Omotola Jalade Ekeinde’s biography, fact, career, awards, net worth and life story

Intro Nigerian actress
Is Actor
Film actor
Singer
From Nigeria
Type Film, TV, Stage & Radio
Music
Gender female
Birth

7 February 1978, Nigeria

Age 42 years

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. 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, 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). 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.

Career

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.

Music career

OmoSexy launched a long-awaited 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.” Her unreleased sophomore album, Me, Myself, and Eyes, brought in production from Paul Play and Del B. It was supported by the songs “Feel Alright” (featuring Harry Song) and “Through the Fire” (featuring Uche). The album’s launch party was scheduled to hold in Nigeria, and tables were expected to sell for N1 million.

In late 2012, Omotola began working on her third album and enlisted the help of The Bridge Entertainment. She headed to the musical mecca of Atlanta GA to work with some prominent producers and songwriters who could help create a sound that would resonate to American audiences. Studio sessions included Grammy winning producer Kendrick Dean, Drumma Boy, Verse Simmonds. She also recorded with Grammy recording artist Bobby V.

Reality show

In 2012, Omotola launched her own reality show, Omotola: The Real Me, on Africa Magic Entertainment, a M-Net subsidiary broadcast on DStv. This made Omotola the first Nigerian celebrity to star in her own reality show.

Philanthropy

Omotola became a United Nations WFP (World Food Programme) Ambassador in 2005, going to missions in Sierra- Leone and Liberia. She has been active in the Walk the World project and participated in the Walk the World campaign in Liberia with President Ellen Sir Leaf-Johnson.

Omotola is known as a fierce human rights campaigner and her philanthropy efforts are centred on her NGO project, called the Omotola Youth Empowerment Programme (OYEP). The undertaking brings hundreds of youths together for the Empowerment Walk and Convention.

Omotola lent her voice in 2010 to the Rewrite The Future Campaign of Save The Children UK.

Omotola became an Amnesty International campaigner in 2011 and has participated in campaigns in Sierra- Leone (Maternal Mortality) and her recent campaign of The Niger Delta in Nigeria, where she shot a video asking Shell and the government to Own Up, Clean Up, Pay Up and take responsibility of the Oil spills in the Niger- Delta.

Accolades

Omotola’s inimitable viewpoint landed her a now famous column in OK! Nigeria Magazine. The column is titled “Omotola’s Diary” and features writings directly from Omotola about her life and experiences. On 5 November 2013, Omotola was honoured with the Ebony Vanguard Award at the Music Video and Screen Awards (MVISA) held in Birmingham. On 9 November 2013, Oba Victor Kiladejo, the royal king of Ondo Kingdom conferred Omotola with a chieftaincy title in her hometown of Ondo State.

In 2012, CNN Travel noted Omotola’s famous tongue (accent) on their list of the world’s 12 sexiest accents. The Nigerian accent ranked 5th on the list. The following year, Omotola was named one of the most influential people in the world by TIME magazine for their annual TIME 100 list. She appeared in the icons category.

In 2015, Omotola was listed among the highest-grossing movie stars one has never heard of; the listing 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!

Personal life

Omotola married pilot Captain Matthew Ekeinde in 1996. The couple 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. Omotola gave birth to her first daughter on 30 March 1997. Together, they have four children, Princess, M.J, Merairah and Michael. Omotola lost her father in 1991.

Selected filmography

Actor
Title Year Role Notes
Venom of Justice 1995
Mortal Inheritance 1996
Scores to Settle 1998
Lost Kingdom 1999
Kosorogun 2002
When Love Dies 2003 Mary
Under Fire
The Outsider
Rescue
Blood Sisters with Genevieve Nnaji
Royal Family 2004
Die Another Day Queen
A Kiss from Rose
Games Women Play 2005
Brave Heart
The Revelation 2007
Sand in My Shoes
Careless Soul
Yankee Girls 2008
Temple of Justice
My Last Ambition 2009 Amanda
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 With Ama K. Abebrese, Kimberly Elise
Last Flight to Abuja 2012 Suzie With Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Jim Iyke, Jide Kosoko
Amina Amina
Hit The Floor 2013 Omotola
Blood on the Lagoon 2014
Up Creek a Paddle TBA Post production

