Words:Adedosu 'kenzy' Adekunle
It was indeed a great thing for the Nollywood actress "OMOTOLA JALADE EKEINDE" as the actress, who recently completed a tour of four countries on a project she is still keeping under wraps, was on Sunday announced as favorite West African actress of the year at the reputable Screen Nation Film and Television Award, which held in indigo O2 Arena in the UK. The award ceremony was hosted by Angelica Bell and Michael Underwood.
In winning this year’s award, Omotola beats other nominees such as Jackie Appiah, Mercy Johnson, Genevieve Nnaji , Ama K Abebrese and others. The award further confirms the international brand following of the actress who is also an ambassador of the United Nations and Amnesty International.
Omotola, who has been adjudged as the West African actress with the highest number of following on the internet, has been doing so much on the international scene of late.
Her international expedition has taken her to countries like Liberia and Sierra Leone on charitable ventures.
Her charitable ventures earned her the United Nations and Amnesty International ambassador and an honorary citizen of Liberia; she took to the runway to help draw attention to hunger in some African countries.
The Screen Nation film and TV Awards is a televised event, which takes place in October during Black History Month and combines the glamour of international movie stars alongside British talent. The awards ceremony – dubbed by the media as the ‘’Black BAFTAs’’ – brings together actors, actresses, directors and filmmakers from the UK and international film and TV industry.
Omotola who was born in a family of five to Mr. & Mrs. Shola Jalade (both late) and two brothers, Tayo and Bolaji Jalade.
She attended Chrisland Nursery School, Opebi, Lagos and Oxford Children School, Santos Layout. She then proceeded to Kaduna for her secondary education at Command Secondary School .
She is currently undertaking an HND course in Estate Management at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos. She got married at the Ikeja registry on the 23rd, March 1996, and had a beautiful white wedding on board a DASH 7 Aircraft flying from Lagos to Benin, on the 19th April, 2001.
Besides acting, she also sings and has a soon to be released debut album. She features as a writer for the Saturday SUN (Omotola's Diary) and occasionally gets involved in Social Services for women and charity homes.
Her first role in a movie came in the film "Venom of Justice"(1995). Omotola Ekeinde burst into the Nollywood film industry with the movie "Mortal Inheritance" (1995) where she played a sickle-cell patient who fights for her life even when she knows she might not be able to live.
At the end of the day, she has a baby and eventually lives. This film which received good reviews, won her awards for her role in the movie and is still known as one of Nigeria's best movies ever made. Ever since then she has not looked back and she has starred in blockbuster movies like "Games Women Play", "Blood Sisters", "All my life", "Last Wedding",My Story, The Woman in Meand a host of others. In the year 2005, she launched her music career.
Omotola Jalade Ekehinde is a beautiful award winning actress known for her craft all around Africa. She acts in Nollywood, the Nigeria home video movie scene that has in the past decade blossomed into a full fledged entertainment industry.
For this screen goddess, life is family, scenes in a movie, songs in an album and the sure pleasure of getting feed back from her fans. Omotola has, within the space of 10 years, been able to play major roles in numerous movies. She has played a prostitute, a prisoner, the lonely housewife, the bitchy manipulator and the girl next door.
Omotola radiates the aura of a real star. She recently waxed a music album titled 'Gba' in 2006, and she sees herself as moving up like one rung from just being an actor to an entertainer. "Omosexy", as she is called by her fans, would not respond to anything that she claims "does not add value to my life".
HER FILMOGRAPHY INCLUDES:
* Ties That Blind
* A Private Storm
* Ije (2010)
* My Last Ambition (2009)
* Beyonce & Rihanna (2008)
* Temple of Justice (2008)
* Tomorrow Must Wait (2008)
* Yankee Girls (2008)
* Careless Soul (2007)
* Desperate Sister (2007)
* Final War (2007)
* Sand in My Shoes (2007)
* Sister's Heart (2007)
* The Prince of My Heart (2007)
* The Revelation (2007)
* Titanic Battle (2007)
* Total War (2007)
* Brave Heart (2005)
* Games Women Play (2005)-(with Genevieve Nnaji and Desmond Elliot)
* Queen of Hasso Rock (2005)
* A Kiss from Rose (2004)
* All My Life (2004)
* Die Another Day (2004)
* Fateful Love (2004)
* In Totality (2004)
* Last Wedding (2004)
* Masterstroke (2004)
* Moment of Joy (2004)
* My Blood (2004)
* No One But You (2004)
* Pretty Woman (2004)
* Royal Family (2004)
* The Woman in Me (2004)
* Worst Marriage (2004)
* Shackles and the Rugged Cross (2003)
* Beyond Belief (2003)
* Blood Sister (2003)
* I Have a Dream (2003)
* I Will Die for You (2003)
* Market Sellers (2003)
* My Best Friend (2003)
* Naomi (2003)
* Oyato (2003)
* Rescue (2003)
* Society Lady (2003)
* Soul Provider (2003)
* The Outsider (2003)
* The Silent Book (2003)
* Touching Love (2003)
* True Love (2003)
* Under Fire (2003)
* What I Want (2003)
* When Love Dies (2003)
* Working for Love (2003)
* Kosorogun (2002)
* Lost Kingdom (1999)
* Scores to Settle (1998)
