Biography of Nollywood Stars (1)

Ini Edo

Ini Edo is the second child in a family of four children. She hails from Akwa Ibom State. Born on April 19, 1982. She is a graduate of Theatre Arts (Diploma) and English Language from the University of Uyo and University of Calabar respectively. Ini began her acting career in the year 2000 and was first launched into the motion picture industry in 2003, featuring in a first movie titled “Thick Madam”. She came into limelight in 2004 starring in a movie titled “World Apart”. She is a GLO Ambassador,one of the leading telecommunication brands in Nigeria, Globacom. She is happily married and heavily involved in charity works.
Born: Films casted:139

Osita Iheme

Osita Iheme (aka Paw Paw) was born in Mbatoila Imo State, Nigeria in 1982 into a family of five children. After completing his Primary and Secondary Education in Abia State, he enrolled into Enugu State University and studied Mass Communication. His first movie titled ‘Cold War’ was in 2001. However, his first lead role was in ‘Aki na Ukwa’; this movie also brought him to limelight. He played the role of a child in many of his films but later adopted more mature roles. Osita has evolved in his career from just a comedic actor to a multifaceted established actor. This has gained him respect throughout the Nigerian movie industry. He has featured in over 80 movies.

Born: Films casted:42

Jackie Appiah

Jackie was born on the 5th of December, 1983 in Canada. She started her schooling in Toronto, Canada. At the age of ten, she moved backed to Ghana with her family and went to Faith Montessori. From there, she proceeded to Alvard College to study General Acting. She started acting at the age of twelve and was a runner up at the Talent Teens Competition in her Local church group. Professionally, she started acting in 2001 in the TV series ‘Things We Do for Love’. This beautiful actress has won numerous awards, including a prestigious Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) for best supporting actress. Jackie is married to Peter Agyemang and has a son.

Born:5 Dec 1983 Films casted:48

Genevieve nnaji

Hails from Mbaise in Imo state was born on the 3rd of May 1979. The fourth of eight children, she was brought up in a middle class environment. Her father worked as an engineer and her mother as a teacher. She attended the Methodist Girls College Yaba and graduated from the University of Lagos. She first appeared on screen in the early 90’s in a popular soap opera back then known as Ripples at an early age of 8. She joined the movie industry at the 19 and starred in Most Wanted where she played the role of a news reporter. Gradually she rose in the movie industry from playing minor roles to the lead role. In 2004 she signed a recording contract with EKB Records, a Ghanaian record label, and released her debut album. Also in 2004, she was the Face of Lux in Nigeria. In 2010, she was appointed the official Face of Mud in Nigeria. She also starred in the award winning movie, Ije. She has received several awards and nominations for her works. She is the first Nigerian guest to appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show. She has featured in over 100 movies and is currently one of the highest paid Nigerian actress.

Born: Films casted:58

Nonso Diobi

He was born on 17th July in Enugu. He is the last born of five children. He started his own mini business of selling clothes at a tender age in his high school. At 15, his parents exposed him to explore his God given talents by doing stage plays at his local church. He later became one of the best in his church drama group. In 2001, he joined Nollywood and his first movie was ‘Border Line’. Not quite long after ‘Border Line’, he featured in ‘Hatred’-the movie that brought him to limelight. Nonso has featured in over 60 movies.

Born: Films casted:85

Nkem Owoh

Nkem Owoh, popularly known as Osuofia was born in Udi, Enugu State. He had primary and secondary education in Nsukka, Enugu State. He studied both at the University of Ilorin and Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu. He is a graduate of Electrical Engineering.

He started acting when he was in primary school.He was to the University of Nigeria Theatre Group for a performance while in secondary school. After his National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) in Ogun State, he got a job with WACO Engineering. He got laid off a year later during the era of belt-tightening policy by the Federal Government. Osuofia, whose father wanted him to be a Medical Doctor got another job to as part of a television production. He worked with the National Television Authority (NTA), Enugu. Osuofia was part of the New Masquerade (a comedy TV series in the 80?s) crew. he was the production manager for Ken Saro-Wiwa’s soap -Bassey and Company. The show came to a halt in 1990 and Osuofia relocated to Lagos where he did a lot of script writing before joining Nollywood. Besides acting, he has a production outfit, a film school. He also anchors occasions as the MC. Osuofia also has a musical album. He is married with kids.

Born: Films casted:46

majid michel

Majid also known as Shaker was born 22nd September 1980 in Cantonments; a suburb Accra in Ghana to a Lebanese father Michel Eracow and a Ghanaian mother Paulina Olympio. He was raised along with his nine siblings. He attended St. Theresa primary school and Mfantsipim secondary school. In secondary school, Majid was actively involved in theater and was a member of the school’s Drama Club; he received a Best Actor Award in one of their performances on Emancipation Day in Cape Coast, Ghana. Afterwards, he enrolled in the Academy of Screen Arts which is affiliated with Ashesi University. He was invited by a director of a modelling agency cum producer to participate in a TV series titled ‘Things We Do For Love’. He got the name Shaker from that set. This TV series marked the beginning of his success in the movie industry. His first movie titled ‘ Divine Love’ also shot him up the ladder of success and made him a household name in Ghana. Majid who has featured in over 20 movies is married to Virna and they are blessed wit two lovely daughters; Keira and Zara.

