Omotola Jalade Ekeinde (oh – m oh – t oh – l ah, born Omotola Jalade, 7 February 1978) is a Nigerian actress, singer, philanthropist and former model. Since her Nollywood film debut in 1995, the leading actress has appeared in 300 films, selling millions of video copies. After receiving numerous high-profile awards, launching a music career, and amassing an enviable fan base, the press has revered the Screen Nation "Best Actress" as the "African Magic". She is the first African celebrity to receive over 1 million likes on her Facebook page.[3] She currently has a total of 3 million followers on Facebook.
Beyond her show business accomplishments, she is also applauded for her remarkable humanitarian efforts. Omotola is one of the pioneers of the video film era of Nigerian cinema, becoming the most watched actress in Africa. In 2013, she was honoured in Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world alongside Michelle Obama, Beyoncé and Kate middleton .
In early 2013, Omotola made her US television debut in VH1's scripted series, hit the floor . On 2 November 2013, she spoke at the 2013 edition of the WISE Summit, held in Doha, Qatar.
In 2014, she was honoured by the Nigerian government as a Member of the order of the federal republic of Nigeria, MFR for her contributions to Nigerian cinema.
Early life and Education[
Omotola, who is of Ondo descent, was born in Lagos State. She grew up in a family of five, her parents and two younger brothers, Tayo and Bolaji Jalade. Her mother, Oluwatoyin Jalade née Amori Oguntade, worked at J.T Chanrai Nig, and her father, Oluwashola Jalade, worked with the YMCA and the Lagos Country Club. Omotola's original ambition was to work in business management. While awaiting her results from university, she began modelling to earn a living. Omotola attended Chrisland School Opebi (1981–1987), Oxford Children School (1987), Santos Layout, and Command Secondary School Kaduna (1988–1993).[10] 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.
Acting career
Omotola was introduced to acting by accompanying a friend to an audition. Her first acting role was in the 1995 movie Venom of Justice, directed by Reginald Ebere. Reginald has been cited as launching Omotola's career. She was given the lead role in the movie, which set the stage for a flourishing career in the Nollywood film industry. Omotola got her first big role in the critically acclaimed film Mortal Inheritance (1995). In the movie, she played a sickle-cell patient who fights for her life despite the odds of survival. Omotola's character overcame the disease and had a baby. The film is regarded as one of Nigeria's best movies ever made. Since then, she has starred in several blockbuster movies, including Games Women Play, Blood Sisters, All My Life, Last Wedding, My Story, The Woman in Me and a host of others.
After a career defining role in Mortal Inheritance, Omotola's portrayal won her "Best Actress in an English Speaking Movie" and "Best Actress Overall" at the 1997 THEMA (The Movie Awards). She was the youngest actress in Nigeria at this time to achieve this feat.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the increasingly known actress starred in several sequel films, including Lost Kingdom 2, Kosorogun 2, and Blood Sister 2, leading to a Grand Achiever Award on behalf of the Global Excellence Recognition Awards in 2004. By the mid-2000s, Omotola had catapulted into A-list status. She was awarded "Best Actress in a Supporting Role" during the African Movie Academy Awards in 2005.
After shooting roughly 300 straight to video movies, Omotola received her first cinematic movie role in the 2010 film, Ije.] The film was shot on locations in Jos, California, and Los Angeles. Ije was the Highest grossing Nollywood film at the time – A feat later broken by Phone Swap (2012). Last Flight to Abuja (2012) in which Omotola also starred currently holds the record. In 2012, she starred in the Nollywood blockbuster thriller Last Flight to Abuja which beat Hollywood blockbusters like Spiderman, Think like a Man, Ice Age, The Avengers, and Madagascar to become the 2nd highest-grossing movie in West African cinemas in 2012 Omotola has gone on to win over 40 domestic and international awards. She is considered Africa's biggest box office actress.
In 2015, Omotola celebrated her 20th anniversary in the entertainment industry. She has appeared in about 200 movies.
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