Discography

Studio albums

  • GBA (2005)
  • Me, Myself, and Eyes (unreleased)

Singles

Year Title Album
2014 “Barren Land” Me, Myself, and Eyes
2015 “Strong Girl (Remix)” As featured artiste N/A

Awards and recognition

Year Award Category Recipient Result
1997 The Movie Awards (THEMA) Best English/ Best actress Herself Won
2004 City People awards for Excellence Best Actress 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 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) Best Actress in a Supporting Role Won
2006 Youths Benefactor’s Award Most friendly Actress Won
2012 Eloy Awards Actress of the Year Won
Screen Nation Awards Pan African Best Actress Won
Black Entertainment Film Fashion Television and Arts Awards (BEFFTA) Film Actress Icon Won
2013 Music Video and Screen Awards (MVISA) Ebony Vanguard Award Won
2014 MTV Africa Music Awards 2014 Personality of the Year Nominated
You May Also Like

Billy Joel’s net worth, biography, fact, career, awards and life story

Billy Joel Net Worth: Billy Joel is an American singer and songwriter who has a net worth of $225 million. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, and has sold over 150 million records worldwide. Early Life: William Martin Joel was born on May 9, 1949, in the Bronx, New York City. His father was a classical pianist and businessman from Germany. His family fled the Nazis via Switzerland and Cuba, before reaching the United States. Joel’s mother’s family was from Kent, England. His parents met in the late-1930s at a Gilbert and Sullivan performance at the City College of New York. His family moved to Hicksville, Long Island while he was still young. There, he grew up with his younger sister, Judy. His parents divorced in 1957, and his father returned to Europe, settling in Austria, where he remarried. Joel’s half-brother from his father’s side, Alexander Joel, also pursued a career in music, and was the chief musical director of the Staatstheater Braunschweig from 2001 to 2014. At the age of 4, Joel began taking piano lessons at the insistence of his mother. Subsequently, he developed a love for, and appreciation of, classical music that he still feels today. A love of all things musical drove him to join his first band, The Echoes, while only 14. He attended Hicksville High School, but ultimately did not graduate because he did not have sufficient credits. Rather than take summer classes to finish school, he opted to pursue a full-time musical career instead. Career: Joel left the band The Echoes in 1967 (then renamed to the Lost Souls), and joined the group the Hassles. The Hassles were signed to United Artists Records, and they released several singles and albums, although none of their released achieved much traction. Joel and the band’s drummer, Jon Small, left the group in 1969 and formed the duo Attila. Their eponymous album was released in July 1970, but their partnership did not last long because Joel had an affair with Small’s wife, Elizabeth. Joel went solo in 1971 when he signed a deal with record company Family Productions, and released his debut solo album, “Cold Spring Harbor” (1971). Although the album was not a hit, he did manage to attract the attention of Columbia Records, and they signed him in 1972. With Columbia, he released the albums “Piano Man” (1973), “Streetlife Serenade” (1974), and “Turnstiles” (1976), but it wasn’t until his fourth solo album “The Stranger” (1977) that he achieved a breakthrough into mainstream popularity. “The Stranger” sold over 10 million copies, and was the source of hit singles like “Just the Way You Are”, “Only the Good Die Young”, and “She’s Always a Woman”. His subsequent albums include “52nd Street” (1978), “Glass Houses” (1980), “The Nylon Curtain” (1982), “An Innocent Man” (1983), “The Bridge” (1986), “Storm Front” (1989), and “River of Dreams” (1993). Billy Joel’s record sales have topped 150 million worldwide, which has made him one of the best-selling artists in history. He has received 23 Grammy nominations with six Grammy wins, and is a member of the Songwriter Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Joel retired from actively recording songs in 1993. However, he did release the album “Fantasies & Delusions” in 2001. In a departure from his usual style and material, the album