Connect with us


Entertainment

Top Influential Women Shaping the Future of Nollywood’s Film Industry

Published

Top Influential Women Shaping the Future of Nollywood’s Film Industry, As one of the largest film industries in the world, Nollywood has evolved significantly since its inception. Central to this evolution are the remarkable contributions of female filmmakers, who have redefined storytelling and the representation of women in African cinema.

The impact of these filmmakers extends beyond their individual works. They have paved the way for future generations of women in Nollywood, demonstrating that creative, administrative, and managerial roles are not bound by gender.

So, if you’re interested in exploring Nollywood, watching films by some of these notable female filmmakers will be an exciting ride.

1. Funke Akindele

Fondly called Jenifa, Funke Akindele is the queen of blockbusters, an actress, producer, and director. With numerous films exceeding box office expectations, she has honed her filmmaking skills, whether it’s acting on screen, producing, directing, she is a force. Her unique marketing style, often featuring effective social media and influencer marketing strategies, keep her audience eagerly anticipating her next release.


Join Our WhatsApp Group

Don’t miss out on any real-time information. Join our WhatsApp group to stay updated.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN


Although her introduction to the film industry was through her role as Bisi in the popular sitcom, I Need to Know, she returned years later with her own sitcom Jenifa, which earned her the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 2009. Some of her notable works include Tribe Called Judah, highest-grossing movie of the year; 2023, Omo Ghetto the Saga, She Must Obey, Jenifa’s Diary.

” alt=”Funke Akindele is the queen of blockbusters, an actress, producer, and director. [Instagram/@funkeakindele]” width=”790″ height=”987″ data-original=”https://ocdn.eu/pulscms-transforms/1/5kTktkpTURBXy9hOGNhMTRlZjllMjhjZTM0ZTI3NDhkYzU0OTRhNmE2Yy5qcGeRlQLNAxbNA9vCww” />

2. Bolanle Austen Peters

A pioneering figure in Nigerian theatre, Bolanle Austen-Peters is a multi-award-winning movie director, producer, theatre director, and cultural entrepreneur. She is the founder and artistic director of BAP Productions and the arts and culture center, Terra Kulture in Lagos. Her contribution to the arts and the Nollywood space are immeasurable. Her biopic on Funmilayo Ransome Kuti became the highest grossing biopic in West Africa.

Her recent movie, House of Ga’a, made it to the top 10 Netflix Global Chart for Non-English Films in the first week of its release. Austen-Peters is also the founder of Terra Academy for the Arts, an initiative in partnership with Mastercard Foundation aimed at empowering young people with skills to kickstart their careers in filmmaking. Some of her notable works include, Bling Lagosians, Man Of God, and Collision Course.

3. Biodun Stephen

Biodun Stephen is a screenwriter, producer, and director widely recognized for incorporating family-oriented elements in her storytelling. Using natural settings and relatable middle-class characters, she has mastered the art of telling powerful stories that resonate with audiences. Her films often bear unique titles reflective of the protagonist, such as Tiwa’s Baggage, Ovy’s Voice, Ehi’s Bitters and Sobi’s Mystic, Sista are notable examples. She runs her production company, Shutterspeed Projects. In 2022, she won the AMVCA Award for Best Writer for her sitcom Introducing the Kujus. That same year, her film Breaded Life was nominated for Best Movie, West Africa, at the AMVCA. West Africa. Some of her other works include, Looking for Baami, All Shades of Wrong, Seven and a Half Dates.

