By Osagie Alonge, chief correspondent
and Victor Enengedi, senior correspondent
From Left: Linda Ikeji, Don Jazzy, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, 2face
Idibia and King Sunny Ade are five of the most influential men and women
in Nigeria’s entertainment industry. Design: Olawale Obi
They are artistes, actors, thinkers, entrepreneurs, and captains of
industry. Their ideas spark dialogue and dissent and sometimes even
controversies; their works shape lives, habits and societies; their
actions have led to some of the decisions that have stirred the industry
in its current direction. These remarkable men and women, with lasting
and laudable influence, do not necessarily make the most popular people
in the industry, but their actions carry a lot of weight; with the hope
of the future resting on their shoulders.
2face Idibia: From his artistry to passion for
change, the Pop king of Africa has continued to use his music as a muse
to influence all. Through his foundation, ‘
2face Idibia Reach-Out Foundation‘,
Idibia, an icon by every definition, has dedicated a great amount of
time, effort and resources towards reaching out to fellow humans in
need.
Alex Okosi: As Senior Vice President and Managing Director of
Viacom International, Africa, Okosi continues to showcase Africa to the world and vice versa with the
MTV, BET, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central platforms. Okosi is one of the top dogs determining the present and future of entertainment on TV.
Ali Baba: Still at the top of the food chain when it concerns comedy in
Nigeria, Ali Baba,
a pioneer stand-up comedian is not only responsible for making the
trade profitable, he continues to use his influence to hold up the
platform for others to shine.
Amaka Igwe: A strong pillar in
Nollywood,
Igwe’s undying love for motion picture has helped her carve a niche for
herself whether with her famous soap operas or her annual
BOBTV TV expo. Her Lagos-based radio station,
Top Radio has also become a force to reckon with.
Amin Moussalli: The Lebanese boss actually started doing
business in Nigeria as far back as 1975 with his AIM architectural
company but his love for broadcasting drove him to create radio stations
Cool FM, Wazobia FM and later on Nigeria Info with his daughter Evita
in the helm of affairs. These stations have become one of the biggest
outfits in Nigeria reaching millions in four different cities.
Audu Maikori: It’s been rocky times at
Chocolate City
in the last seven months but Maikori, a lawyer and entrepreneur has
shown nothing but exemplary skills in stirring the entertainment label
through murky waters. With A-list acts like
M.I. and
Ice Prince, Chocolate City still remains one of the biggest music labels in
Africa. Don’t be surprised if they announce an IPO soon.
Ayo Animashaun: Through his
Smooth Promotions company, Animashaun, 43, has launched some of the most relevant entertainment platforms including ‘
The Headies‘ and the 24-hour channel ‘
Hip TV‘ which launches on DSTV this month.
Bolanle Austen Peters: Peters is the soul of
Terra Kulture
– a highly recognised cultural hub set up to promote the richness and
diversity of Nigerian languages, arts and culture. Respected for
enabling the sustenance of live theatre in Lagos, she’s now executing
the big-budget SARO musical that’s already receiving critical acclaim.
In eight years of existence, Terra Kulture has organised no less than 60
plays, over 100 exhibitions, and approximately 10,000 children have
been through their language, culture clubs and excursions.
Biola Alabi : Managing Director a
t M-NET
Africa over the last four years, Alabi has engineered the process of
bringing top African content to our doorsteps. This year, she birthed
the successful and well rated
African Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards (AMVCAs).
Chika Nwobi: Nwobi is a serial entrepreneur. From
MTech-
a leading mobile content company in Africa to Jobberman.com-West
Africa’s most popular jobs portal to Cheki.com.ng-Nigeria’s leading
cars/autos website to Kamdora.com a fast growing e-commerce fashion
retail business in Nigeria, Nwobi has successfully built mobile and
internet-related companies; using unusual techniques to link IT with
entertainment while delivering value for consumers and helping Telcos
excite a generation in love with music.
Chris Ubosi: He is the CEO of
Megalectrics Limited, owners of Premium choice
BEAT 99.9FM, retro-styled
Classic FM 93.7 and pidgin-speaking
Naija FM 102.7, which have all continued to dominate their respective fields.
Ubosi, who seems to be warming up to the cameras nowadays has also launched a sister station in Ibadan and
will be setting up a TV channel real soon.