consists of classical piano compositions, and are performed by his longtime friend and pianist Richard Hyung-ki Joo. Joel has since toured sporadically on his own and with fellow artists like Elton John. He also has a monthly residency at Madison Square Garden which has been ongoing since 2014, and he played his 72nd consecutive monthly show there on January 25, 2020. Joel is so popular that his compilation album of greatest hits, “Greatest Hits Vol. 1 & 2” (1985) became one of the best-selling albums in the US. He received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2013. Financial Problems: In 1989 Billy sued his former manager Frank Weber for $90 million. Weber was his former brother-in-law,  The suit claimed that Weber mishandled $30 million of the singer’s money and sought $60 million in damages. Weber subsequently filed for bankruptcy. Billy sued his accountants and a lawyers, ultimately received a reported $8 million settlement. Other Projects: Joel authored the autobiography “The Book of Joel: A Memoir” (2011), with help from Fred Schuers. Additionally, he has owned the Long Island Boat Company as well as a shop in Oyster Bay, Long Island, that makes custom retro-styled motorcycles. Personal Life: Joel’s first wife was Elizabeth Weber Small. Their relationship actually started as an affair, as she was still married to Jon Small, one of Joel’s musical collaborators. Eventually, Joel and Small married in 1973, and they divorced in 1982. The loss of roughly $30 million in mismanaged funds at the hands of Elizabeth’s brother Frank PLUS a multi-million dollar divorce settlement left Billy nearly broke when he left the marriage. He was financially very unsound as he headed into his second marriage to American model Christie Brinkley. He constantly toured to generate funds. That caused a major rift and allegations of infidelity. They were married from 1985 to 1994, and have a daughter together, Alexa Ray Joel. His third marriage was to chef Katie Lee, from 2004 to 2009. Joel’s fourth wife is Alexis Roderick. He and Roderick married in 2015, but they have been together since 2009. Together, they have two daughters, Della Rose Joel and Remy Anne Joel. Joel had never received his high school diploma, after not having sufficient credits to graduate back in 1967. Instead, 25 years later, he submitted essays to the school board of Hicksville High School to make up his missing credits, and he was awarded his high school diploma at the school’s graduation ceremony in 1992. Additionally, he has been awarded numerous honorary doctorates, including from institutions like Fairfield University, Berklee College of Music, Syracuse University, the Manhattan School of Music, and Stony Brook University. Billy Joel Career Earnings: Between June 2017 and June 2018, Billy Joel earned $45 million. In the same period between 2017 and 2019, he earned $50 million. When Billy undergoes a residency, such as his multi-year Madison Square Garden residencies, he can easily earn $2-3 million per show. His 2019 New Years Eve show grossed $4.6 million. Between 2014, when the residency began, and the end of 2019, Billy grossed $150 million from his MSG residency. Real Estate: Billy has owned a number of impressive properties around the country, notably in Florida and Long Island, New York. He owns a home in the Long Island town of Sag Harbor. He owns a 14,000 square-foot mansion on 15 waterfront acres in Oyster Bay which he bought in 2002 for $22.5 million. In 2014 he paid just under $12 million for two side-by-side properties that cover 4-acres in Manalapan, Florida. One of the lots was undeveloped, the other featured a nearly 9,000 square-foot mansion. He listed the combined compound for sale in 2015 for $29 million. He offered the mansion on its own (without the undeveloped lot) for $19.5 million. He ultimately accepted $10.3 million in January 2020. He did not sell the undeveloped lot which made up around three of the property’s four acres. He paid $5.9 million for a New York townhouse. His ex-wife Katie Lee received this property in their divorce. She sold it in 2011 for $12.9 million. He sold previous homes to singer Sting, comedian Jerry Seinfeld and retail executive Mickey Drexler. He has jokingly referred to himself as the “realtor to the stars”.
Read More