4. Mo Abudu

A media entrepreneur, producer, and CEO of Ebonylife Group, Mo Abudu has made a significant impact on Nollywood since founding her company in 2014. Ebonylife Group includes EbonyLife Films, EbonyLife Studios, and EbonyLife Creative Academy, a film school dedicated to teaching filmmaking skills. She also manages Ebonylife Place, a luxury entertainment resort in Lagos. Her first film as an executive producer was Fifty, and she later co-produced The Wedding Party (2016), which became a commercial success. Other films she has also executive-produced or co-produced include The Wedding Party 2, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel, Chief Daddy, Your Excellency and Òlòtūré. Her series, Blood Sisters made Netflix’s global Top 10 within days of its release, while Elesin Oba, The King’s Horseman premiered at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival. In March 2018, EbonyLife Media and Sony Pictures Television co-produced The Dahomey Warriors. In January 2020, AMC Networks announced its partnership with EbonyLife to produce Nigeria 2099, an afrofuturistic crime-drama created by EbonyLife. Mo Abudu’s partnerships with international studios such as Netflix, Starz and Lionsgate, BBC, Will Smith’s Westbrook Studios and Will Packer Productions have further solidified her influence in the global film industry.

5. Kemi Adetiba

Kemi Adetiba is widely recognized for her acclaimed political thriller, King of Boys, and its sequel, King of Boys: The Return of the King. Before her success in filmmaking, Kemi Adetiba had a prolific career in Music video directing. Some of her notable works in the music industry include Olamide’s Anifowose, Last Bus-Stop by Niyola, My Darlin by Tiwa Savage, My Place by Lynxx, Love to Love You by Niyola ft Banky W. Her short film Across a Bloodied Ocean was screened at the 2009 Pan Afric

an Film Festival and National Black Arts Festival. On September 8, 2016, her first feature film The Wedding Party (a Nigerian Rom-com film) premiered opening night at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), as the opening film of the City-to-City Spotlight. Earlier in 2024, she announced that her new feature, To Kill A Monkey had completed principal photography and would be premiering soon. She has solidified her place as one of Africa’s most successful directors, having worked not only with some of the continent’s biggest stars but also directing commercials for several international brands. Adetiba owns her production company Kemi Adetiba Visuals. (KAV)

4. Jade Osiberu

Jadesola Osiberu is a screenwriter, director, producer and the founder of Greoh Studios.

Although Jade is known for her knack for crime thrillers, as demonstrated in Brotherhood and Gangs of Lagos, she has also produced romantic comedies like Isoken, and Sugar Rush. Her film, Gangs of Lagos, became the first Nigerian original film to stream exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. In September 2022, Osiberu’s Greoh Studios signed a three-year deal with Amazon to develop and produce original scripted TV series and feature films. This partnership led to Gangs of Lagos winning Best Movie West Africa at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards. In August 2024, Osebiru announced the release of her upcoming movie, Christmas in Lagos, which is set to debut on Prime Video this December. Other films to her credit include Ayinla, Rumour Has it, Gidi Up.

Related

Turo247News is on WhatsApp!

CLICK HERE TO JOIN

Share News with us via Email: turo247newz.com@gmail.com

Join Our Social Media Channels
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Entertainment

Burna Boy apologises for dissociating himself from Afrobeats

Published

on

36ba3def cfda 4185 b14a 3da0f7707c92

In a recent interview on The Official UK Afrobeats Chart Show with Eddie Kadi, the Grammy winner shared that with the knowledge he now possesses, he wouldn’t have made those disparaging comments on Afrobeats.

Readers will recall his infamous statement that Afrobeats lacked substance, which he made in a 2023 Interview with Zane Lowe of Apple Music.

Burna Boy shared that the statement was born out of his long-standing decision to identify his music as Afro-fusion as opposed to the umbrella term Afrobeats, which is used to define Nigerian pop music and which he believes doesn’t adequately capture his music.

“I described it by music as Afro fusion because it was as if there was almost no place for it at home, and I had to create my own place for it”.

Retracting the statement, the global music star stated that at the time of making the statement, he didn’t know that Afrobeats was an umbrella term used in advancing Nigerian music as a collective rather than just being a music genre.

“I didn’t understand why everyone wanted my music to be inside one box”.

He said understanding the essence of Afrobeats as a movement has led him to appreciate the negative reactions to his comments.

