Sesan Ogunro | |
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Born | |
Education | University of West London |
Occupation |
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Years active | 2005–present |
Website | directedbysesan |
Sesan Ogunro (born 11 January 1983) is a Nigerian music video director based in the United Kingdom, often credited for his work as Sesan. He has directed music videos for Afrobeats genre artists such as D'Banj, Wizkid, Tiwa Savage and Davido. He is the CEO of Film Factory Nigeria, a video production company in Lagos; and Film Factory South Africa, in Johannesburg.
Sesan spent his early childhood in his birthplace Lagos, Nigeria before moving to the UK with his family, where he attended secondary school in London.
He graduated with a degree in 3D Animation and Visual effects from the University of West London. [1]
Sesan was inspired by his late father and namesake Sesan Ogunro Sr., who ran Eminent Communications, one of the largest advertising agencies in Lagos until his death in 2013. [2]
After university, Sesan pursued film projects in the UK urban underground scene through his co-owned production company, Mastermind Promotions which paved the way for him to branch into the mainstream arena. In 2005 he took on the role as the Head of Post Production with global advertising agency, McCann Erickson, London.
In 2007, he met Afrobeats/Afropop artist D'Banj in a nightclub in Lagos and agreed to film the video for his upcoming single, "Suddenly". Filmed in Lagos, Sesan's Afrobeat directorial debut lead to future award-winning collaborations with D’Banj. These would include the music video for "Oliver Twist", which premiered on YouTube in 2012. [3]
The song was nominated for the World Music Award Best Video of the Year and a Channel O Music Video Awards Most Gifted Video of the Year award in 2012. [4] [5]
Sesan continues to work with artists in all genres such as Grammy nominated duo Riton and Kah-Lo, and has been acclaimed as one of Nigeria's most respected directors. [6]
Year | Project | Ceremony | Category | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2011 | D'Banj ft Snoop Dogg, "Mr Endowed" | Channel O Music Video Awards | Most Gifted Male Video | Won |
2012 | D'Banj ft Kanye West, "Oliver Twist (D'banj song)" | Channel O Music Video Awards | Most Gifted Male Video [5] | Won |
2012 | D'Banj ft Kanye West, "Oliver Twist (D'banj song)" | Channel O Music Video Awards | Video of the Year | Won |
2012 | D'Banj ft Kanye West, "Oliver Twist (D'banj song)" | World Music Awards [4] | Best Music Video | Nominated |
2015 | Davido, "The Sound" | MTV Africa Music Awards | Best Video | Nominated |
2016 | Wizkid ft Uhuru, "Soweto Baby" | MTV Africa Music Awards | Best Collaboration Video | Won |
2018 | Shatta Wale, "Gringo" | All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) | Best Music Video of the Year | Won |
Sesan is brother to OAP and producer Fade Ogunro and they run production company, Film Factory together. [10]
"Oliver Twist" is a song by Nigerian singer-songwriter D'banj. The track was first released in the United Kingdom on 11 May 2012, as the first single from DB Records' compilation album, D'Kings Men (2013). For the chart week dated 26 May, "Oliver Twist" debuted at number nine on the UK Singles Chart—marking the musician's first chart appearance and first Nigerian song to ever debut on the chart. Lyrically, the song expresses D'banj's crave for more women, relating to how the fictional character Oliver Twist asked for more gruel.
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