If you are a fan of Nollywood movies, then the name Omotola Jalade Ekeinde will ring a bell. She is a veteran and one of the top actresses in Nollywood. She is also one of the pioneers of the video film era of Nigerian cinema, becoming one of the most viewed actresses in Africa. She is considered Africa's biggest box office actress.
She is popularly known as Omo Sexy as she was considered one of the curviest and beautiful actresses in the industry. Though the name was a pet name her husband gave her before fans knew about it and started calling her that for the obvious reasons: her curves and beauty.
Omotola Jalade Ekeinde is an actress, model, singer, writer, businesswoman and philanthropist. She was the first celebrity in Africa to receive over one million likes on her Facebook page. The sexy actress in 2012 was on the list of CNN travel as one of the 12 sexiest accents. The Nigerian accent was number 5 on their list.
The Nigerian actress in the year 2013 was honoured in the Time magazine list as one of the most 100 influential people in the world alongside big names like Beyonce, Michelle Obama and Kate Middleton.
The A list actress was also honoured by the Nigerian government in the year 2014 as a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic, MFR for her contributions to Nigerian cinema.
The famous and beautiful is the first Nigerian celebrity to launch and star in her reality show called Omotola: The Real Me, on Africa's most popular network, Africa Magic Entertainment.
Early in 2021, the actress trademarked her name "OMOTOLA" like some international celebrities like Beyonce, Jay Z, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber and the likes. She broke the news on all her social media pages.
Trademark gives you the right to stop other people from using your registered trademark name, word, etc to sell goods or services.
This A list celebrity has many more accomplishments and awards that you will get to learn about as you continue reading.
Omotola Jalade Ekeinde: How It All Began
Origin
Omotola was born 7th of February 1978 (currently 43 years). She was born in Lagos State, Nigeria. She is from Ondo State, the western part of Nigeria. She grew up in a family of five, herself, her parents and two younger brothers. She is the first child and only daughter.
Her mother, Oluwatoyin Jalade worked at J.T Chanrai Nigeria, and her father, Oluwashola Jalade, worked at the YMCA and the Lagos Country Club. She lost her father when she was 12 years old in the year 1991 and lost her mother 10 years after her father's death.
Education
For her primary school education, the actress attended Chrisland school in Opebi and Oxford children school. She had her high school education in Command Secondary School Kaduna from 1988 to 1993.
She attended Obafemi Awolowo university briefly (the details of her time and course of study in the school are unknown to the public.) but completed her tertiary studies in Estate Management from Yaba College of Technology.
She also obtained a Doctorate Degree in Arts from Igbinedon University, Okada in 2019.
Early Career
Omotola's original ambition was to work in business management. She began modelling to earn a living while waiting for her results from University.
She worked as a model before she stumbled on the opportunity to audition for a role she accompanied her friend to audition. On losing the role, her friend suggested that she goes for the role and she ended up getting the role. She starred in the movie ‘Venom of Justice’ which was directed by Reginald Ebere.
Her first movie role which she stumbled into launched her into the Entertainment industry.
Personal Life
Omotola Jalade Ekeinde is married to a pilot, Captain Matthew Ekeinde and they are blessed with four children. Two boys and two girls.
The couple got married in 1996 when she was around 18 years old. They later held a white ceremony on board a Dash 7 aircraft while flying from Lagos to Benin in (2001), with close family and friends present at an onboard wedding ceremony.
Omotola's Move To The Big Screen
The star actress breakout role came in 1996 from a movie titled Mortal Inheritance, in which she portrayed a young woman called Kemi suffering from sickle-cell anaemia disease. The movie today remains a favourite by Nollywood fans and is regarded as one of Nigeria's best movies ever made.
Since her role in that movie, she has starred in several blockbuster movies like Games women play, Last wedding, Blood sisters and the likes.
She also acted in the movie ''Ije'' in 2010, a movie shot in Nigeria and the United States of America. "Ije" was the highest-grossing Nollywood film at the time of its production.
The talented actress also featured in another blockbuster movie in 2012 that beat some Hollywood blockbusters to become the 2nd highest-grossing movie in West African cinemas as at that time.
Humanitarian Works
The actress has a passion for helping people and has been involved in philanthropic acts since her early days in Nollywood.
She has an NGO called Omotola Youth Empowerment Project (OYEP). One of the things her NGO does includes the 20 Widows Makeover event. She does the makeover event in honour of her mother who was a widow for 10 years before she died.
The 20 Widows Makeover event received a nomination for Best Charity/Cause connected Event at the Nigerian Event Awards in 2012.
Omotola is also a United Nations World Food Programme Ambassador, an ambassador for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and an Amnesty International activist.
The passionate actress is also among the supporters of SME100 Africa that were founded by Charles Odii, aimed at empowering young entrepreneurs and small/medium scale enterprises to succeed in Africa.