“I didn’t understand that we needed an umbrella term for what we were doing to actually get somewhere,” he said on his realisation of the purpose of Afrobeats as a movement in advancing Nigerian music.

“If I understood this, I would have gone about it differently because why would I want to destroy what I am building?” he clarified.


Join Our WhatsApp Group

Don’t miss out on any real-time information. Join our WhatsApp group to stay updated.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN


“I apologise for the confusion,” Burna Boy said on the division his statement caused.

Burna Boy’s explanation offers clarity on the reason behind his infamous statement, and his apology is an admirable move to take accountability.

The history-making star recently released his 8th album ‘No Sign of Weakness’, which features notable global stars including Mick Jagger, Travis Scott, and Stromae.

The Port Harcourt-born star is set to go on a tour of North America and Europe, where he will be headlining iconic venues.

Burna Boy’s full interview on The Official UK Afrobeats Chart Show with Eddie Kadi is available on streaming platforms.


Turo247News is on WhatsApp!

CLICK HERE TO JOIN

Share News with us via Email: turo247newz.com@gmail.com

Join Our Social Media Channels
Continue Reading

Entertainment

‘I almost got initiated to witchcraft’, actress Juliana Olayode

Published

on

fb4c89ab 92c2 4441 bac7 54ae2d8cf0c0

Nollywood actress Juliana Olayode, popularly known as Toyo Baby for her role in Jenifa’s Diary, has alerted the public to the prevalence of witchcraft as she told the story of how she almost got initiated.

In a video she shared on her Instagram page alongside a long caption, she warned that some people may have already been initiated into witchcraft without even knowing.

The actress who is an outspoken Christian advocate stated that witchcraft is now “everywhere around us”, and not even “hiding anymore”

READ ALSO: Sex, other sexual activities only for married people – Actress Juliana Olayode

On how she was almost initiated, she recounted how she was casually scrolling through her phone when she stumbled on an ad asking, “Have you ever broken a bone before?”

She said she clicked the link out of sheer curiosity and almost immediately, a strong, unsettling feeling overwhelmed her which made her snap out of it and she closed the site, wondering why she clicked the link in the first instance.

Writing in the caption of the video, Olayode warned the public to be watchful of the gatherings, churches, movies, music and novels they expose themselves to, noting that it is important for them to guard their hearts.

She wrote, “Witchcraft is everywhere these days, they’re not hiding anymore, they’re not waiting for midnight to fly, as most of us think. Witchcr@ft is everywhere around us.

RELATED: Actress Olayode Juliana fumes over ‘Is your husband single?’ comments


Join Our WhatsApp Group

Don’t miss out on any real-time information. Join our WhatsApp group to stay updated.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN


“They operate every hour of the day, it looks very attractive, it looks like you’re on the right path, it looks like you’re trying to satisfy your curiosity, it looks “good” but be careful because not all that looks good is good.

“Don’t fall for the lie that you’ve been here before, nobody has. Also, just because they tell you something you’re experiencing or have gone through, doesn’t mean it’s through the right spirit. Remember Acts 16:16-18?

“Be careful what you expose yourself to, be careful who you expose yourself to, be care the “spiritual” gathering you attend, be careful what church you go to, be very careful and very discerning.

“Like I said, you don’t have to click the link to be initiated, a lot of people are already initiated into witchcr@ft and they don’t even know. It probably happened through the movie they watched, the music they listened to, a novel they read, a witch store they followed their friends to in the name of “collecting arts or pieces from a witchcraft themed movie they saw”.

READ ALSO: Juliana Olayode slams Olympics over blasphemous drag queen opening ceremony

“Now you’re having nightmares, you notice a strange presence in your room, you’re depressed, you feel like something is following you, you hear strange voices or strange movements in your house, you have anxiety or you live in so much fear.

“Some people will even deceive into burning incense to remove dark energy etc. It’s all a trap!!!

