Delta Big Boys & Babes who rule the movie industry
Meet the Delta Big Boys & Babes who rule the movie industry
In the booming home video industry,Delta State indigenes are noted for their leadership in all departments of the industry. From acting to directing, production to screen play and sound tracks, Delta artistes have been in control since the industry exploded in 1991. CHARLES NWAGBARA brings you a list of the most popular Delta players in the industry.
Zeb Ejiro He is the foremost name in Nigeria's Home Video industry. Zeb Ejiro practically stabilised what is today the most thriving entertainment industry in the West African coast. Almost 70 percent of the players in the industry passed through the tutelage of the Isoko man called the Sheikh or Presido by industry practitioners. Zeb produced Ripples, the erstwhile longest soap opera on NTA network which produced stars like, Clarion Chukwura, Alex Usifo Omiagbo, Keppy Ekpenyong and others. He has also produced and directed over 50 home video films, including the most publicised movie, Domitilla. Others include Just A Night and Sakobi.
Andy Ameneche His directorial skills is the talk of the town in the industry. He came as an ace director from the NTA and became one of the best in the home video industry. His movie Mortal lnheritance which he co-owned with Zeb Ejiro, won eight awards in 1997/1998 with Omotola Jalade- Ekeinde and Fred Amata as Best Actress and Best Actor respectively .Andy Ameneche directed Ighodo and Evil Deeds amongst others.
Zack Amata lsoko born Zack was a former lecturer at the Benue State University before he abandoned the job to do movies. Zack is rated as one of the best actors in the land both on stage and in movies. Zack was in Cock Crow At Dawn, a network soap that held the nation spell bound in the 80s. He has acted and directed several films. His late father, Pa lfoghale Amata, was the first African to play a major in a coloured film. Zack is the eldest of the Amata boys in the movie industry which include Fred and Ruke.
Frank Vaughan He is currently the Vice President of the Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN). An actor, producer cum director, he also hails from Isoko in Delta State . His movies include Sweet Mother and other titles. ,
Obi Osotule He hails from lbusa near Asaba the Delta State Capital. Obi, a philosophy graduate of the University of Calabar, is one of the directors in the movie industry who are currently making waves. Although Cossy Orjiakor exploded in Sunny Mcdon's movie, it was in Obi Osotule's Night Out that she reached the apex of nude acting.
Edith Jane-Azuh From Ubulu- Okiti, Edith Jane is perhaps one of the finest stage and screen actresses in the country,Edith who is married to Emma Ayalogu, has acted in over 60 movies and a couple of best selling soap operas.
Stella Damasus Mother of two and the beautiful wife of Jaiye Aboderin, Stella is among the G- 5, a group of actresses which is considered top-most in the industry. She is also a singer in her husband's band, Synergy.
Sam-Loco Ere One of the doyen of the movie industry, Uncle Sam is an actor par excellence. In his 60s, he is one of the most revered artistes in the country. Sam Loco, during his university days, was more popular than his Vice Chancellor on account of his theatre prowess. It was the play Lamgbodo in which he featured for Festac 77 that made the actor a household name.
Fred Amata He followed in the family tradition as an actor after his elder brother Zack and their father. Fred read Theatre Arts at the University of Jos and has proved his mettle in the competitive industry. He won Best Actor of the year with the movie Mortal Inheritance and shared Best Director of The Year with his brother Ruke in their jointly produced movie Son of the Devil (SOD). Fred directed Ripples after Zeb Ejiro and has directed several home video films. He is in all departments, a versatile actor.
Justus Esiri He was the Headmaster on the network series Village Headmaster. Esiri, like Sam Loco Efe, is one of the most revered actors in the Nigerian film horizon. He has over 50 lead movies to his credit and also acted in Chinua Achebe's adapted classic, Things Fall Apart.
Eddie Ugbomah This 60 something years old man is one of the most respected players in the movie industry. Although a few years ago he joined the band- wagon of home video, Eddie Ugbomah has been known for making films on celluloid. He made the all time classic, Death of A Black President some years back. The Government always co-opt him in most film committees.
Richard Mofe-Damijo Arguably the best actor in the Nigerian movie industry, RMD as he is called, has maintained his rating for over 10 years. A versatile actor both on screen and stage, RMD is most sought after for his interpretorial skills. Above all, he is one star that the national audience adores. RMD has also tried his hands on movie production, the first one being the film, Out of Bounds which projected Bimbo Akintola to the limelight.
Nobert Young Urhobo-born Nobert is one actor that is well respected both by the stage audience and home video viewers. Nobert won Best Actor of the Year with the film Ighodo made by Ojiofor Ezenyache in the year 1999. His role in Family Circle, a television series, is still much talked about in several circles.
Chico Ejiro He is called Mr. Prolific. He is the third of the Ejiro Boys that are highly influential in the movie industry.Chico read Agric Econs at the University. He joined his brother's company, Zeb Ejiro Productions as a Production Assistant and through sheer hardwork and creativity, became a movie cum television director. Chico directed Ripples after Fred Amata and was left in charge of Fortunes, the soap opera that made Liz Benson, when Zeb quit. Chico holds the record of directing the most number of films in the home video industry today. His works include, Silent Night, Dead End, Tears for Love, Festival of Fire and a numerous others.
Opa Williams Also from Isoko, Opa is the boss of Virgin Organisation, a PR cum event company which branched into television in the early 90s with the programmes, Two Can Play and Cuisine International. Opa later came into the movie industry with Chico Ejiro as his in-house director and himself as producer. His movies include, Onome, Tears for Love, When The Sun Sets, Sgt. Okoro and The Child among others. Opa is also the initiator of comedy shows with his Nite of A Thousand Laughs which has the pride of making almost 80 percent of the comedians in the country today.
Ruke Amata He is the youngest of the Amata boys in the movie industry. Although he has done stints in acting, he is mainly a director and has won Best Director Award with the film Son Of The Devil (SOD) in 1998.
Joe Dudun He ruled the scene as the best screen playwright throughout the 1990s. Although he is pursuing other interests presently, Joe Dudun's scripts still make the best movies. He wrote scripts like Onome and Tears For Love.
Jetta Amata Jetta is the third generation movie personality in the Amata household. He is the son Zack Amata. Jetta, apart from being a versatile actor, is one of the respected directors in town.
Kingsley Ogoro A former national dance champion, Kingsley Ogoro became a household name when he established Carvers Studio where most post productions and pre-production rentals were done between 1995 to 1999 before other studios started springing up. Kingsley also owns Klink Studio which has done production of several movie sound tracks. He has recently turned producer cum director with the movie titled The Return which won several awards last year. He also produced The Prostitute and the comedy, Osuofia In London.
Peter Red Ejiro The eldest of the Ejiro brothers, Peter Red produced the block burster movie Domitilla which was directed by his younger brother, Zeb. Peter has produced five other movies.
Sammie Okposo He is the pop gospel crooner whose song, Welu -Welu, revolutionalised the gospel music scene. Before Sammie went
to gospel music, he was revered as one of the best in movie sound tracks makers in the country, having shared the scene with Mike Nliam, Abbey Esho and lately Stanley Okorie.