Endorsements, Modelling, Writing And Music Career
The beautiful actress because of her fame as bagged a lot of endorsement deals worth millions of Naira. She is currently one of the richest and the most influential Nollywood actresses, with an estimated net worth of about $7 million, which is over 2 billion Naira in Naira.
She is a brand ambassador to Scanfrost, Unilever, P&G, Knorr alongside many other brands she has worked with it in the past.
Her modelling career was what she was doing to earn some money while waiting to get admission into the university. It was while modelling she followed her friend for an audition and unexpectedly got a role she did not plan on auditioning for.
Omosexy as she is popularly known and called, launched her first album in 2005. The name of the album was titled ''Gba'' and it album produced some of her hit singles "Naija Lowa" and "The Things You Do To Me. She also has an unreleased second album titled Me, Myself, and Eyes, brought in production from Paul Play and Del B.
She also started working on her 3rd album in 2012 and recorded a song with top American singer Bobby V. Though we are yet to know more information about her 2nd and 3rd album and why it is on hold.
Omotola has always had a passion for writing. Her passion for writing got her a column in Ok! Magazine called Omotola's Diary and it features writeups directly by the actress about her life, experiences, and her opinions about certain matters.
Omotola Jalade Ekeinde Movies
The multiple award-winning and famous actress has featured and acted in over 300 movies both locally and internationally. She has featured in some of the highest Nollywood grossing movies such as Ije and last flight to Abuja. Some of the other movies she has acted in are listed below.
- Mortal Inheritance
- Blood sisters
- Die Another Day
- Rescue
- A kiss from Rose
- Games women play
- Sand in my shoes
- The revelation
- Careless Soul
- Yankee Girls
- My only inheritance
- Alter Ego
- RattleSnake - The Ahanna Story
- Mind Game
- Shadow Parties
- Last Celebrity
- Tomorrow must wait
- Desperate sister
- Power of justice
- The prince of my heart
- Titanic Battle
- Total war
- Jealousy
- Last wedding
- Moment of joy
- My blood
- Pretty woman
- Royal family
- Have a dream
- Society lady
- Under fire
- What I want
- When love dies
- Send in my shoes
- My last ambition
- The Island
- The Tribunal
- Hit the floor
- Touching love
- Shackles and the Rugged Cross
- In Totality
- The Woman in Me
- Queen of Hasso Rock
- Ties That Bind
- A Private Storm
- Masterstroke
- Naomi
- Beyond Belief
- The Outsider
- Brave Heart
Awards and Honours
Omotola Jolade Ekeinde has won several awards and recognition over the 2 decades of her acting career. Some of the awards and honours are listed below
- The Movie Awards (THEMA) - Best actress Overall 1997
- Best Actress from the City People Awards for Excellence 2004.
- Civil Enlightenment Organization of Nigeria (CEON) - Best Individual & Symbol of Creativity in 2004
- Best Actress & Grand Achiever at Global Excellence Recognition Awards in 2004.
- 1st Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) - Best Actress in a Supporting Role in 2005
- Most Friendly Actress by Youth Benefactor's Awards, in 2006
- Best Actress-Africa Collaboration at Ghana Movie Awards 2011
- Actress of the Year at Eloy Awards 2012
- Pan African Best Actress at Screen Nation Awards 2012
- GIAMA Humanitarian Award at Golden Icons Academy Movie Awards 2012
- The Black Entertainment Film Fashion Television and Arts BEFFTA Icon Award in 2012
- Ebony Vanguard Award at Music Video and Screen Awards 2013
- TIME Magazine's one of most influential people in the World in 2013
- Popular Online Choice for Nollywood Movies Awards in 2013
- MTV Africa Music Awards 2014 - Personality of the year in 2014
- Female Entertainment Personality at City People Social Media Awards 2016
- Best Actress at Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival 2017
- Lifetime Achievement Award at best of Nollywood awards in 2017
- Best Actress at Nollywood Travel Film Festival 2017
- Most Influential 100 People of African Descent at the United Nations by MIPAD 2018
- Movie Icon of the Year at City People Movie Awards 2018
- Best Actress in a Drama/TV Series at the Africa Magic Viewers Choice awards 2018
In the year 2013, Oba Victor Kiladejo, the Royal king of Ondo Kingdom conferred Omotola Jalade Ekeinde with a chieftaincy title in Ondo State.
In the year 2014, the iconic superstar was honoured with a Member of the Federal Republic (MFR) award by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Do you want to learn to act like the famous Omotola Jolade Ekeinde? Search for "drama or acting tutors on Superprof Nigeria" and learn the fundamentals of drama, acting or a tutor to help you prepare for an acting audition.
You can also read up about other actors/actresses in the industry by clicking the below links:
Richard Mofe-Damijo: His Life, Career, Movies And Awards
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