Richard Mofe Damijo

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Richard Mofe Damijo is a Nollywood actor. Having starred in numerous movies he is one of Nigeria's highest earning actors and is often referred to as Nigeria's Denzel Washington. He was once married to the late Nigerian journalist May Ellen Ezekiel.[1]

Contents

[edit] Childhood

Richard Mofe-Damijo (RMD) was born Richard Evans Eyimofe Mofe-Damijo on July 6, 1961 in Delta State in Nigeria. He is from a family of 18 children.[2] While he has many siblings through his father’s polygamous relationships, he is the only child of his mother and is thus strongly bonded to her. Living with his mother, he learned to perform most women’s chores. One of the skills he learned was to cook.[3]

[edit] Education

While a student, Richard Mofe-Damijo acted in several stage productions and continuing till now, he still loves the stage. He was educated at Midwest College, Warri and Anglican Grammar School, Okpara Waterside, near Sapele in the Old Bendel State. Thereafter, he studied for his A-levels, before gaining admission into University of Benin.[4] He graduated from the University of Benin (UNIBEN) witha a degree in Theater specializing in dramatic theory and criticism. He studied at University of Benin from 1980-1983 and earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A. Hons). Then, he studied law from 1999-2004 at the University of Lagos (UNILAG).[5] Richard’s talent started revealing itself when he was a young boy playing in his Warri, Delta State neighborhood. In primary school, he took the roles of Jesus or Peter in biblical dramas. In secondary school, he was a member of the drama club where he played both male and female roles. He was also involved in martial arts. This made it a natural transition for him to proceed to the Cook Theater of Arts Department of University of Benin. From his first year, he started playing lead roles, which provided clear evidence of his talent and charisma. In 1982, while RMD was still in University, he played the lead character Emeka in Echoes of Wrath. This was his first exposure on television. Fortunately for RMD, Echoes of Wrath won the Nigerian Television Authority national annual drama competition and so the film was syndicated to all NTA stations nationwide and thus he became a drama celebrity[4]

[edit] Interests

RMD's hobbies are poetry, traveling, and writing.[6]He also likes playing Squash.[2] RMD loves Nigerian music, specifically artists such as Rex Lawson, Victor Uwaifo, Fela Kuti, Bongos, Ikwe, Tunji Oyelana, and 2face Idibia. He also says that he is old school and thus enjoys listening to Chris Okotie, R. Kelly, Prince and Elton John. His greatest passion, however, is acting on stage. RMD says that it is challenging, spontaneous, and involves direct audience participation.[5]

[edit] Early jobs and career

RMD's first jobs included holiday jobs and working as a clerk. As a clerk, he was paid N200 (200 Naira). Now, he runs a Public relations company called "Whitewater LTD".[5] As part of his production company, RMD Promotions. Shortly after graduating from university, he took part in a television soap opera in the 1980s called Ripples. But before then, he had a stint with Concord Newspapers. This proved valuable later on. During his first marriage to late Mee-Mofe-Damijo, a foremost Nigerian journalist, he worked briefly with her when she founded Classique magazine. Later, he quit Classique to publish Mister Magazine, now defunct. After Mee's death in 1996, he remarried in 1999 to Jumobi, a former television and radio presenter. Presently, he has five children. While many looked forward to seeing him in his scintillating performance on the weekly soap which ran for eight years, his best was yet to come.[2] The name of the first productions he joined after graduating was called Ajo productions. The audition was a walk over and he got the lead role. RMD, unusually a lover of his critics, relishes in the satisfaction of being paid to do what he loves most. Thus, for him, life is to a large extent a continuous game.[4] RMD also acted in Spacs, Checkmate. His role models and idols in those days were Denzel Washington, Al Pacino and Jimi Solanke.[5]

