As the world celebrates International Women’s day today, Vanguard takes a look at 5 women that are rocking the Nigerian movie industry as producers
Joy Grant-Ekong
Joy Grant-Ekong is a seasoned filmmaker, producer and casting director, she is known for Mama Drama, the film made its premier on 1st October, 2020 at Filmhouse Imax cinemas and later released on Netflix in May 2021, she has produced numerous films which include One Too Many, Hell Ride, Echoes( soon to be launched on Netflix and prime TV.
Joy Grant-Ekong is consistently innovating and redefining African cinema, and pushing bold and audacious narratives and unique stories.
Mo Abudu
Mo Abudu is the founder of EbonyLife Media, a media conglomerate comprising but not limited to EbonyLife Films, a production company responsible for movies like ‘Fifty’ and ‘The Wedding Party’, and more.
In September 2020, Òlòturé premiered on Netflix. Produced by Mo Abudu, the movie was about human trafficking in Nigeria. A year later, on the 21st of September, 2021, EbonyLife and Sony Pictures Television announced Àló, a new writers initiative that offers a unique platform for writers of African heritage.
On the 29th of November, 2021, it was announced that BBC Studios inked a deal with EbonyLife Media for a development deal. The deal, which was brokered by CAA, will see BBC Studios Drama Productions develop a new action-adventure series with EbonyLife Media. Coincidentally, Mo Abudu entered the Forbes list of 100 most powerful women for 2021. All these deals combined might just make Mo Abudu the producer that made the biggest deals of the year.
Funke Akindele Bello
Funke Akindele Bello is another producer that works tirelessly. Her forte is comedy-dramas that she often stars in as well.
Famously known for her role as Jenifa in Jenifa’s Diary. She is a top-rated Nollywood actress, director, producer, and occasional writer.
Her movie, Omo Ghetto currently holds the record of becoming the highest-grossing movie of all time in Nigeria, breaking the four-year record of Kemi Adetiba’s movie titled ‘The Wedding Party’ in 2016. According to a statement, broadcast by the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria (CEAN), in January 2021, the movie grossed N468,036,300 after maintaining its number one spot for 3 consecutive weeks.
Combined with her deal to license the movie to Netflix, Funke Akindele struck gold.
Kemi Adetiba
Kemi Adetiba is a producer, director, and writer. Best known for The Wedding Party, King of Boys, and King of Boys: The Return of the King, Adetiba is one producer that has scored goal after goal.
Her latest work, the seven-episode limited series that is a sequel to her 2018 film, King of Boys, was released on Netflix in August of 2021.
Interestingly, Adetiba did not pitch to Netflix, she was asked by the streaming giant if she was planning on making a sequel and when she did, Netflix was there to not only license her work but get exclusive streaming rights
Gloria Bamiloye
She was born on the 4th of February, 1964 in Ilesa, a city in Osun State, southwestern Nigeria.
Gloria was raised a Muslim, but converted to Christianity.
She studied English language and religious studies at Oyo State College of Education in Ilesha.
She continued her education and received teacher preparation at the Divisional Teachers Training College in Ipetumodu.