Clarence Peters: Three of out every five videos seen on Nigerian TV is directed by
Clarence Peters. As the CEO of a record label called
Capital Hill Records and a multimedia content creation company called
CAPital Dream Pictures,
he has shot a good number of videos, documentaries, TV commercials,
short films and TV features. Clarence is no doubt the most sought after
video director in the music industry so much that his name has become
synonymous with top quality musical videos.
D’banj: In the last 12 months, the self-styled
entertainer has brushed off any kind of doubt about whether he can
progress career-wise after his
split with former Mo’Hits partner Don Jazzy.
Whether it’s performing at the finale of African Cup of Nations,
collaborating with US artistes,
headlining Hennessy Artistry or
becoming the face of the Bank of Industry, D’banj
has shown constant sheer determination and dominance. And there’s an
indefinitely long list of young cats praying day and night to have a
quarter of his blessings.
D’banj, Femi Kuti, Biola Alabi and Tunde Kelani
DJ Jimmy JATT: He is rated as one of the biggest
and most iconic deejays in Africa. An innovator, teacher, speaker and
performer, Jimmy Jatt has helped nurture the careers and influenced many
deejays in Nigeria. There’s hardly any hiphop artiste in Nigeria that
doesn’t pledge allegiance to the legendary but unbelievably humble
deejay.
Don Jazzy: From music production,
Don Jazzy
remains one of the most relevant entertainment personalities in Africa
(a formula his colleagues have not been able to crack yet) with every
artiste out there asking for a beat or two from him. Little wonder he
keeps bagging multimillion Naira endorsement deals. An ambassador for
Loya Milk and
MTN,
IDJA is the producer every producer wants to be like, the pop star who
has no single to his name; the enigmatic music maker that’s giving an
entirely new definition to impresario.
Edi Lawani: Sometimes referred to as the Godfather,
Lawani
has built a name in the corporate and entertainment scene working as
technical consultant, events manager and adviser to organisations and
talent. His agency, Showbiz Network is one of the longest running
homegrown entertainment organisations, and many of today’s big names in
technical support and events management have the bearded gentleman to
thank.
Efe Omorogbe: The co-founder and HNIC of Nigeria’s leading talent management company,
Now Muzik,
Omorogbe
continues to be a major force in the development of entertainment in
Nigeria. He recently setup Now Muzik en.Core, a sister company which
handles events and campaigns.
Emeka Mba: A former Regulatory Affairs Manager at Multichoice
Nigeria and later Director General of the Nigerian Film and Video
Censors Board (NFVCB),
Mba’s recent appointment as Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) was
met with applause from stakeholders who understand what he brings to
the table. The NBC is the regulatory body for broadcast organisations in
Nigeria.
Femi Ayeni: Ayeni, founder of
Ultima, the company which owns two very big franchises in Nigeria might not have a popular name but his shows
Project Fame West Africa and
Who Wants to be a Millionaire. Though quiet and publicity shy, Ayeni has handed many successful entertainers their careers – that list will include
Iyanya, Chidinma and
Frank Edoho who rose to national fame on
WWTBAM.
Femi Kuti: The son of the late great Afrobeat
legend has clearly carved a niche for himself, warming up nicely into
contemporary music (working with
Wizkid, LNC, Jesse Jagz, Durella) and modern TV (Kuti is a judge on
Nigerian Idol). These have however not shut him up from voicing out his opinion against bad governance.
Funke Akindele: The Nollywood actress has bagged
the highest number of endorsement deals and produced more bestselling
movies than anyone in her category. Her hilarious character, Jenifa has
now become one of the most popular characters in Nollywood.
And despite going through a well-publicized separation, Akindele’s image remains intact, her following unaffected; her endorsements intact.
Genevieve Nnaji: Hardly can you mention top actresses in Africa without placing her in the top 2. US talk show host,
Oprah Winfrey described her as the
Julia Roberts of Africa, while
Elle magazine recently profiled her as one of the 7 international acts soon to cross over to international success.
Nnaji’s profiling on the international scene has been a big boost to
her career, although she has slowed down on local appearances in recent
times.
Ibinabo Fiberesima: She became the first woman to lead the
Actors’ Guild of Nigeria
when she was sworn in as President in November 2012. Ibinabo
Fiberesima, an actress and a former beauty queen now presides over one
of the most influential organisations in Nigeria’s entertainment
industry.