“Some of these things happen because you unconsciously gave these spirits access to your life. You gotta guard your gates, the gates to your soul. You gotta be very careful, very prayerful and highly discerning.

The actress warned that “the enemy is not sleeping”, while also urging her followers to become “born-again Christians”

READ ALSO: ‘My husband can never kiss me’: Veteran Yoruba actress discloses


Turo247News is on WhatsApp!

CLICK HERE TO JOIN

Share News with us via Email: turo247newz.com@gmail.com

Join Our Social Media Channels
Continue Reading

Entertainment

Purp Breaks the Streak, Becomes the Third Female to Win Nigerian Idol Season 10 After 6 Years

Published

on

a07f51f1 b725 408b 81ec da4d1ef2480d

After 12 thrilling weeks filled with show-stopping performances, heartfelt moments, and fierce vocal battles, Nigerian Idol Season 10 has officially come to an end, and 25-year-old Anu Agosa, better known as Purp, has emerged as the winner.

In a live finale aired on Sunday, Purp faced off against fellow finalist Raymu in a showdown that tested their vocal prowess, stage presence, and audience connection. In the end, it was Purp who won over the nation and secured the highest number of votes to become Nigerian Idol 2025.

A Night of Nostalgia and Celebration

Hosted by media personality IK Osakioduwa, the Nigerian Idol Season 10 finale was a night to remember, bursting with emotion, star power, and unforgettable performances that celebrated a decade of musical excellence. As the show marked its milestone 10th season, the atmosphere was rich with nostalgia and heartfelt moments.

The evening kicked off with eliminated contestants returning to the stage for a high-energy rendition of “Good Samaritan” by Ayra Starr, reminding fans of the season’s most dynamic voices. Past winners and standout contestants from previous seasons also made special appearances, coming together for a memorable performance of “Water” by Tyla.

In a surprising and delightful twist, IK showed off his vocal chops in a vibrant rendition of “Jerusalema” by Master KG, joining forces with Ric Hassani, Iyanya, and the two finalists for a standout performance.

Season 9 winner Chima, fan favourite Precious Mac from season 8, and Praise, winner of this season’s Bigi Idol, delivered solo sets that showcased the long-lasting influence of the Nigerian Idol stage in launching real talent.

Adding a sweet touch to the celebration, Ric Hassani handed out cupcakes to the live audience in honour of the 10-season milestone. Omawumi took the spotlight soon after with a powerful live performance of her latest single “In Love”, bringing extra star power to an already electrifying night.

Then came the final performances by the Top 2 contestants. Raymu entertained the audience with a moving cover of “Titanium” by David Guetta ft. Sia, while Purp channelled pure soul and strength in her rendition of “Respect” by Aretha Franklin. Both finalists delivered spine-tingling performances.

Life-Changing Prize Package

As the new Nigerian Idol, Purp will walk away with a life-changing prize package, including a brand new SUV, a N30 million cash prize, a DStv Explora with a one-year premium subscription, and a chance to become Nigeria’s next big music star with a recording deal.


Join Our WhatsApp Group

Don’t miss out on any real-time information. Join our WhatsApp group to stay updated.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN


A Historic Win

Purp‘s victory is particularly significant as she becomes the third female winner in the show’s history, breaking a six-year streak since the last female champion. Her triumph represents not just personal achievement but a milestone for female representation in the competition

From auditions to live shows, Nigerian Idol Season 10 has been a whirlwind of talent, passion, and unforgettable stories. And now, the journey begins for one rising star as she prepares to take the Nigerian music industry by storm.

Fans can relive the finale and past performances on GOtv & DStv Stream and Showmax. As a bonus, subscribers who reconnect or upgrade before July 31 enjoy an automatic bouquet upgrade at no extra cost via the ongoing GOtv “We Got You” campaign.

#FeaturedPost


Turo247News is on WhatsApp!

CLICK HERE TO JOIN

Share News with us via Email: turo247newz.com@gmail.com

Join Our Social Media Channels
Continue Reading