Bikiya Graham-Douglas

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Bikiya Graham-Douglas
Bikiya Graham-Douglas 2025.jpg
Born4 March
NationalityNigerian
Alma mater University of Portsmouth London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
Occupation(s)Actress/performing artist, Producer
Years active2009–present
Parent Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas (father)

Bikiya Graham-Douglas is a Nigerian actress, producer, cultural advocate, and jazz singer. She is best known for roles in Wrath and Revenge, Battleground, and the Hollywood film The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare . [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Graham-Douglas is the founder of the Beeta Universal Arts Foundation (BUAF). and Beeta Productions, she has produced award-winning stage and screen works and played multiple roles in talent development and cultural exchange across Africa. [4] [5]

Education and Background

She is the daughter of Nigerian politicians Alabo Graham-Douglas and Bolere Elizabeth Ketebu. She trained in the United Kingdom, studying at institutions such as the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), Oxford School of Drama, the Bridge Theatre Training Company, and Point Blank Music School. She also holds dual B.A. degrees in business economics and business law from the University of Portsmouth.

Career

Bikiya Graham-Douglas is a Nigerian actress and producer who began her professional stage career in London with Femi Oguns' play Torn at the Arcola Theatre London. She has made appearances in multiple movies, plays, and TV productions such as Flower Girl , Shuga , [6] Closer, Saro, For Coloured Girls, [7] Suru L'ere , Lunch Time Heroes , Jenifa's Diary , Legacy, Battleground (2017), God Calling (2018), Code Wilo (2019), The New Normal (2020), Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti (2022), and For Amina (2025), which recently won her 2 awards. She was also featured in the Hollywood film, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare(2024) . [8]

Graham-Douglas worked with the Africa Unite Music Group, which sponsored the first best African Act category at the MOBO Awards. [9] On returning to Nigeria, she worked with MTV Base Africa on the first MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMA) and the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, Nigeria.

As the founder of the Beeta Universal Arts Foundation (BUAF), Graham-Douglas supports an arts organization focused on promoting the arts through production and education. She has created Programs like the Beeta Playwright Competition (2016–present), the Beeta Arts Festival (2021–present), and the Beeta Creative Apprenticeship Program for Filmmakers (2024–present). [10] [11] BUAF has been the official theatre partner for the UNESCO "Port-Harcourt world book capital 2014–2015" [12] and in the past was affiliated with Fela on Broadwayshow when it toured to Nigeria. BUAF also launched the first indigenous playwright competition.

Bikiya is an advisor at the Ladima Foundation Africa (2019-present) and Lagos Fringe (2018-present) [13] [14] . She served as the Executive Director of the Lagos Theatre Festival [15] and was an advocate for the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) programme with the European Union [16] and British Council [17] to raise awareness on Sexual Gender-Based Violence in Nigeria. In 2019 for the 26th FESPACO, she attended as a member of the Feature film jury at Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. [18] She partnered with MTN on her project titled 'Beeta Playwright Competition' (BPC). [19] [20] She spoke Creative Africa Nexus at IATF in 2022 and 2024 [21] [22] .

Filmography

Recognition

YearEventPrizeWorkResultRef
2014 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA 2014)Best Supporting Actress in Drama category Flower Girl .Won [23] [24]
2014TV Personality of the Year Flower Girl .Nominated
2014 Nollywood Movies Awards Best Actress, Best Movie Flower Girl .Won [25]
2014 Nigeria Entertainment Awards Nominee, Best Supporting Actress Flower Girl .Won [26] [27]
2022National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts PractitionersExcellence Service AwardWon [28]
2025Nollywood Week Film Festival (Paris)Audience Choice AwardsFor AminaWon [29]
2025Stockholm City Film FestivalBest Actress filmFor AminaNominated [30]

