Iyabo Ojo

Iyabo Ojo
Born Alice Iyabo Ogunro
21 December 1977
Lagos, Nigeria
Nationality Nigerian
Citizenship Nigerian
Occupation
  • actress
  • producer
  • director
Years active 1998–present

Alice Iyabo Ojo (born 21 December 1977) is a Nigerian film actress, director, and producer.[1][2][3][4] She has featured in more than 150 films, as well as producing over 14 of her own.[1]

Early life and education

She was born as Alice Iyabo Ogunro on 21 December 1977 in Lagos, although her father was from Abeokuta.[5] She was the youngest of three children, having two older brothers.[5] She went to school in Lagos at National College, Gbagbada, before proceeding to study Estate Management at Lagos State Polytechnic.[6]

Career

Having been involved in a drama group at secondary school, she commenced her acting career in 1998. Describing her start, she has said: "So after I had come of age, I went to Bimbo Akintola, after watching one of her movies ... and told her that I wanted to be an actress and she did help me. Through her guidance, I registered with the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) and afterwards she took me around, introducing me to a lot of the people she knew in the industry."[5][6]

Ojo has scripted and featured in several Nigerian films. Her first role was in 1998's Satanic, an English-language film. In 2002, she made her Yoruba-language debut with Baba Darijinwon.[7] In January 2015, her film Silence, which features Joseph Benjamin Alex Usifo, Fathia Balogun, and Doris Simeon, premiered at the Silverbird Cinemas, Ikeja, in Lagos.[8][9]

In 2004, Ojo started producing her own films, her first production being Bolutife, after which she made Bofeboko, Ololufe, Esan and Okunkun Biribiri.[1]

Personal life

Marrying a Lagos-based movie marketer in 1999, when she was 21,[10] she took a break from pursuing her career. She gave birth to a son and then a daughter (born in 1999 and 2001 respectively) but is now divorced from their father.[11][1][5] She has attributed the breakup of her first marriage to getting married too young.[12] She has spoken of her intention to stop using her former husband's surname, Ojo.[10]

Pinkies Foundation

Iyabo Ojo launched her NGO, Pinkies Foundation, which caters to the children with special needs and the less privileged on May 2011. She celebrated the fifth anniversary of the foundation on 1 May 2016 at the R&A City Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.[13]

Selected filmography

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Actress Iyabo Ojo Full Biography, Life And Career", T.I.N. Magazine.
  2. ↑ Tolu. "Iyabo Ojo Talks About Her Fashion Lifestlye". Information Nigeria. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  3. ↑ "Iyabo Ojo's "Silence" records low turn out at cinema". The Nigerian Tribune.
  4. ↑ Haliwud. "Iyabo Ojo tells us why her first marriage crashed". Information Nigeria. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Adebayo Nurudeen, Francis Ogbonna and Stephen Aya, "Marriage Is A Distraction –Iyabo Ojo", National Weekender, 16 January 2015.
  6. 1 2 Timilehin Ajagunna (21 December 2015). "Yoruba actress, Iyabo Ojo clocks 38 today". Nigerian Entertainment Today.
  7. ↑ Onikoyi, Ayo (26 May 2012). "I am not in a rush to remarry – Iyabo Ojo". Vanguard. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  8. ↑ "Bad Market For Iyabo Ojo, As Stars, Fans, Media, Shun Her Movie Premiere". nigeriafilms.com. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  9. ↑ "Several millions went into producing Silence — Iyabo Ojo". Vanguard News. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  10. 1 2 "Iyabo Ojo Has Droped Her Ex Husband’s Name; Changes To Maiden Name ‘Ogunro’", Nigeria Films.
  11. ↑ Ademola Olonilua (26 March 2013). "I regret rushing into marriage –Iyabo Ojo". The Punch. Archived from the original on 16 March 2013.
  12. ↑ Segun Adebayo. "I've corrected my marital mistakes — Iyabo Ojo". tribune.com.ng. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  13. ↑ "Official Photos From Iyabo Ojo's Star-Studded Pinkies Foundation @ 5 Anniversary Event". Fashionpheeva. 4 May 2016.
  14. ↑ ""Black Val" Toyin Aimakhu, Iyabo Ojo, Dayo Amusa, Desmond Elliott attend premiere". Pulse.ng. Chidumga Izuzu. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
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