Kunle Afolayan is a Nigerian actor, producer and director. He is widely credited for elevating the quality of Nollywood movies through larger budgets, shooting on 35mm, releasing in cinemas, and improving cliché Nollywood storylines. After starting his film career as an actor in the 1999 political drama Saworoide, Afolayan made his directorial debut in 2006 with Irapada, a Nigerian supernatural thriller, which won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Film in an African Language. His follow-on directing credits include The Figurine, Phone Swap, October 1, and Citation. October 1 was the winner of 16 major African movie awards in 2015 and the second highest grossing Nigerian film at the time of its release, a feat Afolayan was to repeat two years later with The CEO. In 2021, the director signed a three-picture deal with Netflix. Swallow, the screen adaption of Sefi Atta's book of the same name was the first to be released in October 2021, followed by Aníkúlápó, an epic Nigerian fantasy released in September 2022. Afolayan has described the work as a "Game of Thrones recreated in Nigeria but with a better representation of our culture”. Eleven days after its release, it was the #1 most-watched non-English Netflix original film.
The Figurine: Araromire is a 2009 Nigerian supernatural suspense thriller film written by Kemi Adesoye, produced and directed by Kunle Afolayan, who also stars in the film as one of the main protagonists. It also stars Ramsey Nouah and Omoni Oboli.
Joke SilvaMFR is a veteran Nigerian actress, director, and businesswoman.
![<i>Phone Swap</i> Film dir. by Kunle Afolayan ; starring Joke Silva ... [et al.]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/af/Phone_Swap_Theatrical_Poster.jpg)
Phone Swap is a 2012 Nigerian romance comedy-drama film written by Kemi Adesoye, directed and produced by Kunle Afolayan. It stars Nse Ikpe Etim, Wale Ojo, Joke Silva, Chika Okpala, Lydia Forson and Afeez Oyetoro, and focuses on a series of events unfolding when two polar opposites accidentally exchange phones. The film was conceived after a brief from an advertising agency to create a movie that would cut across ages 15 to 45. It received 4 nominations at the 8th Africa Movie Academy Awards which includes the category Best Nigerian Film and won the award Achievement in Production Design.
October 1 is a 2014 Nigerian thriller film written by Tunde Babalola, produced and directed by Kunle Afolayan, and starring Sadiq Daba, Kayode Olaiya, and Demola Adedoyin. The film is set in the last months of Colonial Nigeria in 1960. It recounts the fictional story of Danladi Waziri (Daba), a police officer from Northern Nigeria, investigating a series of killings of young women in the remote Western Nigeria village of Akote just before 1 October 1960 – the date Nigeria gained independence from British colonial rule.
Tunde Kelani, popularly known as TK, is a Nigerian filmmaker. In a career spanning more than four decades, TK specialises in producing movies that promote Nigeria's rich cultural heritage and have a root in documentation, archiving, education, entertainment and promotion of the culture.
Auteuring Nollywood: Critical Perspectives on The Figurine is a book released on 31 July 2014, detailing the scholarly analysis of events in the 2009 film The Figurine directed by Kunle Afolayan. The book is the first book in the history of Nigerian Cinema to be devoted to the work of a single Nigerian film director and it contains scholarly essays, which explores "the thematic focus and cinematic style employed in The Figurine". It also contains interviews with the cast and crew of the film and insights into the African and Nigerian film industry. Since its release, the book has been getting rave reviews from critics, educators and film scholars.
Yomi Fash-Lanso is a Nigerian actor.
Yemi Shodimu is a Yoruba dramatist, television presenter, film director and filmmaker.
Morihanfen Oluwaseun Oluwabamidele, known by his stage name as Sean Tizzle, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. He is currently signed to Wind Vane Music.
Kabirah Kafidipe is a Nigerian film actress, director and producer. She is popularly known as “Araparegangan” for her role in Saworoide, a 1999 Nigerian film produced and directed by Tunde Kelani.