References

  1. Amos (29 April 2025). "Beyond the Spotlight: Bikiya Graham-Douglas and the future of African storytelling". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  2. BusinessDay (16 February 2018). "Bikiya Graham-Douglas, steadily adding a touch of excellence to her expertise". Businessday NG. Retrieved 13 August 2025.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  3. "BIKIYA GRAHAM-DOUGLAS: Proud Kalabari's 'Girl' Love for Arts And Entertainment". THISDAYLIVE. 10 May 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  4. "Our People". Beeta Universal Arts Foundation (BUAF). Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  5. Nwafor (31 October 2021). "Bikiya Graham-Douglas introduces Beeta Arts Festival, a convergence of African Arts". Vanguard News. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  6. "MTV Shuga cast members!". MTV Base. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  7. "When For Coloured Girls came to Lagos". The Punch – Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper. Archived from the original on 30 July 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  8. "Posts by tag: Bikiya Graham Douglas". Gist Factory. 22 December 2013. Archived from the original on 10 December 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
  9. "Bikiya Graham-Douglas - Wikiwand". www.wikiwand.com. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
  10. Emelike, Obinna (15 December 2024). "Beeta Arts Festival celebrates African storytelling, culture, creativity". Businessday NG. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
  11. Yusuf, Ayo (11 December 2024). "Beeta Arts Committed to nurturing Talents - Graham-Douglas". THISDAYLIVE. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
  12. "Benefits of UNESCO World Book Capital as Port Harcourt reign ends". guardian.ng. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  13. Arinze, Alinnor (1 July 2019). "High Profile Nigerians Appointed To Ladima Foundation Advisory Board". P.M.EXPRESS. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  14. BusinessDay (16 February 2018). "Bikiya Graham-Douglas, steadily adding a touch of excellence to her expertise". Businessday NG. Retrieved 29 August 2025.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  15. "About". Lagos Theatre Festival (LTF). Archived from the original on 28 January 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  16. NewNigerianNewsPapers (11 June 2019). "RoLAC; CSOs/Media Commended For Commitment As They Develop Advocacy Work Plan". New Nigerian Newspaper. Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  17. "Strengthening the rule of law, curbing corruption and reducing impunity in Nigeria | British Council". www.britishcouncil.org. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  18. "Africiné – Bikiya Graham-Douglas". Africiné. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  19. "Graham-Douglas unveils Beeta Playwright Competition 2022". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 12 June 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  20. Ijaseun, David (4 June 2022). "Bikiya Graham-Douglas partners MTN, others for 5th Beeta Playwright Competition". Businessday NG. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  21. News, Leadership (18 October 2023). "Group Celebrates Creative Milestone At Maiden Masterclass Event" . Retrieved 29 August 2025.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  22. Okogba, Emmanuel (21 October 2023). "Creative industries'll revive economy if… - Col Alaita, rtd". Vanguard News. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  23. "2014 AMVCA winners". Africamagic.dstv.com. Archived from the original on 15 March 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  24. Obi, Daniel; Obinna, Emelike (11 March 2014). "Excitement as MultiChoice unites African movie stars with AMVCA". Businessday NG. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
  25. "Nollywood Movies Awards". Noolywoodmoviesawards.tv. Archived from the original on 13 December 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  26. "Nominees". Neaawards.com. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  27. "I've gone past accepting roles for mileage —Bikiya Graham-Douglas". Punch Newspapers. Archived from the original on 10 February 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  28. "Bikiya Graham-Douglas: My parents exposed me to performing around the world". Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics. 2 June 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  29. "'The Legend of The Vagabond Queen of Lagos' Wins Jury Prize at NollywoodWeek 2025 - What Kept Me Up". What Kept Me Up. 19 May 2025. Archived from the original on 23 June 2025. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
  30. Lifestyle, TheCable (6 April 2025). "INTERVIEW: Nollywood must act now to end sex-for-roles abuse, says Bikiya Graham". TheCable Lifestyle. Retrieved 23 August 2025.

Further reading