Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, (born February 7, 1978) is a Nigerian Film and Television actress. She made her acting debut in Reginal Ebere’s 1995 film, “Venom of Justice”. In 2013, Time Magazine named her as one of the top 100 most influential people in the world in their Icons category. In 2012 CNN travel ranked Omotola’s accent No 5 on its list of World’s 12 sexiest accents and in 2014 Omotola featured on CNN international weekly programme, African Voices. In 2014, she was honoured by the Nigerian Government as a member of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for her contribution to Nigerian Cinema. Omotola is one of the pioneers of the evolving Nigerian Film Industry known has Nollywood.
Omotola, popularly known as Omo-Sexy was born in Lagos, the daughter of Oluwatoyin Jalade (née Amori Oguntade) and Oluwashola Jalade. She has two younger siblings; Tayo and Bolaji Jalade. She attended Chrisland School in Opebi and Oxford Children’s School in Santos Layout; both in Lagos State, before proceeding to Command Secondary School in Kaduna. Omotola studied briefly at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and went on to complete her tertiary education in Estate Management at The Yaba College of Technology, graduating in 2004.
Omotola is a versatile actress, known for deeply immersing herself into roles and breathing immortal life into characters. Her foray into acting started with a leading role in Reginald Ebere’s film “Venom of Justice” (1995). In 1996, she gained wide recognition in the film “Mortal Inheritance”. For her role, she won the Best Actress Award and became the youngest Actress to win at the THEMA Awards. Following her debut in 1995, to Lancelot Imasuen and Okechukwu Onyeka’s 2010 film, “A Private Storm”, Omotola has starred in leading roles in over 250 Nigerian blockbusters including “Scores to Settle”, “Lost Kingdom”, “Kosorogun”, “The Outsider”, “Blood Sister”, “The Prostitute”, “Market Sellers”, “Beyonce and Rihanna”, “The Celebrity”, “Yankee Girls”, “Games Women Play”, “My Story”, “The Woman in Me”, “Last Wedding”, “All My Life”, “Desperate Sister”, “Soul Provider”, “Under Fire”, “Mind Game”, “I Have A Dream”, “Beautiful Bride”, “Blindfold”, “Tomorrow Must Wait”, “Power of Justice”, “Royal Family”, “Die Another Day”, “Braveheart”, “Sand in My Shoes”, “Blindfold”, “The Revelation”, “Careless Soul”. In 2010, Omotola starred alongside Genevieve Nnaji, Ulrich Que and Clem Ohameze in Chineze Anyaene critically acclaimed film, “Ije”. In the following year, Omotola starred in Leila Djansi’s film, “Ties That Bind “. In 2012, Omotola starred in Obi Emelonye’s film, “Last Flight to Abuja”. In that same year, she starred in Christian Ashaiku’s film, “Amina”. In 2013, Omotola made her Hollywood acting debut in the TV series “Hit The Floor”. In 2014, Omotola starred alongside Okey Uzoeshi in Teco Benson’s film, “Blood on the Lagoon”. In 2017, after a three year hiatus, Omotola returned to the screen in Moses Inwang’s film, “Alter Ego” alongside Wale Ojo and in Kunle Afolayan’s, film, “The Tribunal”. Omotola starred in the 2017 TV series, “The Island”.
In 2012, Omotola ventured into reality Television, starring in her own reality TV show, “Omotola: The Real Me”. In 2016, Omotola appeared as a Judge/Mentor on “First Stars: The Reality”; a reality television show on filmmaking.
Besides her ever rising groundbreaking career, Omotola is a Philanthropist, Activist and a Writer. In 2005, she became an ambassador for World Food Programme. In 2010, Omotola lent her voice to the Rewrite the Future Campaign of Save the Children UK. In 2011 she campaigned for Amnesty International, campaigning in Sierra-Leone and in The Niger Delta. In 2013, Omotola spoke at the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) in Doha, Qatar. She is active in Walk the World project and participated in the Walk the World campaign in Liberia with President Ellen SirLeaf Johnson. Omotola is the founder of Omotola Youth Empowerment Programme (OYEP). Omotola writes for OK! Nigeria Magazine
Omotola married Captain Matthew Ekeinde in 1996, aboard a Dash 7 aircraft, flying from Lagos to Benin. Together, they have four children; Princess (born 1997), M.J (born 1998), Meraiah (born 2000), Michael (born 2002). In 2013, Omotola was honoured with a chieftaincy title in her home town of Ondo State.
