Kemi Adetiba (born 8 January 1980) is a

Nigerian Nigerians or the Nigerian people are citizens of Nigeria or people with ancestry from Nigeria. The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River running through the country. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British jour ...

filmmaker, television director and music video director, whose works have appeared on Channel O,

MTV Base MTV Base was a British pay television music channel from Paramount Networks UK & Australia that focused primarily on hip hop, R&B, grime, garage, reggae, funk, soul and dance music. It was launched as part of MTV's digital boutique of music ch ...

, Sound City TV,

BET Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los ...

and

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...

Education

Kemi holds bachelor's degree in law from the

University of Lagos The University of Lagos, popularly known as UNILAG, is a public research university located in Lagos, Nigeria and was founded in 1962. UNILAG is one of the first generation universities in Nigeria and is ranked among the top universities in th ...

Early life

Kemi was born in

Lagos Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national capital of Nigeria until December 1991 fo ...

to Dele and Mayen Adetiba. She featured in a Television commercial for the detergent brand OMO as a child.

Personal life

Kemi got engaged to Oscar Heman-Ackah in January 2022, and they were married in April of the same year.

Career

Kemi started out professionally as a radio presenter with Rhythm 93.7 FM, where she became the voice behind two nationally syndicated hit shows: ''Soul’d Out'' and ''Sunday at the Seaside''. She started anonymously posting personal remixes online on various applications such as Spotify and Soundcloud under the username and tag 'hule'. She began to make a transition from being a voice on radio, to being a face on television by producing and presenting several shows on

Mnet M-Net (an abbreviation of Electronic Media Network) is a South African pay television channel established by Naspers in 1986. The channel broadcasts both local and international programming, including general entertainment, children's series, ...

, which includes Studio 53, Temptation Nigeria, which she presented alongside

Ikponmwosa Osakioduwa Ikponmwosa Osakioduwa (born May 21, 1979) is a Nigerian radio and television on-air personality. He was known to most just as Wildchild but since his marriage, has been known as simply IK. He is known for his work with Rhythm 93.7 FM, but he is ...

. Kemi was also a presenter on Soundcity TV and hosted Maltina Dance All for three consecutive seasons. After years of success being in front of the camera, she enrolled at the

New York Film Academy New York Film Academy – School of Film and Acting (NYFA) is a private for-profit film school and acting school based in New York City, Los Angeles, and Miami. The New York Film Academy was founded in 1992 by Jerry Sherlock, a former film, ...

to learn the ropes about being behind the cameras. And today, her bodies of work as a director are spread across the African continent and beyond its borders. Kemi Adetiba's short film ''Across a Bloodied Ocean'' was screened at the 2009

Pan African Film Festival Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) is a non-profit corporation in Los Angeles, California, that states its goal is to promote "cultural understanding among peoples of African descent" through exhibiting art and film. It hosts a film festival and an ar ...

and National Black Arts Festival. On 8 September 2016, Kemi Adetiba's first feature film '' The Wedding Party'' (a Nigerian Rom-com film) premiered opening night, at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), as the opening film of the City-to-City Spotlight. In 2017 she was presenting the show ''King Women'' where she interviewed her mother Mayen Adetiba. Other former ''King Women'' included

Chigul Chioma Omeruah (born 14 May 1976), better known as Chigul, is a Nigerian comedian, singer and actress who is known for her accents and comedic characters. Life and career Omeruah was born in Lagos to Igbo parents. She moved away whilst still ...

, Taiwo Ajai-Lycett, TY Bello and Tara Durotoye

Awards and nominations

Her works have won her several awards, which include Best Female Video for the song "Ekundayo" by TY Bello at the Soundcity TV Music Video Awards, Best Female Video for the song "Today na Today" by

Omawumi Omawumi Megbele (born 13 April 1982), known by her stage name Omawumi, is a Nigerian singer-songwriter and actress of Itsekiri ethnicity She is a brand ambassador for Globacom, Konga.com, and Malta Guinness. She's also part of the campaign cal ...

at the 2010 Nigeria Entertainment Awards. Adetiba's most recent works are music video direction of

Waje Aituaje Iruobe, known professionally as Waje, which is the first letter from each word from the phrase "Words Aren't Just enough" is a Nigerian singer. She first gained recognition after being featured on the remake of P-Square’s "Omoge Mi". Wa ...

’s "Onye" which features

Tiwa Savage Tiwa Savage (born 5 February 1980) is a Nigerian singer-songwriter and performing artist. Born in Isale Eko, she relocated to London at the age of 11 for her secondary education. Five years later, she began her music career doing backup voc ...

, Olamide's "Anifowose", "Sitting on the Throne" and Bez's R&B single "Say". Kemi was nominated for Best Music Video Director of the Year at

The Headies 2014 The Headies 2014 was the ninth edition of The Headies. It took place on 14 December 2014, at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Victoria Island, Lagos. Themed "Feel the Passion", the show was hosted by Toke Makinwa and Basketmouth. It was initially sc ...

. She won the City People Entertainment Award for Best Music Video Director Of The Year (2015) and a HNWOTY Award for Woman of the Year in Film and Television (2017)

Filmography

*'' The Wedding Party'' (2016) *'' King of Boys'' (2018) *'' King of Boys: The Return of the King'' (2021)

Videography

*2017: King Women *2015: "Last Bus-Stop" by

Niyola Eniola Akinbo (born 9 December 1985), known professionally as Niyola, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. Early life Akinbo was born on 9 December 1985, in Lagos, Nigeria. The youngest of ten children, she sang in church with her siblings an ...

*2015: " Dance Go (Eau de Vie)" for Hennessy Artistry '15 (feat.

Wizkid Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun (born 16 July 1990), known professionally as Wizkid, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. A prominent figure in the modern-day Afrobeats music scene, Wizkid is regarded as one of the biggest and most influential Afri ...

and 2face Idibia) *2015: "Out A Magazine" by Lindsey Abudei *2014: "My Darlin" by

*2014: "My Place" by Lynxxx *2014: "Love to Love You" by Niyola (featuring

Banky W. Olubankole Wellington (born 27 March 1981), popularly known by his stage name Banky W and credited in film as Banky Wellington, is a Nigerian singer, rapper, actor, entrepreneur and politician. Early life Olubankole Wellington was born in the ...

) *2014: "Sitting on the Throne" by Olamide *2014: "Anifowose" by Olamide *2014: "Onye" by

*2013: "Toh Bad" by Niyola *2013: "Say" by Bez *2012: "If I Die" by Da Grin *2012: " Tease Me/Bad Guys" by

*2011: "I Believe" by Ego *2011: "Follow You Go" by

*2011: "The Future" by TY Bello *2010: "Fall in Love" by Ego *2010: "Lagos Party" by

*2010: "More You" by

*2011: "Today Na Today" by

*2008: "Ekundayo" by TY Bello *2016: The wedding party *2018: King of boys *2021: The return of king of boys *

References

External links

* Living people Nigerian film directors Nigerian women film directors Nigerian cinematographers Nigerian music video directors Yoruba women filmmakers Filmmakers from Lagos Silverbird Communications people Yoruba-language film directors New York Film Academy alumni 1980 births University of Lagos alumni Nigerian women film producers Nigerian film producers {{Nigerian-cinematographer