Omotola Jalade Ekeinde MFR aka OmoT, popularly called Omosexy is a multiple award winning Nigerian actress, Singer, United Nations World Food Programme [NWFP] Ambassador, Amnesty International Activist, founder of Omotola Youth Empowerment Programme (OYEP) and Director. Cited by the UK Telegraph as the Queen of Nollywood, the Screen Nation Best Actress and Beffta Film Icon is one of the most Intriguing women to ever grace the African screen.
Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Omotola started her career at the tender age of 15 as a model. In 1995 she made her screen debut with a lead role in the movie Venom of Justice at the age of 17. Her performance that same year, as the lead character in the popular Mortal Inheritance got her the awards for the Best Actress in an English-speaking role and Best Actress Overall at the prestigious Thema Awards 1996/97. Omotola is the youngest actress to have won such awards at the age of 18.
In the late 90s and early 2000s, the young starlet starred in several sequel films including Lost Kingdom 2, Kosorugun 2, and Blood Sister 2, earning her a Grand Achiever Award at the Global Excellence Recognition Awards in 2004. By the mid-2000s, Omotola had catapulted into A-list status. Omotola has gone on to win virtually all awards in her home country and Africa. Omotola married Capt. Matthew Ekeinde, an Airline pilot in 1996. Together the two have four children, Princess, M.J. (also known as CaptainE and Africa’s youngest music producer), Meraiah, and Michael.
Omotola has shot over 300 movies. She was awarded ‘Best Actress in a Supporting Role’ during the African Movie Academy Awards in 2005 for her role in ‘Games Women Play’.
After shooting more than 300 straight to video movies, Omotola received her first cinema movie role in the 2010 film, Ije. The film was shot on locations in Los Angeles, California and Jos, Nigeria, which at the time of opening became the highest grossing movie in Nigerian cinemas. In 2012, Omotola broke that record with Last Flight to Abuja. The film beat out Hollywood blockbusters like Spiderman, Think Like a Man, Ice Age, The Avengers and Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, becoming the second highest grossing movie in West African cinemas in 2012.
Omotola has been in several other cinematic productions including Ties That Bind, starring alongside American actress and NAACP Image Award Winner, Kimberly Elise. Due to her tremendous success, Omotola has been crowned as ‘Africa’s biggest box office queen.’
In 2012, Omotola launched her own reality show Omotola: The Real Me on Africa Magic Entertainment, an M-Net subsidiary broadcast on DStv, making her the first African Celebrity to star in her own reality show. OTRM debuted with the highest viewership ever on TV, beating out Big Brother Africa. In 2013, Omotola made her US television debut in VH1’s scripted series, Hit the Floor.
Omotola launched her music career in 2005 with the release of her debut album titled GBA. The album featured the singles; ‘Thing You Do To Me’ and ‘Naija Lowa,’ for which she received a nomination for best collaboration at the 2006 Hip Hop Awards. Her sophomore album, Me, Myself, and Eyes, was produced by Paul Play and Del B. The album includes hit songs; ‘Feel Alright’ featuring Harry Song and Through the Fire, featuring Uche and Paul Play.
In 2012, Omotola began working on her international album and enlisted the help of The Bridge Entertainment Ltd. She headed to the musical mecca, Atlanta, GA to work with prominent Grammy award winning producers and songwriters Kendrick Dean [Mariah Carey, Chris Brown], Drumma Boy [August Alsina, Waka Flocka Flame], Verse Simmonds [Kelly Rowland] and Jon Jon Traxx [Beyoncé, Keyshia Cole]. She also recorded with Grammy award recording artist, Bobby Valentino.
Omotola became a United Nations WFP (World Food Programme) Ambassador in 2005 going on missions to Sierra- Leone and Liberia. Omotola was the first celebrity to visit and campaign in the Walk the World project in Liberia immediately after the war, with the first female African President Ellen Sir Leaf-Johnson. Omotola is also known as a fierce Human Rights campaigner and most of her philanthropic efforts are centered on her NGO project, the Omotola Youth Empowerment Programme (OYEP), which brings thousands of youths together yearly for empowerment walks and conventions. Omotola also founded Give And Let Give which encourages everyone to make out time to join her to give to the less privileged (widows,orphanages etc) in the society every end of the year,what they have set aside throughout the year. Omotola lent her voice in 2010 to the Rewrite the Future Campaign for Save The Children UK.
In 2011, Omotola became an Amnesty International campaigner 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.
The star actress turns 37 today. In an Instagram post, Omotola said, “What a Great privilege to be able to see another year! I am grateful to God almighty , the giver of life and health. Thank you too for giving me a reason to smile , aspire and be inspired by. With Love …”
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