Who Is Omotola? Profile of Africa’s Most Watched Actress

Born on 7 February 1978, Omotola is a Nigerian actress, singer, philanthropist and former model. She is of Ondo descent and 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, worked at J.T Chanrai Nig, and her father, Oluwashola Jalade, worked with the YMCA and the Lagos Country Club.

According to her official biography, she 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. According to the respected actress, her original ambition was to work in business management. While awaiting her results from university, she began modelling to earn a living.

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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), a movie in which she played the role of a sickle-cell patient who fights for her life despite the odds of survival. 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, the actress won “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.

Since her Nollywood film debut in 1995, the leading actress has appeared in over 300 films, selling millions of video copies. After receiving numerous high-profile awards, launching a music career, and amassing an enviable fan base, she became the first African celebrity to receive over 1 million likes on her Facebook page. She currently has over 3.6 million followers on Facebook.

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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.

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.

Omotola got married to 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.

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. It is therefore without any doubt that the prominent actress rightly deserves her place at the pinnacle of acting in Africa.

What has really endeared her to the hearts of many is her dignified presence and how she has stayed away from controversy despite years of fame and glory.

Source: GhanaCelebrities.Com