# Omotola Jalade Ekeinde

Omotola Jalade Ekeinde Listen, MFR (/ˌoʊməˈtoʊlə/ OH-mə-TOH-lə; born Omotola Jalade, 7 February 1978) is a Nigerian actress, singer, philanthropist and former model. Since her Nollywood film debut in 1995, Ekeinde has appeared in over 300 films, selling millions of copies. Omotola is the second Nigerian and first Nigerian celebrity to receive over 1 million likes on her Facebook page. She currently has a total of 3 million followers on Facebook.
In 2013, she was included in Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
In 2013, Ekeinde made a brief appearance on 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, when she became a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) for her contributions to Nigerian cinema.

## Early life and education

Omotola Jalade, who is of Ondo descent, was born in Lagos State. She grew up with her parents and two younger brothers, Tayo and Bolaji Jalade. Her mother, Oluwatoyin Jalade née Amori Oguntade, Husband Captain Matthew Ekeinde, worked at J.T Chanrai Nigeria, and her father, Oluwashola Jalade, worked at the YMCA and the Lagos Country Club. 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. She originally wanted a career in business management. However, while awaiting her results from university, she began modelling to earn a living.

## Career
### Acting career

Ekeinde was introduced to acting while accompanying a friend to an audition. Her first acting role was in the 1995 film Venom of Justice, directed by Reginald Ebere. She was given the lead role in the film. Her first major role was in the film Mortal Inheritance (1995), where she played a sickle-cell patient who fought for her life against small odds of survival. Since then, she has starred in several films, including Games Women Play, Blood Sisters, All My Life, Last Wedding, My Story, The Woman in Me and others.
For her role in Mortal Inheritance, she won "Best Actress in an English Speaking Movie" and "Best Actress Overall" at the 1997 Movie Awards. She was the youngest actress in Nigeria at that time to win this.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, she starred in several sequel films, including Lost Kingdom II, Kosorogun II, and Blood Sister II, leading to a grand achiever award from the Global Excellence Recognition Awards in 2004. She was awarded best Actress in a supporting role during the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2005.
After shooting roughly three hundred video movies, Ekeinde received her first cinematic movie role in the 2010 film "Ije". This film was shot at locations in Jos and the United States."Ije" was the highest grossing Nollywood film at the time – A feat later broken by Phone Swap (2012). In 2012, she starred in the Nollywood thriller, Last Flight to Abuja which became the second-highest-grossing movie in West African cinemas in 2012. She has gone on to win over forty domestic and international awards.
In 2015, Ekeinde celebrated her 20th anniversary in the entertainment industry, having appeared in about two hundred films. In June 2018, Ekeinde and fellow Nigerian Femi Odugbemi received invitations to be voting members at the Academy Awards.

### Music career

Ekeinde launched a music career in 2005 with the release of her debut album titled "gba". The album produced the singles "Naija Lowa" and "The Things You Do To Me." Her unreleased second album – Me, Myself, and Eyes, brought in production from Paul Play and Del B. It was supported by the songs "Feel Alright", featuring Harrysong, and "Through the Fire", featuring Uche.
In late 2012, Ekeinde began working on her third album and enlisted the help of The Bridge Entertainment. She went to Atlanta, Georgia in the United States to work with producers and songwriters who could help create a sound that would resonate with American audiences. She had studio sessions with Kendrick Dean, Drumma Boy and Verse Simmonds and recorded a song with singer Bobby V.

### Reality show

In 2012, Ekeinde also launched a reality television show, Omotola: The Real Me, on Africa Magic Entertainment, a M-Net subsidiary broadcast on DStv. She was the first Nigerian celebrity to star in her own reality show.

## Philanthropy

Ekeinde became a United Nations World Food Programme Ambassador in 2005, going to missions in Sierra- Leone and Liberia. She also supports organisations such as Charles Odii's SME100 Africa to empower youth and young women in society. She has been active in the Walk the World project and participated in the Walk the World campaign in Liberia with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Her human rights campaign work is centered on her NGO project, called the Omotola Youth Empowerment Program (OYEP). This undertaking brought hundreds of youths together for the Empowerment Walk and Convention. She lent her voice in 2010 to the "Rewrite The Future" campaign of Save The Children UK.
She became an Amnesty International campaigner in 2011 and has participated in campaigns in Sierra-Leone (Maternal Mortality) and a 2012 campaign for the Niger Delta in Nigeria, where she shot a video asking Shell plc and the government to "own up, clean up, pay up| and take responsibility for the oil spills in the Niger Delta.
In June 2020, she visited an orphanage home in Tanzania run by Tanzania Mitindo House which focuses on HIV infected children, with Tanzanian actress Wema Sepetu.
To promote the 2021 World No Tobacco Day and the #SmokeFreeNollywood campaign, Ekeinde and actors (Dakore Egbuson-Akande, Daniel Effiong, Meg Otanwa, Michelle Dede, Osas Ighodaro pledged to stop smoking in their movie scenes, as it had a negative influence on young kids who looked up to them. The campaign was backed by US non-profit organization Tobacco-Free Kids and a sub-Saharan public strategy firm - Gatefield.

