Rachel Bakam (11 September 1982 – 13 April 2021) was a Nigerian actress, writer,
TV presenter
A television presenter (or television host, some become a "television personality") is a person who introduces, hosts television programs, often serving as a mediator for the program and the audience. Nowadays, it is common for people who garner ...
and producer, and an
anti-human trafficking ambassador. She was the CEO and managing director of Rayzeds Media Ltd, Founder and president of the Nigerian Water Ski And Wakeboard Federation (NWWF) and
media consultant
A media consultant is a marketing agent or public relations executive that is hired by businesses or political candidates to obtain positive press coverage. Media consultants usually draft press releases to highlight positive achievements of a ...
for the Performing Musician Employers Association (PMAN) & African Fashion Reception Paris. Bakam was a peace and tourist ambassador. She was 2015
alumna
Alumni (singular: alumnus (masculine) or alumna (feminine)) are former students of a school, college, or university who have either attended or graduated in some fashion from the institution. The feminine plural alumnae is sometimes used for grou ...
of United States International Visitors Leadership Programme. She hosted ''Trends & Rachel'', a popular television show that airs on
Nigerian Television Authority
The Nigerian Television Authority or NTA is a Nigerian government-owned and partly commercial broadcast station. Originally known as Nigerian Television (NTV), it was inaugurated in 1977 with a monopoly on national television broadcasting, after ...
(NTA),
African Independent Television (AIT),
DSTV
Digital Satellite Television, commonly abbreviated to DStv, is a Sub-Saharan African direct broadcast satellite service owned by MultiChoice and based in Randburg, South Africa. Launched on 6 October 1995, the service provides multiple audio, ...
, and Startimes. She also produced and presented Rachel the PIPER and hausa version RACHEL MAI KAKAAKI; an entertaining yet highly humanitarian television programme. Bakam died on Tuesday 13 April 2021 due to complications of
anaemia
Anemia or anaemia (British English) is a blood disorder in which the blood has a reduced ability to carry oxygen due to a lower than normal number of red blood cells, or a reduction in the amount of hemoglobin. When anemia comes on slowly, th ...
.
Audu Maikori
Audu Maikori (born 13 August 1975 in Kaduna) is a Nigerian lawyer, entrepreneur, social activist, public speaker and creative industry expert. He is the co-founder and Executive Vice Chairman of the Chocolate City Group the mother company of le ...
lead tribute for her.
Early life and education
Bakam was born and brought up in
Kaduna State
Kaduna State ( ha, Jihar Kaduna جىِهَر كَدُنا; ff, Leydi Kaduna, script=Latn, ; kcg, Sitet Kaduna) is a state in northern Nigeria. The state capital is its namesake, the city of Kaduna which happened to be the 8th largest city in ...
by Mr. and Mrs. Adams and Rose Bakam where she had her primary, secondary, and tertiary education. She is Bajju by tribe from zonkwa in Zangon Kataf local government area of Kaduna State. She studied
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
and
theatre arts at
Ahmadu Bello University
Ahmadu Bello University Zaria is a federal government research university in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. ABU was founded on 4 October 1962, as the pioneer university in Northern Nigeria. It was founded and named after the Sardauna of Sokoto, Al ...
and
digital filmmaking
:
Digital cinematography is the process of capturing (recording) a motion picture using digital image sensors rather than through film stock. As digital technology has improved in recent years, this practice has become dominant. Since the mid-20 ...
at
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, t ...
. She lost her father at the age of 12. At the age of 16 she started working, first as a salesgirl in supermarket, later in a recording studio and played a lead role in Hausa drama series known as ''Rayuwa''. She was president of the Literary and Debating Club then Head Girl in Kaduna Capital School, best graduating female student and best graduating student of the faculty of arts at Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.
Career
She did her
National Youth Service Corps
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is a program set up by the Nigerian government during the military regime to involve Nigerian graduates in nation-building and the development of the country. There is no military conscription in Nigeria, ...
at
Nigerian Television Authority
The Nigerian Television Authority or NTA is a Nigerian government-owned and partly commercial broadcast station. Originally known as Nigerian Television (NTV), it was inaugurated in 1977 with a monopoly on national television broadcasting, after ...
International, where she produced and presented different TV programmes like ''Trends'', ''Saturday Morning'', and ''Style Code''. She proceeded to study digital filmmaking at New York Film Academy and thereafter established Rayzed Media Ltd. Bakam brought water skiing and
wakeboard
Wakeboarding is a water sport in which the rider, standing on a wakeboard (a board with foot bindings), is towed behind a motorboat across its wake and especially up off the crest in order to perform aerial maneuvers. A hallmark of wakeboardin ...
ing to Nigeria. In 2016, she got an endorsement deal with Numatville Megacity. She has joined non-government organizations, such as Devatop Centre for Africa Development in campaigning against sex trafficking and other forms of modern slavery in Nigeria.
She was a media consultant for the African Fashion Reception Paris.
Awards and nominations
Bakam received several awards and nominations for her work, some of which are:
* 2015 Pan African Humanitarian Award as the Most Promising TV Personality of the Year
* Sir Tafela Balewa Leadership Award as the Media Entrepreneur of the year
* 2016 United Nations World Habitat Humanitarian Award
* Nigerian Dream Personality Honors
* 2016 Ambassador of Peace Award
* 2015 African Achievers' Award
* Nigerian Unity Museum & Trade Tourism Village Ambassador, 2016
* Africa Diaspora Merit Awards Amsterdam
* Nigerian Entertainment and Lifestyle Awards London
Filmography
* Black Knight
* The Last Day
* Asunder
* Dangerous Mission
* The good Son
* Blue Flames
* Ladies First
*
If I Am President
''If I Am President'' is a 2018 Nigerian political drama film written and directed by Bright Wonder Obasi. It stars Ayoola Ayolola, Joke Silva, Rahama Sadau, Bimbo Manuel, Ivie Okujaye, Bryan Okwara, Ayo Emmanuel, Bimbo Manuel, Victor Decker, a ...
2018
Southern Kaduna killings
After the Southern Kaduna crisis, where more than 800 people, mostly Christians were killed, Rachel Bakam and
John Fashanu joined Big Church Foundation to support the victims with relief materials.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bakam, Rachel
Place of death missing
2021 deaths
21st-century Nigerian actresses
Ahmadu Bello University alumni
1982 births
People from Abuja
People from Kaduna State
Nigerian film actresses
Nigerian television presenters
Nigerian television producers
Nigerian chief executives
Nigerian television personalities
Nigerian film producers
Nigerian humanitarians
New York Film Academy alumni
Nigerian entertainment industry businesspeople
Nigerian writers
Nigerian philanthropists
Bajju people