Richard Mofe-Damijo
Richard Mofe Damijo, popularly known as RMD, 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]
Childhood
Mofe-Damijo was born Richard Evans Eyimofe Mofe-Damijo on July 6, 1961 in Delta State, Mid-Western 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 what is regarded in Africa as women’s chores, including cooking.[3]
Education
Mofe-Damijo's talent started revealing itself when he was a young boy playing in his Warri neighborhood. In primary school, he took the roles of Jesus or Peter in biblical dramas. During his secondary school years at Midwest College, Warri and Anglican Grammar School, near Sapele, he was a member of the Drama Club where he played both male and female roles. He was also involved in the martial arts, while he studied for his A-levels.[4] This made it a natural transition for him to proceed to the Cook Theatre Arts Department of the University of Benin. From his first year, he played lead roles, which provided clear evidence of his talent and charisma. In 1982, while still in University, he played the lead character Emeka in Echoes of Wrath, his first exposure to television. This made-for-TV film went on to win the Nigerian Television Authority National Annual Drama Competition, and was syndicated to all NTA stations nationwide, thus making him a drama celebrity. As a student, he had acted in several stage productions and is still an avid supporter of the stage. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre in 1983, having specialized in dramatic theory and criticism. Sixteen years later, he would study Law at the University of Lagos, graduating in 2004. [5] >
Interests
Mofe-Damijo's hobbies are poetry, traveling, and writing.[6]He also likes playing Squash.[2] In addition, he loves Nigerian music, claims 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]
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. After graduating from university, he took part in a television soap opera in the late 80's called Ripples. Before then, he had a stint with Concord Newspapers and Metro Magazine as a reporter. This proved valuable later on. During his first marriage to late May Ellen Ezekiel, a foremost Nigerian journalist popularly known as MEE, 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 married Jumobi, a former television and radio presenter in 1999. 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 and 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]
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]
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 |
Best actor in the Movie ‘Critical Decision’ and best actor overall for the year 2005[10]
Conclusion
RMD was cast in Critical Assignment, an international film with South African superstar Michael Power, demonstrating the calibre of his acting abilities. 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]
References
- ^ Two Decades of Screen Romance, Nigeria Movies, Retrieved on April 24, [2008]]
- ^ a b c Richard Mofe-Damijo: An Actor’s Actor, Online Nigeria, Retrieved March 26, 2006
- ^ Naija Community, Retrieved March 26, 2006
- ^ a b c Richard Mofe-Damijo: Nigeria’s highest paid actor Nigerian Artes, Retrieved March 26, 2006
- ^ a b c d e RMD- True Screen Legend, Naija Community, Retrieved March 26, 2006
- ^ a b c Richard Mofe Damijo, Nigeria Exchange Entertainment, Retrieved March 26, 2006 Cite error: The named reference "NEE" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ Richard Mofe-Damijo. Retrieved March 26, 2006 from African Film, Retrieved March 26, 2006
- ^ Richard Mofe-Damijo. (2006). Internet Movie Database Inc. [1], Retrieved March 26, 2006
- ^ List of Richard Mofe Damijo movies, All African Movies, Retrieved March 26, 2006
- ^ AMMA Awards 2005- Nigeria Movies, Naija Rules!, Retrieved March 26, 2006