## Awards and recognition

Ekeinde has a regular column in OK! Nigeria Magazine titled "Omotola's Diary", which features writings about her life and experiences. On 5 November 2013, she received the Ebony Vanguard Award at the Music Video and Screen Awards (MVISA) held in Birmingham, England. On 9 November 2013, Oba Victor Kiladejo, the Royal king of Ondo Kingdom conferred on Omotola a chieftaincy title in her hometown of Ondo State.
In 2012, CNN Travel included Ekeinde's accent on their list of the "world's twelve sexiest accents". The Nigerian accent ranked fifth on the list. In 2013, she was included in Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Ekeinde was included in the list of Top 100 most influential Africans by New African magazine in 2013.
In 2015, she was listed among the highest-grossing movie actors. Others on the list included Shah Rukh Khan, Frank Welker, Bob Bergen, Jack Angel, Mickie McGowan, Michael Papajohn, Martin Klebba, Clint Howard and Chris Ellis. This listing was compiled and researched by Yahoo!.

## Personal life

Jalade married Captain Matthew Ekeinde in 1996. Together, they have four children.

## Selected filmography

Actor :
| Title | Year | Role | Notes |
| Iva | 1993 | | with Francis Duru, Olu Jacobs |
| Venom of Justice | 1995 | | |
| Mortal Inheritance | 1996 | Kemi Johnson | with Fred Amata, Kunle Bamtefa, Abiola Atanda |
| Scores to Settle | 1998 | | with Liz Benson, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Teco Benson |
| Lost Kingdom | 1999 | | with Pete Edochie, Enebeli Elebuwa |
| Kosorogun | 2002 | | with Faithia Balogun, Shan George |
| When Love Dies | 2003 | Mary | |
| Under Fire | 2003 | | with Chiege Alisigwe, Charles Awurum |
| The Outsider | 2003 | | |
| Rescue | 2003 | | |
| Blood Sisters | 2003 | Gloria | with Genevieve Nnaji |
| Royal Family | 2004 | | |
| Die Another Day | 2004 | Queen | |
| A Kiss from Rose | 2004 | | with Desmond Elliot, Fred Amata |
| Games Women Play | 2005 | Yvonne | |
| Brave Heart | 2005 | | with Zack Orji, Emma Ayalogu |
| Taste of Sin | 2006 | Debbie | With Funke Adewusi, Uduak Akrah |
| The Revelation | 2007 | | |
| Sand in My Shoes | 2007 | | with Tchidi Chikere, Mike Ezuruonye |
| Careless Soul | 2007 | | With Emeka Ike, Ralph Onu |
| Yankee Girls | 2008 | Immaculate | With Suen Akindele, Musa Abudu |
| Temple of Justice | 2008 | | with Nonso Diobi, Queen Nwokoye |
| My Last Ambition | 2009 | Amanda | With Nonso Diobi, Nadia Buari |
| Ije: The Journey | 2010 | Anya Opara Michino | With Genevieve Nnaji, Odalys Garcia, Ulrich Que |
| A Private Storm | 2010 | Gina | With Ramsey Nouah, Ufuoma Ejenobor, John Dumelo |
| Ties That Bind | 2011 | Adobea Onyomena | With Ama K. Abebrese, Kimberly Elise |
| Last Flight to Abuja | 2012 | Suzie | With Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Jim Iyke, Jide Kosoko |
| Amina | 2012 | Amina | With Charlie Buck, Alison Carroll, Jonathan Cohen |
| Hit The Floor | 2013 | Omotola | |
| Blood on the Lagoon | 2014 | Scarlett Belo | With Stephen Abeng, Akuma Agu, Niran Aladetan |
| My Only Inheritance | | | |
| Alter Ego | 2017 | Ada Igwe | With Wale Ojo and Kunle Remi |
| The Island | 2017 | Mrs Tokunbo Bowe Cole | TV series |
| The Tribunal | 2017 | | |
| Up Creek a Paddle | TBA | Desiye | Post production |
| RattleSnake: The Ahanna Story | 2020 | Maimuna Atafo | With Stan Nze, Osas Ighodaro |
| Shadow Parties | 2021 | as Princess Fadekemi | With Toyin Abraham, Ayanfe Adekunle |
| Lockdown | 2021 | Dr Njoku | With Omini Aho, Chioma Chukwuka Akpotha |