Jason Njoku: By creating the iROKO triad-
iROKOtv, iROKING and
IROKtv , he is credited for creating what the international media has described as the ‘
Netflix of Africa,‘ Njoku has combined technology and creativity to satisfy the ever-growing needs of Nollywood fans across the world,
ranking in the Forbes ‘African millionaires to watch’ list. His idea now caters for millions of Nigerians who chose to go online to source music and Nollywood movies.
Clarence Peters, Amaka Igwe, Audu Maikori and Ali Baba
King Sunny Ade: A perfect example of consistency,
King Sunny Ade
boasts of a career that has spanned over five decades. KSA is an
important voice in the Nigerian entertainment industry particularly in
regards to music as he uses his influence, contacts and resources to
affect major decisions in many of the music organisations; while serving
as mentor and inspiration to many.
Kunle Afolayan: He is one of the most prolific film directors in Nigeria. From his debut production ‘
Irapada‘ to the critically reviewed action-drama
‘Figurine‘, the accounting graduate has shown finesse in all his work. His recent project,
October 1,
still in the making has generated the most publicity-ever for a yet to
be released flick. Afolayan is seen by many pundits as the face of ‘new
Nollywood’.
KWAM 1: A prolific recording artist,
KWAM1
updated the Fuji style incorporating Western instruments to give it
that youth-oriented theme. That singular innovation opened up the genre
to a hitherto uninterested segment. With a career now spanning over
three decades, the self-acclaimed King of Fuji music continues to
influence and appeal both the old and young in fuji other genres.
Linda Ikeji: From gossip to breaking news stories,
Linda Ikeji’s blog has become a hotspot for many online readers. From a business and career that has taken her seven years to build,
Miss Ikeji’s blog has become a phenomenal success earning her millions in annual turnover;
building a profile as Nigeria’s most successful blogger. What that
means? The bachelorette now belongs to the elite group of opinion
moulders and news shapers.
M.I: They call him the Chairman.
Jude Abaga aka
M.I.
has set a standard for aspiring rappers, for being able to appeal both
to the so called hiphop heads and those with no idea in the world what
the art form is about. He is sometimes regarded as the best rapper in
Nigeria and has a lot in fan base to show for it.
Mo’ Abudu: Following the huge success of her talk show ‘
Moments with Mo‘,
Mosunmola Abudu
has built for herself a strong repertoire. Often referred to as the
Oprah Winfrey of Africa, her show for years enjoyed high ratings on
DSTV.
Recently she launched her own channel, EbonyLife TV, Africa’s first global black entertainment network.
Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde: As one of the most decorated actresses in Africa, Omotola’s scored a bygone when she made it to
TIME magazine’s 2013 edition of the ‘100 Most Influential People in the World’. Her TV reality series, ‘
Omotola: The Real Me‘
generated a landmark viewership on M-NET’s Africa Magic when it
debuted, and the mother-of-four is now warming up for international
break.
Psquare: Sold out shows and tours in
Africa,
Europe and
America,
earth shaking hit songs and videos. A multitude of fans stadiums cannot
contain. Psquare have been on the top 3 mark for so long it’s beginning
to look like their birth right.
Mo Abudu, Genevieve Nnaji, Alex Okosi and Funke Akindele
Peace Fiberesima: For 12 years she has been behind the
African Movie Awards (AMAA), gathering movie stars from all over Africa.
Fiberesima
has positioned the awards show as one of the most credible and
consistent honorary shows. Often described as the ‘African Oscars‘, AMAA
awards has now become a standard for actors to measure their
performance every year.
Rotimi Pedro: With
Nigerian Idol, X-Factor and
Nigeria’s Got Talent grabbing big market shares,
Rotimi Pedro, the
Optima Media Group‘s
founder, is rapidly becoming a major force to reckon with. The sports
veteran and his team are delivering entertainment to millions of
Nigerians while giving many an opportunity to kick off their careers.
And he’s just secured the right to launch Bloomberg here, according to
NET findings.
Sam Onyemelukwe: He earned the rights to bring the foremost music channel,
TRACE TV to Nigeria building it from the scratch.
Onyemelukwe, a former country manager for MTV has utilized his
experience and knowledge in the terrain to establish TRACE TV as a
channel of choice for many young Nigerians.
Tajuddeen Adepetu: From what began with creating content
programming for several terrestrial TV stations, Adepetu has gone on to
establish his own cable TV channel and TV station. Both
Soundcity and
ONTV,
popular among young Nigerians, have now become household names when it
comes to pure entertainment. Other assets include Spice TV which wil
launch as a full channel on DSTV in a matter of months, and social media
platform Buddie.