Suru L'ere is a 2016 Nigerian comedy drama film, co-produced and directed by Mildred Okwo. It stars Seun Ajayi, Beverly Naya, Kemi Lala Akindoju, Tope Tedela and Enyinna Nwigwe, with a special appearance from Rita Dominic.
Adeola Solanke FRSA, commonly known as Ade Solanke, is a British-Nigerian playwright and screenwriter. She is best known for her debut stage play, Pandora's Box, which was produced at the Arcola Theatre in 2012, and was nominated as Best New Play in the Off West End Theatre Awards. Her other writing credits include the award-winning BBC Radio drama series Westway and the Nigerian feature film Dazzling Mirage (2014). She is the founder and creative director of the company Spora Stories, whose aim is to "create original drama for stage and screen, telling the dynamic stories of the African diaspora." Solanke has previously worked as an arts journalist and in radio and television, and in 1988 set up Tama Communications, offering a writing and publicity service, whose clients included the BBC, the Arts Council and the Midland Bank.
Kemi "Lala" Akindoju is a Nigerian actress. She won an Africa Magic trailbrailzer award for her role in the film adaptation of Dazzling Mirage.
The CEO is a 2016 Nigerian film directed by Kunle Afolayan, starring Kemi Lala Akindoju, Hilda Dokubo, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Angélique Kidjo and Wale Ojo. The film premiered at the Eko Hotels and Suites on July 10, 2016. The film was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival. The London premiere was held in October 2016 at Leicester Square Vue Cinema.
Adejumoke Aderounmu 26 March 1984 – 8 April 2024) was a Nigerian actress. She is best known for playing roles like Esther And Kelechi in the popular Nollywood TV series Jenifa's Diary and Industreet, Jummy Adams in Nollywood's film Alakada 2 (2013) alongside Funke Akindele, Toyin Abraham, Odunlade Adekola, Linda Ejiofor, Falz, Juliana Olayode, and Omotunde Adebowale David (Lolo).
Omugwo is a 2017 Nigerian comedic movie written by Kemi Adesoye and directed by Kunle Afolayan under the production studio of Golden Effects Pictures in partnership with African Magic Films. Kunle Afolayan who is known for his whodunit movies diverted to provide the audience with comic relief. The comedic movie is one of the three movies by commissioned by African Magic Films to be produced in collaboration with him. The movie though, comical, addresses the vital issue in the African settings; motherhood. It prioritises the African traditional rites in motherhood and it stars actors and actresses such as Ayo Adesanya, Patience Ozokwor, Omowunmi Dada and Ken Erics.
Citation is a 2020 Nigerian drama film directed by Kunle Afolayan, written by Tunde Babalola and starring Jimmy Jean-Louis, Temi Otedola, Bukunmi Oluwashina, and Gabriel Afolayan.
Ayinla is a musical eponymous film based on the life of Ayinla Yusuf popularly known as Ayinla Omowura, an Apala musician who was stabbed to death by his manager named Bayewu in a bar fight on 6 May 1980 at Abeokuta. The film premiered on 13 June 2021 in Lagos and was released to theatres on 18 June 2021. Directed by Tunde Kelani, the film was set in the 1970s and early 1980s and shot in Abeokuta, Ogun State. Lateef Adedimeji assumed the role of Ayinla, starring alongside Omowumi Dada, Bimbo Manuel, Ade Laoye, Kunle Afolayan, Bimbo Ademoye and Mr Macaroni. Ayinla is Kelani's first major film since his 2015 release of Dazzling Mirage. The budget for this feature film is officially given as ₦50 Million.
Ajuwaya is a 2017 Nigerian movie produced and directed by Tolu Awobiyi Lord Tanner. The adventure movie stars Timini Egbuson, Lanre Hassan, Etinosa Idemudia, Kemi Lala Akindoju and Rahama Sadau.
