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Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, born on February 7, 1978, in Lagos, Nigeria, is an acclaimed actress, singer, and philanthropist. Since her Nollywood debut in 1995, she has featured in over 300 films, selling millions of video copies. Celebrated as Africa's biggest star by the press and honored with numerous prestigious awards, Omotola has built a formidable fan base. Beyond her entertainment achievements, she is also recognized for her significant humanitarian work and is regarded as a trailblazer in Nollywood, becoming the continent’s most-watched actress.
Raised in a family of five with her parents and two brothers, Omotola began her career as a model before entering acting through an unexpected audition. Her breakthrough came with the 1995 film "Mortal Inheritance," where she played a woman battling sickle-cell disease. Her performance won her several accolades, including Best Actress in an English Speaking Movie and Best Actress overall at the 1996/97 Thema Awards. The film is still celebrated as one of Nigeria’s finest.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Omotola starred in several sequels such as Lost Kingdom 2, Korsorogun 2, and Blood Sister 2. In 2004, she received the Grand Achiever Award from the Global Excellence Recognition Awards.
By the mid-2000s, Omotola had reached A-list status alongside stars like Genevieve Nnaji, Stella Damasus, and Pete Edochie. She won Best Actress in a Supporting Role at the 2005 African Movie Awards.
Eager to connect with her fans, affectionately called OmoSexy, she launched her music career in 2005 with the album GBA, featuring singles like "Naija Lowa" and "The Things You Do To Me." Her second album, Me, Myself, and Eyes, included collaborations with producers Paul Play and Del B, and songs such as "Feel Alright" featuring Harry Song and "Through the Fire" featuring Uche.
In addition to being an actress, wife, and mother, Omotola is passionate about writing. She was given her own column in OK! Nigeria titled Omotola's Diary, where she shares personal insights, experiences, poems, and co-writes scripts for her films.
As a philanthropist, Omotola leads the Omotola Youth Empowerment Project (OYEP), which brings together hundreds of youths for empowerment activities like the Empowerment Walk and Convention. A notable initiative under OYEP is the 20 Widows Makeover program. This project was nominated for Best Charity/Cause Related Event at the 2012 Nigerian Event Awards and honors the memory of Omotola’s late mother.
Her activism extends to working with Save The Children UK, Enough is Enough, and Amnesty International on issues such as maternal mortality in Sierra Leone and the Own Up, Pay Up and Clean Up campaign for the Niger Delta. Since 2005, she has served as a United Nations ambassador for the World Food Programme (WFP).
In the early 2010s, Omotola starred in several blockbuster films. "Ije" (2010) became the highest-grossing film in African cinemas, followed by "Last Flight to Abuja," which set the record for the highest-grossing opening week. These successes earned her the title Cinema Box Office Queen.
In 2011, Omotola attended the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, recognized for her work with Amnesty International and her song "Barren Land," featured in a public service announcement about the Shell Oil spill in the Niger Delta.
In 2012, she received the BEFFTA Icon Award from The Black Entertainment Film Fashion Television and Arts Awards, honoring her outstanding global contributions to film. Omotola described it as the most meaningful award she had ever received. Later that year, she launched her reality TV show, "Omotola: The Real Me," on Africa Magic TV. The series became Africa’s most-watched TV show and made her the first Nigerian to host a reality television series.
By February 2013, Omotola’s popularity continued to soar as she surpassed one million likes on Facebook. She was also named one of TIME Magazine's Most Influential People in the World in the 2013 TIME 100 list.
