated | |
| 2011 Ghana Movie Awards | Best Actress-Africa Collaboration | Won | |||
| 2011 Best of Nollywood Awards | Best Actress Leading Role (English) | A Private Storm | Nominated | ||
| 2011 Nigeria Entertainment Awards | Best Actress Film/Short Story | Ijé | Nominated | ||
| 2012 | Eloy Awards | Actress of the Year | Ties That Bind | Won | |
| Screen Nation Awards | Pan African Best Actress | Herself | Won | ||
| Black Entertainment Film Fashion Television and Arts Awards (BEFFTA) | Film Actress Icon | Won | |||
| 2012 Golden Icons Academy Movie Awards | GIAMA Humanitarian Award | Omotola Youth Empowerment Foundation | Won | ||
| Viewers Choice -Female | Herself | Nominated | |||
| 2012 Nigeria Entertainment Awards | Best Actress in A Film | Ties That Bind | Nominated | ||
| 2012 Nollywood Movies Awards | Best Actress in a Leading Role | A Private Storm | Nominated | ||
| 2013 | 2013 Nollywood Movies Awards | Popular Online Choice | Herself | Won | |
| Music Video and Screen Awards (MVISA) | Ebony Vanguard Award | Won | [53] | ||
| 2013 Nigeria Entertainment Awards | Best Lead Actress in a Film | Last Flight to Abuja | Nominated | ||
| 2014 | MTV Africa Music Awards 2014 | Personality of the Year | Herself | Nominated | [54] |
| 2016 | City People Social Media Awards | Female Entertainment Personality | Herself | Won | [55] |
| 2017 | Nollywood Travel Film Festival | Best Actress | Alter Ego | Won | [56] |
| Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival | Won | ||||
| Best of Nollywood Awards | Lifetime Achievement Award | Herself | Won | [57] | |
| Best Kiss in a Movie | Herself and Kunle Remmy | Nominated | |||
| Best Actress Leading Role (English) | Alter Ego | ||||
| City People Movie Awards | Nominated | ||||
| 2018 | Africa Magic Viewer's Choice Awards (AMVCA) | Best Actress in a Movie/TV Series | Won | [58] |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde: 10 things to know about 'Omosexy'". CNN Entertainment. 17 January 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
- ^ Okafor, Kelvin (3 February 2021). "Omotola Jalade Ekeinde biography: Age, husband, children, movies". legit.ng. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
- ^ "Nigeria: Omotola Hits 1 Million Facebook Likes". Leadership. 16 February 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2013 – via All Africa.
- ^ Alonge, Osagie (10 February 2013). "Omotola surpasses 1m 'likes' on Facebook". Nigeria Entertainment Today.
- ^ Odumade, Omotolani. "Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde: Actress celebrates 3m followers on Facebook". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
- ^ a b Corliss, Richard (18 April 2013). "The 2013 Time 100: Omotola Jalade Ekeinde". Time magazine. London. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
- ^ A. Obenson, Tambay (24 June 2013). "Nigerian Actress Omotola Jalade Ekeinde Will Make USA TV Debut On 'Hit The Floor' Tonight". IMDb. IndieWire. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
- ^ Omolewa, Mufutau (3 November 2013). "Gorgeous Omotola speaks at the WISE Summit in Doha,Qatar(PHOTOS)". ModernGhana. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
- ^ Mojeed, Musikilu (18 September 2014). "Jonathan's steward, taxi driver, traffic warden, 304 other Nigerians get National Honours". Premium Times. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
- ^ a b c "Omotola Jalade Ekeinde". Heels of Influence. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
- ^ a b The360reporters (20 April 2020). "Omotola Jalade Ekeinde Net Worth 2020_Biography, Age, Marriage, Movies And Endorsements Deals". Latest News and Entertainment Updates. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
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- ^ "Reginald Ebere (Writer, Director) | Movies | INSIDENOLLY". www.insidenolly.ng.
- ^ "Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde: 10 things to know about 'Omosexy'". January 2014.
- ^ izuzu, chibumga (19 June 2014). "Throwback to the Movie "Games Women Play"". Pulse Nigeria.
- ^ Blood sister. 31 March 2003. OCLC 558658799 – via Open WorldCat.
- ^ "Omotola Jalade Ekeinde Biography: Career, Husband, Children, Movies". nigerianfinder.com. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
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- ^ "The 2013 Time 100: Omotola Jalade Ekeinde". Shout-Africa. 18 April 2013. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
- ^ Media, Bigsam (8 August 2012). "Last Flight to Abuja is the number 2 film in West African Cinemas". The Nigerian Voice. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
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- ^ "Meet voting members of Oscars 2018: Odugbemi, Omotola". Retrieved 25 July 2018.
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- ^ Media, Bigsam. "HOW CELEBRITIES AND DIGNITARIES MINGLED AT OMOTOLA'S ALBUM LAUNCH". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
- ^ "Omotola Jalade features top foreign acts in new album as she returns to music". Nigerian Monitor. 18 January 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
- ^ Eta, Philip (28 January 2013). "PHOTOSPEAK: Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde records with Bobby V in Atlanta". Daily Post. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
- ^ James, Osaremen Ehi (28 January 2013). "UPDATED: Omotola Storms Atlanta Studio With Bobby V [Picture]". Nigeria Films.com. Archived from the original on 2 February 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
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- ^ Aiki, Damilare (24 January 2012). "BN Exclusive: In Loving Memory of her Mother, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde's Foundation OYEP gives 20 Widows AMAZING Makeovers – Must See Photos!". Bella Naija. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
- ^ Macnamara, Lucy (17 April 2012). "'Nollywood' Star Omotola Jalade Ekeinde calls on Shell to clean up the Niger Delta". Amnesty International. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
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- ^ "Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde | Actress, Writer, Producer". IMDb. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
- ^ "Omotola releases single from upcoming album". Vanguard. 24 January 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
- ^ "D'banj Bono, Waje, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde star in conscious 'Strong girl' remix". Pulse.com.gh. David Mawuli. 25 September 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
- ^ "Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde honoured at Music Video and Screen Awards". Nigerian Entertainment Today. 7 November 2013. Archived from the original on 10 December 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
- ^ "Mafikizolo, Uhuru, Davido lead nominations for MTV Africa Music Awards". Sowetan LIVE. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
- ^ "Omotola Jalade Ekeinde Wins Award as 'Female Entertainment Personality'". 14 March 2016.
- ^ "Omotola Jalade, wins best actress award at Nollywood Travel Film Festival". The Guardian (Nigeria). 18 September 2017.
- ^ "BON Awards 2017: Kannywood's Ali Nuhu receives Special Recognition Award". Daily Trust. 23 November 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
- ^ "25YearsOfOmosexy: Celebrating Achievements Of Omot... - All News Nigeria". allnews.ng. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
External links
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