Born: Films casted:25

Jim Iyke

Jim Iyke (James Ikechukwu Esomugha) was born in Gabon Libreville, He hails from Anambra sate, Enugu Agidi Village. He has seven siblings and he happens to be the only son among his father’s children. He is a graduate from the University of Jos with a degree in Philosophy. He is an artist with great style and he is also a musician. Jim Iyke started his acting career in the year 2001 and has featured in over 200 Nollywood Movies. In the year 2008 he was crowned the Sexiest Man in Nigeria and won the Best Actor at the Nigerian Entertainment award. He has a reality TV Show called ‘Jewel for Jim’ and also runs a Welfare Organization involved in advancing the protection and rights of children with Physical disabilities and deformities.

Born: Films casted:106

Michael Ezuruonye 

Michael Ezuruonye was born in Lagos. He is the eldest son of four siblings. The light skinned actor attended Federal Government College Wukari, Taraba State (former Gongola State) and Archbishop Aggey Memorial Secondary School, Lagos State. He proceeded to Federal Polytechnic Oko then to Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (both in Anambra State) where he studied Accounting. Mike showed keen interest in the world of television form his primary school days. He worked behind the camera writing scripts on clapper board television. His first movie was titled ‘Broken Marriage’. He became a household name with the movie ‘Critical Decision’ which was not only a huge commercial success but also revealed his talent home and abroad. Though he started his professional career in December 2003, now he has over 80 movies to his credit. He got married in November 2010 to his wife Nkechi Nnorom who is a medical-psychologist based in Canada.

Born: Films casted:110

Rita Dominic

Rita Uchenna Nkem Dominic Waturuocha who hails from Aborh Mbaise Local Government Area in Imo State was born 12 July, 1975 into a Royal family. She is the fourth in a family of four. Her late parents were medical practitioners; her father was a medical doctor and her mother a nursing officer. Rita completed her primary and secondary education in Abia State. She is a graduate of Theatre Arts from the University of Port Harcourt , Rivers State. This beautiful light skinned screen goddess started performing since her childhood in school plays and children television shows in Imo State. She starred in her first movie titled ‘A Time To Kill’ in 1998. She has featured in over 100movies. In 2004, she won the City People Awards as the Most Outstanding Actress.

Born: Films casted:51

Patience Ozokwor 

Popularly known as Mama Gee, Patience Ozokwor hails from Amaobo in Ngwo, Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State. She attended Abimbola Gibson Memorial School, Lagos. For her secondary education, she attended Girls Secondary School Ngwo. She enrolled in Teachers Training College, Afikpo and later proceeded to the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu and studied Fine and Applied Arts. She taught for four years before she joined Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) Enugu as a broadcaster. Her first performance was in her days back in the Teachers Training College. She played the role of Hamlet in William Shakespeare’s play titled ‘Hamlet’. After loosing her job with FRCN, she did a commercial. By then, she was gradually becoming popular. She later joined the movie industry and did her first movie in 1998. In 1999, she hit the peak with the movie ‘Authority’. Since then, she has featured in over 200 movies. Patience is a widow and has four children.

Born: Films casted:160

Van Vicker 

Joseph Fhiphi Van Vicker was born to a Liberian Ghanaian mother and a Dutch father on August 1, 1977. He lost his father at the age of six. Due to the early death of his father, Vicker is very close to his mother and considers her his hero. Vicker attended Mfantsipim School, along with fellow actor Majid Michel. Mfantsipim School is the alma mater of Former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan. He made his first onscreen appearance in the TV series Sun City, in which he was cast as LeRoy King, Jr. Vicker’s first movie was Divine Love where he played a supporting role, however, it was his role as male romantic lead in the movie Beyoncé that instantly established him as a star actor. Vicker has starred in over twenty movies so far. Vicker is a multi award winner these include a GMA for best male actor 2006, Best Male Actor, 2007 1st DJ Awards, Bronx, NY (honouree), Annual Movie Awards, NY (honouree) Best Male Actor and was nominated for Best Lead Actor and Best Upcoming Actor at the 2008 Africa Movie Academy Awards. In addition to acting, Vicker runs an advertising agency and event management company and unisex barber shop. Van has also set up a foundation, the Van Vicker Foundation which reaches out to up coming actors tap their talents and giving them a shot at achieving their dreams as actors/actresses. Vicker is married to Adjoa Vicker, they are blessed with three children, two daughters J’dyl and J-ian, and a son, Vj.

Born: Films casted:82

Omotola Jalade 

Omotola popularly known as ‘Omosexy’ was born in a family of five to Mr. & Mrs. Shola Jalade (both late) and two brothers, Tayo and Bolaji Jalade. She attended Christland Nursery School Opebi and Oxford Children School, Santos Layout; both in Lagos. She proceeded to Kaduna for her Secondary Education at Command Secondary School . She is currently undertaking a Higher National Diploma (HND) course in Estate Management at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos. She joined the movie industry in 1995 and was first featured in the movie ‘Venom of Justice’. However, ‘Mortal Inheritance’, also in 1995 shot her to stardom. Besides acting, she also sings and has released two albums. She features as a writer for the Saturday SUN (Omotola’s Diary) and occasionally gets involved in Social Services for women and charity homes. Omotola Jalade Ekehinde is a beautiful award winning actress known for her craft all around Africa. This screen goddess within the space of 10 years, has been able to play major roles in numerous movies. Omotola radiates the aura of a real star. The A-list actress has won several local and international awards. She got married to Capt. Matthew Ekeinde 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. They are blessed with four children; two sons and two daughters.

Born: Films casted:38