## Discography
### Studio albums

* GBA (2005)
* Me, Myself, and Eyes (unreleased)

### Singles

| Year | Title | Album |
| 2014 | "Barren Land" | Me, Myself, and Eyes |
| 2015 | "Strong Girl (Remix)" As featured artiste | — |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
| 1997 | The Movie Awards (THEMA) | Best Actress English | Mortal Inheritance | Won |
| 1997 | The Movie Awards (THEMA) | Best Actress Overall | Mortal Inheritance | Won |
| 2004 | City People awards for Excellence | Best Actress | Herself | Won |
| 2004 | Global Excellence Recognition Awards | Best Actress & Grand Achiever | Herself | Won |
| 2004 | Civil Enlightenment Organization of Nigeria (CEON) | Best Individual & Symbol of Creativity | Herself | Won |
| 2004 | NUSEC Awards | Best Actress | Herself | Won |
| 2005 | 1st Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) | Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Herself | Won |
| 2006 | Youths Benefactor's Award | Most friendly Actress | Herself | Won |
| 2009 | 2009 Best of Nollywood Awards | Best Actress Leading Role (Yoruba) | Herself | Nominated |
| 2009 | 2009 Nigeria Entertainment Awards | Best Actress | Herself | Nominated |
| 2010 | 2010 Nigeria Entertainment Awards | Best Actress Film/Short Story | Deepest of Dreams | Nominated |
| 2010 | 2010 Ghana Movie Awards | Best Actress-Africa Collaboration | A Private Storm | Nominated |
| 2011 | 8th Africa Movie Academy Awards | Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Ties That Bind | Nominated |
| 2011 | 2011 Ghana Movie Awards | Best Actress-Africa Collaboration | Ties That Bind | Won |
| 2011 | 2011 Best of Nollywood Awards | Best Actress Leading Role (English) | A Private Storm | Nominated |
| 2011 | 2011 Nigeria Entertainment Awards | Best Actress Film/Short Story | Ijé | Nominated |
| 2012 | Eloy Awards | Actress of the Year | Ties That Bind | Won |
| 2012 | Screen Nation Awards | Pan African Best Actress | Herself | Won |
| 2012 | Black Entertainment Film Fashion Television and Arts Awards (BEFFTA) | Film Actress Icon | Herself | Won |
| 2012 | 2012 Golden Icons Academy Movie Awards | GIAMA Humanitarian Award | Omotola Youth Empowerment Foundation | Won |
| 2012 | 2012 Golden Icons Academy Movie Awards | Viewers Choice -Female | Herself | Nominated |
| 2012 | 2012 Nigeria Entertainment Awards | Best Actress in A Film | Ties That Bind | Nominated |
| 2012 | 2012 Nollywood Movies Awards | Best Actress in a Leading Role | A Private Storm | Nominated |
| 2013 | 2013 Nollywood Movies Awards | Popular Online Choice | Herself | Won |
| 2013 | Music Video and Screen Awards (MVISA) | Ebony Vanguard Award | Herself | Won |
| 2013 | 2013 Nigeria Entertainment Awards | Best Lead Actress in a Film | Last Flight to Abuja | Nominated |
| 2014 | MTV Africa Music Awards 2014 | Personality of the Year | Herself | Nominated |
| 2016 | City People Social Media Awards | Female Entertainment Personality | Herself | Won |
| 2017 | Nollywood Travel Film Festival | Best Actress | Alter Ego | Won |
| 2017 | Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival | Best Actress | Alter Ego | Won |
| 2017 | Best of Nollywood Awards | Lifetime Achievement Award | Herself | Won |
| 2017 | Best of Nollywood Awards | Best Kiss in a Movie | Herself and Kunle Remmy | Nominated |
| 2017 | Best of Nollywood Awards | Best Actress Leading Role (English) | Alter Ego | |
| 2017 | City People Movie Awards | Best Actress Leading Role (English) | Alter Ego | Nominated |
| 2018 | Africa Magic Viewer's Choice Awards (AMVCA) | Best Actress in a Movie/TV Series | Alter Ego | Won |