The Murray-Bruces: The Murray-Bruces have played many major
roles in taking Nigerian entertainment to the next level. Spearheaded by
Ben Murray-Bruce, the family has not only succeeded in radio and TV
broadcasting, but also made cinema culture fashionable again, with the
Silverbird Cinemas. Their ‘
Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria‘ pageant has lost credibility and popularity, but remains the nation’s leading pageant.
Tony Okoroji: Okoroji is one of the most important factors in collective rights management and administration in Nigeria.
Working
with the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Okoroji has spearheaded
the recognition of mechanical and associated rights, while making sure
radio stations, TV channels and others who exploit music pay what’s due
rights owners. The jury is still out on whether that segment should be liberalized.
Tunde Kelani: A pioneer and veteran by every definition,
Kelani‘s brilliance in cinematography and storytelling is second to none.
With over 20 films made under his Mainframe Productions,
Kelani has been setting standards for as long as we can remember. The
movie producer/director/writer is one of the major influences in the
Nigerian movie industry till date.
Uche Eze: She is the popular blogger and owner of fashion and lifestyle blog
BellaNaija .
BellaNaija
remains a one stop shop for single and married women who are interested
in wedding news, gossip and fashion. And even though the likes of
Linda Ikeji have surpassed her in ranking, Bella remains queen, with enough international acclaim to last a lifetime.
Wizkid: At just 23,
Ayo ‘Wizkid’ Balogun
is a kid whose achievements will make some legends jealous. From an
unsure wannabe, the hit-maker has grown to become a superstar, with a
strong influence on today’s sound while many teens are feeding daily on
his style and- permit us – swagger. Now warming up to be an
entrepreneur, Wizzy has it all working.
Who’s on the list?
| S/N |
Artiste |
Designation |
| 1. |
2face |
Musician/Activist |
| 2. |
Alex Okosi |
Media Entrepreneur |
| 3. |
Ali Baba |
Comedian |
| 4. |
Amaka Igwe |
Film Maker/ Entrepreneur |
| 5. |
Amin Moussalli |
Media Entrepreneur |
| 6. |
Audu Maikori |
Lawyer/Label exec |
| 7. |
Ayo Animashaun |
Media Entrepreneur |
| 8. |
Biola Alabi |
Media entrepreneur |
| 9. |
Bolanle Austen Peters |
Arts and culture enthusiast |
| 10. |
Chika Nwobi |
Entrepreneur |
| 11. |
Chris Ubosi |
Media entrepreneur |
| 12. |
Clarence Peters |
Video director/Label exec |
| 13. |
D’banj |
Musician |
| 14. |
Don Jazzy |
Music producer |
| 15. |
DJ Jimmy Jatt |
DJ |
| 16. |
Edi Lawani |
Event consultant |
| 17. |
Efe Omorogbe |
Talent manager/Consultant |
| 18. |
Emeka Mba |
Administrator |
| 19. |
Femi Ayeni |
Media entrepreneur |
| 20. |
Femi Kuti |
Musician/activist |
| 21. |
Funke Akindele |
Actress |
| 22. |
Genevieve Nnaji |
Actress |
| 23. |
Ibinabo Fiberesima |
Actress/administrator |
| 24. |
Jason Njoku |
New Media entrepreneur |
| 25. |
King Sunny Ade |
Musician |
| 26. |
Kunle Afolayan |
Filmmaker |
| 27. |
KWAM 1 |
Musician |
| 28. |
Linda Ikeji |
Blogger |
| 29. |
M.I |
Musician |
| 30. |
Mo’ Abudu |
TV entrepreneur |
| 31. |
Omotola Jalade Ekeinde |
Actress/activist |
| 32. |
Peace Fiberesima |
Awards ceremony organiser |
| 33. |
Psquare |
Musician |
| 34. |
Rotimi Pedro |
Media entrepreneur |
| 35. |
Sam Onyemelukwe |
Media entrepreneur |
| 36. |
Tajudeen Adepetu |
Media entrepreneur |
| 37. |
The Murray-Bruces |
Media entrepreneur |
| 38. |
Tony Okoroji |
Musician/ industry regulator |
| 39. |
Tunde Kelani |
Filmmaker |
| 40. |
Uche Eze |
media entrepreneur |
| 41. |
Wizkid |
Musician |
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