Interview: Omotola on fixing Nollywood, empowering women and her new venture TEFFEST
I interviewed the Nigerian star Omotola Jalade Ekeinde to discuss the current state of Nigeria's entertainment industry, how TEFFEST aims to develop the sector and why empowering women creatives is vital for the growth and success of Nigeria's creative ecosystem.
Nollywood royalty Omotola Jalade Ekeinde – who is no stranger to NAW readers – is celebrating 25 years in the film and music industries. In this interview with Adaora Oramah, the popular actress ruminates on her celebrated career, her next chapter, and the cracks in Nollywood and how to fix them.
Mindful of the impact the on-going Coronavirus pandemic will have on the continent’s future – Omotola Jalade Ekeinde is pensively guarded as she discusses prospects for Africa’s entertainment industry post the pandemic. But her optimism is resolute when she talks about her nascent project – The Entertainment Fair and Festival (TEFFEST), which she set up last year, to help fortify the structures and business models of African entertainment and creative entities, by focussing on investment procurement and empowering talented Africans in the entertainment and creative industries. Depending on how the Coronavirus pandemic evolves, TEFFEST is currently still scheduled to take place in Lagos this November.
Read the full interview on The New African Woman’s site.
