One of the most well-known Yoruba actors right now is Odunlade Adekola, who is also the most well-known name in Nollywood in recent memory.
Odunlade was born on December 31, 1978, in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State. He completed his elementary school at St. John’s Primary School and his West African School Certificate Examination at St. Peter’s College, both in Abeokuta. He continued to Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, where he allegedly graduated with a diploma, and he reportedly started acting in 1996.
He joined the Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioners the same year and studied under the late actor and producer Isola Durojaiye, well known by his stage name Alasari. Known as a master of all trades in the world of filmmaking, Odunlade has written, produced, directed, and starred in a number of movies throughout the years. He did not accomplish the feat on a silver platter, like everyone who has attained some level of greatness.
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He earned it by being willing to learn and humble enough to do so, by paying close attention to every last detail, and by persevering despite obstacles. It took him a while to become famous, but few people are aware that he spent some time learning under the tutelage of more well-known people before making his big debut.
In 1996, when he was just 18 years old, he entered the film industry and signed up to be a member of ANTP, the organization that most Yoruba actors, including Odunlade Adekola, recently abandoned for Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practioners Association of Nigeria (TAMPPAN). Odunlade’s remarkable acting and carriage caught the attention of producers and directors when he performed the major role in the film Asiri Gomina Wa, which was produced by the late Alasari, the actor from whom he learned the fundamentals of acting. And like a grateful student, he has acknowledged the late Alasari, who tragically passed away in a fatal car accident a few years ago, for teaching him the ropes at every turn.
Odunlade Adekola’s second film, Emi Ni Ire Kan (I am next in line for God’s favor), which he produced himself, served as the ideal springboard for his ascension. He co-starred with Ronke Odusanya, nicknamed Flaky Ididowo, in the 2009 film, which was produced after Farapamo. His character is a stuttering local rapper, and the humorous effort was a runaway success that brought praise and recognition in droves.
As Best Yoruba Actor of the Year for City People Entertainment in 2009, he went on to receive his first significant honor, and he hasn’t looked back as he keeps producing blockbuster after blockbuster. In the Yoruba category of Nollywood, films like Baba Super, Ila Owo, Eje Fun Eje, Sunday Dagboru, Mufu Oloosa Oko, Alani Pamolekun, and Adebayo Aremu Abere rate among the best films ever, with Odunlade Adekola trailing them all. One of the secrets to his success is his proactive approach to producing his own films, in which he frequently plays the lead, as opposed to waiting for other producers to call him for lead roles.
His meticulousness adds to his ability to produce work quickly without ever sacrificing quality. It is no secret that a lack of standards is one of the things holding back Nollywood; this is especially true in the Yoruba segment, where names rather than talent are the deciding considerations for casting roles. Despite this, the actor in question has managed to keep his head above water. Actors like Adekola Tijani (KamiluKompo), Olaniyi Afonja (Sanyeri), Babatunde Bernard (Baba Tee), Soji Taiwo (Omo Banke), Femi Adebayo, Murphy Afolabi, and Segun Ogungbe are among his contemporaries.
Muyiwa Ademola, Saheed Balogun, Funso Adeolu, Yemi Solade, and many others are among those he met on the ground who are similarly talented and skilled in producing and directing, but he stands head and shoulders above them all in terms of current influence and attention. Odunlade has avoided the negative attention in a field rife with controversy because to his self-control.
He is married to Ruth, who is enrolled in Moshood Abiola Polytechnic in Ogun State to pursue a higher national diploma. They have three children together: two boys and a girl. And for the Abeokuta-based actor, continuing to be relevant has brought about a variety of advantages. Because of how well-known he is, Glo offered him an ambassadorship in 2011, which he acknowledged made him feel “cloud nine” about. “I have to admit that receiving a Glo endorsement is one of my proudest moments.”
Every time I think of my role as a Glo ambassador, it makes me happy since you never know who is watching you when you are at work. The entertainment industry employs many individuals. Therefore, it is wonderful for me that a large organization like that would say, “Let us call on this man to be an ambassador.” Thus, I am overjoyed. In an interview, he said, “Like I used to say, I never thought of it at all or that any organization would call on me to be its brand ambassador.”