Elliot was born to a Yoruba father from Olowogbowo in Lagos Island,Lagos State,Southwest Nigeria and an Igbo mother from Illah in Oshimili North,Delta State,South-South Nigeria.[4] He received his primary education at Air Force Primary School and later attended St John's College,both in Jos. He studied economics at Lagos State University and graduated in 2003.[5]
Career
Elliot was influenced by a friend to become an actor.[5] He started playing roles in soap operas like Everyday People,One Too Much and Saints and Sinners. He is one of Nollywood's leading actors,having appeared in over two hundred films including Men Who Cheat,Yahoo Millionaire and Atlanta. In 2006,he was nominated for the African Movie Academy Award for "Best Actor in a Supporting Role" in the movie "Behind Closed Doors".[6][7][8] In 2008,Elliot co-produced and co-directed the movie "Reloaded" which received 3 nominations at the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2009.[9][10][11][12] In 2009 and 2010,He was nominated for the Best Actor category at the Nigeria Entertainment Awards.[13]
Also in 2010,Elliot competed to become the ambassador for the Face of Hope Project,a "volunteer-based non-profit,non-religious,non-political organization established to give hope to the hopeless",in which he will work toward fixing "child illiteracy in Nigeria and Africa at large" should he emerge. In 2014,he was nominated for the African Movie Academy Award for "Best Actor in a Supporting Role" in the movie "Finding Mercy"[14]
Politics
Elliot declared his intentions in September 2014 to run for Lagos State House of Assembly under the All Progressives Congress. He contested and won the Surulere Constituency on the 11th of April,2015. Nigerian General Elections.[15] In October 2020,during the End SARS protest,Desmond was heavily criticized[16] for allegedly supporting Anti-Social Media Bill in Nigeria;an allegation he earlier denied when the news first filtered in via social media.[17][18][19] In a viral video circulating all over the internet,he was seen vehemently criticizing social media users and influencers and stating that if the Nigerian state doesn't stop social media,social media will destroy the Nigerian state. His comments were not taken lightly by Nigerians on social media and thus the popular Nigerian pidgin slang,na Desmond Elliot cause am, meaning It's Desmond Elliot's fault, was born.
He however came out few days later to apologize. He said “I allowed my emotions get the better of me and for this I apologize to everyone my earlier statements may have hurt. Please,understand that even the best of us makes mistakes. This is why,moving forward,I ask that we all try to engage constructively on the issues that affect all of us. I promise to do the same. The pain that I feel for my constituents,the calls for assistance that I continue to get,and the need to mitigate against further destruction and violence will continue to drive my engagements and my work. I thank you all for expressing your views,and in the future,I promise to be more conscious and aware. Together,we will build a better Nigeria"[20] Desmond Elliot is presently using a third term as state legislator representing Surulere Constituency 1. Although,his nomination by the party (APC) during his two terms in office came unopposed,he faced strong opposition going into the 2023 general elections,as a host of aspirants including Honourable Barakat Odunuga-Bakare,the Special Adviser on Housing to the Lagos State Governor and Fuad Kayode Laguda (who later was elected as a Federal Legislator within the same constituency) declared intention to also vie for the ticket. Through some form of intra-party horse-trading,he eventually got the ticket,paving way for a third term representativeness.
Personal life
Elliot is married and has four children.[11] He is involved in public relations for Globacom.[11][21]
Desmond Elliot celebrated his 15th wedding anniversary with his wife,Victoria Elliot on 26 December 2018.[22]
1 2 Onyekaba, Corne-Best (30 September 2005). "Why I run away from women". Daily Sun. Lagos, Nigeria. Archived from the original on 31 December 2006. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
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