By Yemisi Suleiman
In a remarkable departure from her role as an executive producer and visionary, Media Mogul and CEO of EbonyLife Group, Mo Abudu, took on the dual roles of writer and director for her latest creations, “Her Perfect Life” and “Iyawo Mi (My Wife),” the latter predominantly in the Yoruba language.
The Media Mogul hosted personalities to a
grand Private Screening of the dual short films hosted at EbonyLife Place this past weekend, and was attended by luminaries from the diplomatic, corporate, and entertainment world.
Speaking on the latest move, Ms Abudu says “I am stepping out of my comfort zone to write and direct two short films. Although these stories are fictional, they shed light on the often-unspoken mental health challenges prevalent in Nigerian society, issues that resonate across the globe. Mental health concerns transcend age, race, income, and social class, and regrettably, they are on the rise.”
Mo Abudu, widely acclaimed for her trailblazing contributions to the Nigerian entertainment industry, had been instrumental in shepherding numerous storytelling endeavors as an executive producer. However, her latest endeavor marks a profound personal and professional milestone.
Mo Abudu’s leadership as CEO of EbonyLife TV has overseen the annual production of more than 1,000 hours of compelling content. As an executive producer, she has steered the creation of some of Nigeria’s most iconic cinematic blockbusters, including “The Wedding Party,” “Chief Daddy,” “Your Excellency,” and “The Royal Hibiscus Hotel.” Her collaboration with Netflix has yielded remarkable successes such as “Castle & Castle,” “Oloture,” and “Blood Sisters.”
“Her Perfect Life” introduces Pearl Thusi and Joseph Benjamin as its lead actors, with notable support from Omawunmi Dada, Uzo Osimpka, Christian Paul, and Mary Lazarus. Meanwhile, “Iyawo Mi (My Wife)” features an outstanding cast including Adedimeji Lateef, Bolaji Ogunmola, Segun Arinze, and Jude Chukwuka. Both films boast a distinguished production team, with Mo Abudu, Bola Atta, Wale Tinubu, and Shola Akinlade serving as executive producers. Heidi Uys, Inem King, Joshua Olaoluwa, and Sonia Nwosu take on production roles, with Temidayo Makanjuola contributing to the production design. The director of photography, Kabelo Thathe, is renowned for his work on Disney’s “Rise,” while wardrobe styling is entrusted to Yolanda Okereke, a longstanding collaborator with EbonyLife, working alongside esteemed designers LDA, Banke Kuku, and David Wej.
These two extraordinary films have already graced prestigious Oscar-qualifying film festivals this summer, including the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, the Rhode Island Film Festival, and the HollyShorts Film Festival.
These groundbreaking projects have received invaluable support from the British High Commission and the French Embassy in Lagos, Nigeria. The generous sponsors behind these endeavors include the UBA Foundation, Wale Tinubu, Artsplit Limited, and Sporting Lagos.