Between 1995-2004, RMD had acted in 30 films like Violated 1 & 2, Out of Bounds, The Price etc.[5] He starred in 100 plays on stage and has performed also on the London stage in a Nigerian adaptation of Macbeth and also in the famous in Italy. Out of Bounds was the first film for which he received a writer/producer credit. Furthermore, the film has won many awards in Nigeria, including best actress and best soundtrack[7]

[edit] Filmography

The films Richard Mofe Damijo has acted in include[8]

  • Ayomida (2003)
  • Ayomida 2 (2003)
  • Behind Closed Doors (2005)
  • Behind Closed Doors 2 (2005
  • Bridge-Stone (2005)
  • Bridge-Stone 2 (2005)
  • Critical Assignment (2004)
  • Critical Decision (2004
  • Critical Decision 2 (2004
  • Emotional Pain (2003)
  • Engagement Night (2004)
  • Engagement Night 2 (2004)
  • I will Die for you (2003)
  • Indecent Act (2004)
  • Indecent Girl 2(2004)
  • Indecent Girl(2004)
  • Keeping Faith: Is that Love? (2003)
  • Kings Pride (2004)
  • Little Angel (2004)
  • Love (2003)
  • Out of Bounds (1997)
  • Private Sin (2003)
  • Private Sin 2 (2003)
  • Soul Provider (2003)
  • The Bridesmaid (2005
  • The Intruder (2003)
  • The Intruder 2 (2003)
  • True Romance (2004/I
  • True Romance 2 (2004)

The names of some other videos are Flesh and Blood, Violated, Shame, Haunted, Scores to Settle, Amadas, Suicide Mission, Mean Girls, Diamond Ring, Vigilante, The Return.[6] Also, there are other films such as Keeping Faith, When God says Yes and Intimate Strangers.[9]

[edit] Awards Received

Awards Awarded By Date
Actor of Decade Awo varsity Lit & English Studies Society 1998
Distinguished Service Award
for Performance in Dramatic Arts		 Gold Image Awards Delta State 1998
Award of Excellence Media Link'98 1998
Best English Actor Fame movie Awards 1998
Best Actor of the year Fame Movie Awards 1998
Masters Award Masters Award 1998
Outstanding Young Persons Award Unilag Junior Chambers 1998
Outstanding Young Persons Award Nigerian Junior Chambers 1998
Best Actor (Gospel Movies) Christian Awards Committee 1999

[6]


Best actor in the Movie ‘Critical Decision’ and best actor overall for the year 2005[10]

[edit] Conclusion

RMD was cast in Critical Assignment which is an international film with the South African superstar Michael Power demonstrates the calibre of his acting abilities. In addition, the number of awards he has received from both Nigeria and the international community shows that he deserves to be known as one of the best actors in Nigeria. Furthermore, the film he produced won the award for ‘the best soundtrack of the year’.To most people RMD is simultaneously a talented actor, an achiever, a role model, and moreover the embodiment of the Nigerian dream.[4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Two Decades of Screen Romance, Nigeria Movies, Retrieved on April 24, [2008]]
  2. ^ a b c Richard Mofe-Damijo: An Actor’s Actor, Online Nigeria, Retrieved March 26, 2006
  3. ^ Naija Community, Retrieved March 26, 2006
  4. ^ a b c d Richard Mofe-Damijo: Nigeria’s highest paid actor Nigerian Artes, Retrieved March 26, 2006
  5. ^ a b c d e RMD- True Screen Legend, Naija Community, Retrieved March 26, 2006
  6. ^ a b c Richard Mofe Damijo, Nigeria Exchange Entertainment, Retrieved March 26, 2006
  7. ^ Richard Mofe-Damijo. Retrieved March 26, 2006 from African Film, Retrieved March 26, 2006
  8. ^ Richard Mofe-Damijo. (2006). Internet Movie Database Inc. [1], Retrieved March 26, 2006
  9. ^ List of Richard Mofe Damijo movies, All African Movies, Retrieved March 26, 2006
  10. ^ AMMA Awards 2005- Nigeria Movies, Naija Rules!, Retrieved March 26, 2006

[edit] External links