Only few people existed before
the emergence of Africa’s largest movie Industry, Nollywood. But there is an
enigmatic woman of substance who knew the Nigerian Movie industry even before
it began. It’s Nigerian veteran, Bukky Ajayi who remains a icon. i remember
wanting to see her after I watched the Popular early 90’s yoruba movie “ Iru
eshin” . here are some key points you need to know about her :
1. Bukky Ajayi was born on the 2nd on
February 1964 in Nigeria.
Read More
2. Her passion for acting
grew when her father used to take her to
the cinemas. She was quoted saying “I used to
tell him that one day I am going to be like one of those actresses, but
unfortunately he never lived to see me become an actress,it’s a pity but that’s
God’s will. When I was a very young girl,my interest was so much that I used to
do a cardboard sort of cinema for children, and I used to charge them half a
penny to come and watch”.
3. She studied in England
as a federal government scholar but after six years she came back to Nigeria in
1965.
4. In 1966, she became a
presentation assistant with Nigerian Television Authority (N.T.A) under the
leadership of Dr. Christopher Kolade. She presented a couple of
children’s programmes and ‘Nigerian’s Sketches’,a programme which was all about
Nigerian culture,She was later transferred to Port Harcourt and later back to
Lagos, and it was at that time she started her acting career.
5. Her first movie was
when she got a role in “ Village Headmaster”
and then she later got a role in Amaka Igwe “Checkmate”
6.
Bukky Ajayi was part of the
international movie “ Critical Assignment is the most memorable moment of her
acting career . she was quoted saying “”It
gave me an opportunity to see how it is done elsewhere, other than Nigeria, where
a movie is shot in five days. I went round the country. I saw how a star is
treated. For once in my life, I was a star, I was treated as a star, and I
believe I am a star.I had my own caravan with my name on it, my own car with a driver who doubles as my security
man. And on days when I am not working the car is there to take me wherever I
want to go. I had a lovely time, I enjoyed it and I said to my almighty Allah
that Hollywood is the next step.”
7. Bukky Ajayi’s popular Nigerian movies include Iru eshin, Mother of George,
Indecent Girl, Diamond Ring, Witches,Tunde Kelani’s Thunderbolt and countless
other movies.
8. She is the Grandmother-in law to Nigerian Popular hip –hop star, Jazzman
Olofin.
9. She converted to islam in her early
eighties and added “Zainab to her name.
10.Nollywood,Nigeria and Africa celebrated with her after she won
an industry merit award at AMVCA 2016 where lots of emotions flew.
Watch an emotional Bukky Ajayi at the AMVCA awards :
No comments:
Post a Comment