Odunlade Adekola is a superstar of Yoruba cinema and the face of countless Nigerian memes. An actor, producer and director, he has won both the AMAA and the AMVCA.
Quick facts
| Full name | Odunlade Adekola |
|---|---|
| Born | 31 December 1976, Abeokuta, Ogun State (from Otun Ekiti, Ekiti State) |
| Education | Moshood Abiola Polytechnic; Business Administration, University of Lagos |
| Started | 1996 |
| Breakthrough | Asiri Gomina Wa (2003) |
| Company | Odunlade Adekola Film Production (OAFP) |
| Awards | AMAA Best Actor (2014); AMVCA Best Supporting Actor (2022) |
| Spouse | Ruth Adekola (married 2003) |
Rise in Yoruba films
Odunlade joined the Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners in 1996 and got his breakthrough as lead in Asiri Gomina Wa (2003). He went on to star in and produce dozens of Yoruba films, including Sunday Dagboru, Alani Pamolekun, Oyenusi and Adebayo Aremu Abere.
King of memes
His dramatic facial expressions are used across Nigerian social media as reaction memes, making him familiar even to people who have never watched a Yoruba film.
Recent work
He appeared in the Netflix adaptation Elesin Oba, The King’s Horseman (2022) and produced and starred in Orisa (2023).
Net worth and businesses
He earns from producing and acting, endorsements and his production company. Celebrity net worth figures online are mostly guesses — none of the big numbers you see are verified, so treat them with care.
