Oliver Mbamara
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Oliver O. Mbamara is a Nigerian filmmaker, actor, writer, poet, and lawyer.


Career

After graduating in Law from the
University of Lagos The University of Lagos (UNILAG) is a Public university, public research university located in Lagos, Nigeria, which was founded in 1962. UNILAG is one of the education in Nigeria#First generation universities, first generation universities in ...
and
Nigerian Law School The Nigerian Law School is an educational institution set up to provide professional certification to graduates of law. The school was established in Lagos under the Legal Education Act 1962, now Legal Education (Consolidation Etc) Act Cap. L1 ...
, he practiced law in Nigeria while simultaneously engaging in writing scripts and poetic pieces in which he also performed and while touring around Nigeria with a theater troupe called ''Prime Circle''. He later moved to the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
where he passed the
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State
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and was subsequently admitted to practice as an attorney. He has been serving as an
administrative law judge An administrative law judge (ALJ) in the United States is a judge and trier of fact who both presides over trials and adjudicates claims or disputes involving administrative law, thus involving administrative units of the executive branch of go ...
with the State of
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...
for the past two decades, beginning in 2000. Aside from his professional training as a
lawyer A lawyer is a person who is qualified to offer advice about the law, draft legal documents, or represent individuals in legal matters. The exact nature of a lawyer's work varies depending on the legal jurisdiction and the legal system, as w ...
, Mbamara is a published writer, poet, publisher, editor, actor, filmmaker, director, and more. He continues to simultaneously make an impact in these various fields. Mbamara is an international freelance writer as well as a columnist with several national, international and regional news magazines news journals, newspapers, and online magazines. His audience is spread around the world and cuts across genres, tribes, races, gender, and profession. Mbamara's articles, poems, and editorials are regularly featured in newspapers, magazines, and websites around the world. He has published numerous books including: ''Gates of Tangled Leaves, An Afterlife Experience, 2024,'' ''African Tales Under The Moonlight', 2020,'' ''Why Are We Here?'' 2004, ''Flame of Love, The Unrestricted'', 2004, ''Flame of Love, The Spark of God'', 2002, ''Love Poems and Quotes'', 2003, ''Poems of Life, 2nd Edition'', 2002, ''Poems of Life'', 2001. In 2001, a few years after arriving in the United States, Mbamara launched his first book ''Poems of Life'' and played the lead-actor role in an
off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
dance drama, Prof. Chudis' ''Prisoner of the Kalakiri''. In 2003, Mbamara directed and played the lead in the stage recreation of Zulu Sofola's ''Wedlock of the Gods'', in New York. Mbamara has since then written, directed and produced several feature films: ''This America,'' the groundbreaking Nollywood film in diaspora adapted from his novel about the conflicts of an African immigrant in America. ''Slave Warrior,'' an African historical action thriller that tells the story of the slave trade from the African perspective. ''Spade: The Last Assignment,'' which addresses the issue of human and artifact trafficking from Africa to the Europe and America. ''On The Run Again,'' the sequel to ''This America. The Return of Spade,'' the second instalment in his ''Spade Movie Series''. His latest feature film ''Adopted'', is in post production and is due for release soon. Mbamara has just completed the screenplay adaptation of his new novel ''Gates of Tangled Leaves,'' and is presently working on another epic novel, titled Ways of Our Ancestors, A Moonlight Tale, which looks at life, governance, and co-existence in a pre-colonial African community in place known today as south-eastern Nigeria. Trail Blazing, and Leadership Besides his previous pioneering roles such as the scripting and production of the ground breaking Nollywood/African classic film, ''This America,'' which emboldened and ushered in African
filmmaking Filmmaking or film production is the process by which a Film, motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, beginning with an initial story, idea, or commission. Production then continues through screen ...
in the USA at the dawn of the century, Mbamara continues to blaze the trail, building bridges, and creating opportunities for African artists and content producers in African film and theater through his works and leadership in the African entertainment community in North America. He is the current president of the Nollywood Producers Guild USA, an association of like-minded film producers who represent, promote and protect the interests of
Nollywood Nollywood, a portmanteau of Nigeria and Hollywood, is a sobriquet that originally referred to the Nigerian film industry. The origin of the term goes back to the early 2000s, traced to an article in ''The New York Times''. Due to the history ...
(Nigerian/African) producers and participants in African film, television, and entertainment media in North America while sharing and promoting African culture and creativity through the African perspective.


Television production

Mbamara has also delved into television production and created, wrote, and directed ''Cultures''. ''Cultures'' aims at tolerance amongst differing cultures using humor. In it, an African chief sent from Africa by his kinsmen to bring a wife to their son Ozobio who has stayed too long in America without returning home, arrives America to find out that Ozobio is engaged to an American woman. The chief's persistence leads to a conflict of cultures with the American woman and ultimately to Ozobio's dilemma. Mbamara has now adapted the production to a webisodes billed to run as a weekly comedy drama series on his Youtube Channel under the title Zebrudaya in America (The Chronicles of Ozobio) featuring Nigeria and Africa's television legendary veteran comedian Chief Chika Okpala (MON) aka, Chief Zebrudaya Okorigwe Nwogbo, alias 4:30. The soundtrack of Culture was recorded and produced by Aguike, alias Allah-bama. Awards and Recognition Mbamara has received several awards in recognition of his achievements in various fields including: The Nigeria Centenary Achievement Award (NCAA) USA (2014). The Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award by the Board of MARQUIS WHO’S WHO (2017)." The 2015 LANFA Legendary Movie Achievement Award USA. The 2013 Nigerian Sports & Cultural Award for “Contributions to the Nigerian Movie Industry.” The 2012 GRIOTS Film Festival Recognition For “Dedication & Commitment to African Cinema.” The 2012 Nations of Pan Africa Best Movie Director Award. The 2012 NAFCA Best Cinematography Award. The 2011 Nollywood USA “Legendary Achievement Award.” The 2011 Nigerian Promoters Association (USA) “Best Movie Producer of the Year Award.”  The 2008 Afro Heritage Immigrant Award. The 2008 Afro-Hollywood USA Legendary Award. The 2002 – International Poet of Merit Award, among others.


Filmography

*''Little America (2020) as Projectionist'' *''Slave Warrior (2012) as Ike'' *''This America (2005) as Oziobo'' *''The Return of the Spade (2011) as Spade'' *''Spade: The Last Assignment'' (2008) *''On the Run Again'' (2010 sequel to ''This America'')


See also

*
List of Nigerian film producers This is a list of notable Nigerian film producers. * Funke Akindele * Abdalla Uba Adamu * Adegboyega Dosunmu Amororo II * Adekunle Adejuyigbe * Ado Ahmad Gidan Dabino * Afro Candy * Aisha Augie-Kuta * Akanimo Odon * Akin Ogungbe * Remi Abiola ...


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Mbamara, Oliver 20th-century Nigerian lawyers University of Lagos alumni Living people Nigerian emigrants to the United States Year of birth missing (living people) Nigerian film actors Nigerian writers Nigerian publishers (people) Nigerian film directors American lawyers Nigerian poets Nigerian editors Nigerian television producers