Celebrity Of The Week: Omotola Jalade-Ekehinde | @Realomosexy

…Then I bought the Toyota Venza and drove straight to her place, called her out, showed her the keys and whispered to her ear… “This is what I bought you for valentine.” She screamed and gave me this very wet French kiss I’ve never had before, and she said to me “baby, let’s get to the bedroom; wanna show you how happy I am.” We were on our way to the bedroom… then I woke up! *sad face* what nonsense dream? Mtcheeew!

Yeah! It is still your ever reliable nigga, Chibuzo “Hugoboss” Nwadike, and I am here with #MikellzBluez Celebrity for this Week. So, I say: welcome, take a seat, and grab a bowl of popcorn— and groundnuts maybe— and get ready to have your mind blown!

This week, our celebrity is a woman—the first woman ever to be featured on our COTW! She is hot—I repeat: SHE IS HOT! She is an epitome of beauty, bundle of talent, forever young, screen goddess, she be person wife and plenty people mama, she is a singer, she is an activist… oh no! Words cannot describe her. Our Celebrity Of The Week is no other than the Queen of Nollywood, Omotola “Omosexy” Jalade-Ekehinde! Keep on clapping and shouting please….

HER LIFE

Omotola grew up with 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 Y.M.C.A and the Lagos Country Club.

Omotola attended Chrisland School Opebi (1981-1987), Oxford Children School (1987), Santos Layout, Command Secondary School Kaduna (1988-1993); she had a brief stint at Obafemi Awolowo University and finally completed her studies at Yaba College of Technology Yaba (1996-2004), where she studied Estate Management.

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.

Omotola married a pilot, Captain Matthew Ekeinde; her husband of sixteen years, 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 the 30th of March 1997. Together, they have four children, Princess, M.J, Mariah and Michael. Omotola lost her father in 1991.

HER CAREER

Acting career

Omotola’s original career ambition was to work in Business Management and while awaiting her results from University, she began modelling to earn a living. Omotola was later introduced to acting by escorting 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 Ekeinde got her first big role in the critically acclaim 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. Ever since then, she has not looked back and 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 “The Best Actress in an English Speaking Movie” and the “Best Actress Overall” at the 1997 THEMA (The Movie Awards). Omotola was the youngest actress in Nigeria at this time to achieve this feat.

In the late 90’s and early 2000’s, 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.

Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde has gone on to win over 40 domestic and international awards. She is considered Africa’s biggest box office actress.

Music career

Omosexy launched a long-awaited music career in 2005 with the release of her debut album titled GBA. The album featured the singles “Naija Lowa” and “The Things You Do To Me”. Her 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 held in Nigeria and tables where sold 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 sounds 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, an M-Net subsidiary broadcast on DStv. Omotola: The Real Me made Omotola the first Nigerian celebrity to star in their own reality show.

NOW AND THEN

Omotola is truly a perfect definition of Drake’s song “Started From the Bottom”. She started from struggling to keep food on the table for her family, now she flying around the world.

LOOKS WE LOVE

AWARDS and NOMINATIONS

1997 The Movie Awards (THEMA) — Best English Actress and Best Actress

2004 City People Awards for Excellence — Best Actress

Global Excellence Recognition Awards — Best Actress & Grand Achiever

Civil Enlightenment Organization of Nigeria (CEON) — Best Individual and Symbol of Creativity

NUSEC Awards — Best Actress

2005 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) — Best Actress in Supporting Role

2006 Youths Benefactor’s Award — Most friendly Actress

2012 Eloy Awards — Actress of the Year

Screen Nation Awards Pan African — Best Actress

Black Entertainment Film Fashion Television and Arts Awards (BEFFTA) — Film Actress Icon

2013 Music Video and Screen Awards (MVISA) and Ebony Vanguard Award

OMOSEXY’s BEST

Choosing by her most popular work that has won her most awards and nominations, we bring you Omosexy’s Bests….

Best Movie

Last Flight to Abuja

AMAZING FACTS ABOUT OMOSEXY

Omosexy is the only Nigerian Actress that has been to the Grammys Award.

Omotola Jalade Ekeinde is one of Nollywood’s successful actresses who got married at 18 years old and has remained in her marriage for 17 years with kids.

Omotola Jalade Ekeinde is the first and only African to become Time 100 Most Influential people in the world.

Omotola Jalade Ekeinde has over 35 Movie Awards in her kitties.

Omotola Jalade Ekeinde is the first Nollywood act to debut on a United States TV station at primetime with her appearance at the episode 5 of VH1’s Hit The Floor series as Akon’s wife.

Omotola Jalade Ekeinde has featured in over 250 movies with her first being Mortal Inheritance in 1995.

Chibuzo Nwadike | @Iam_SirHugoboss [twitter]

[source: wikipedia]

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