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Femi Odugbemi

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Femi Odugbemi
Born (1963-05-24) 24 May 1963 (age 61)
Lagos State, Nigeria
NationalityNigerian
Occupations
  • Writer
  • filmmaker
  • television producer
Notable work
RelativesD. O. Fagunwa
Awards
WebsiteOfficial website

Femi Odugbemi (b. 24 May 1963) is a Nigerian writer, filmmaker, television producer and the founder and executive producer of Zuri24 Media, a content production company in Lagos.

Early life and education[edit]

With origins tracing back to Oke-Igbo, Ondo State, Odugbemi which was born on 24 May 1963 in Fadeyi, Mushin, Lagos, Nigeria in 1963.[1]: 124 [2] As a child, Odugbemi hawked in the street of Lagos and spent time in his mothers kiosk helping with the trades and was fascinated by the work of a photographer who owned a photograph studio below his apartment. [3]

Odugbemi attended Government Demonstration School, Onitolo for his primary education and Apostolic Church Grammar School for his secondary education all in Surulere.[2] At the age of 16 after seeing an admission brochure advertised by United State Information Service, Odugbemi set out to study broadcast communication with specialisation in film, radio and television production at Montana State University (MSU) from 1979 to 1984.[2][4][5] While in the US, he worked as a producer at KUSM Channel 9 in Bozeman, Montana.[1] Odugbemi was posted to Kaduna for Youth Service program to work at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Kaduna where he served from 1985 to 1986.[6]

Career[edit]

After graduating, Odugbemi returned to Nigeria and worked briefly at the Nigerian Television Authority before proceeding to work as a radio and television producer at Lintas Advertising and deputy creative director at TBB-McCann. He wrote plays, documentaries and commercials in these positions.[1][3]

Odugbemi was the president of the Independent Television Producers Association of Nigeria (ITPAN), the chair of the Lagos International Forum on Cinema, Motion Pictures and Video in Africa from 2002 to 2006. He was also appointed to the Steering Committee of the Motion Picture Council of Nigeria (MOPICON) by the Minister of Information and Communication in the same year.[1]: 125  He is a member of the adversary board of the School of Media and Communications, Pan African University, a member of the board of Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts (LAPA) and the international advisor and consultant of the Orange Academy, Lagos.[1]: 125 

Odugbemi was the head judge for the Africa Magic Viewer's Choice Awards for five years: 2012 to 2014, 2019 and 2023; head judge of the Uganda Film Festival Awards for three years: 2014 to 2016 and a juror in the Johannesburg International Film Festival and a juror and mentor of the Netflix/UNESCO African Folktales Reimagined project.[7][8]

Odugbemi is an Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Oscar Awards) and International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (Emmy Awards) voting member.[9][10]

In March 2010, Odugemi co-founded the iRepresent International Documentary Film Festival with Jahman Anikulapo and Makin Soyinka. He is also the founder of Dvwork Studios and the executive producer and chief executive officer of Zuri24 Media.[3][7] Odugbemi served as the pioneer director of the Multichoice Talent Factory for West Africa from 2018 to 2022.[7] He received the Film Excellence Award from the Society of the Performing Arts of Nigeria in November 2013, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Nigerian Film Corporation in 2018.[11]


In August 2008, Odugbemi alongside Jaiye Ojo and Lemmy Adebule produced Tinsel.[12] In 2013, Tinsel was acclaimed as "the most followed and most successful drama on Nigerian television in recent times."[13] Others television series include Battleground (2017),[14] Brethren (2019),[15][16] Movement-Japa (2021),[17] Covenant (2022).[18]

Odugbemi has produced movie such as Marako (2006),[19] Abobaku (2008), a 16mm celluloid film directed by Niji Akanni. The film served as Nigeria's entry into the MNet's New Directions project in 2008,[20] Gidi Blues (2016),[21] 4th Estate (2017),[22] Code Wilo (2018)[22] and The Eve (2018);[23] documentaries such as:[7][1] Life in Lagos (2003), Bar Beach Blues (2004), Oui Voodoo (2005), Metamorphosis (2006), Ibadan-Cradle of Literati (2008), Bariga Boys (2009), Oriki (2010), Change Today (2010), Keeping Hope Alive (2010), And the Chain was Not: The Story of Freedom Park Lagos (2010), The Orange Chronicle (2010), Nigeria Good People, Great Nation (2011), A Beautiful Life: Tribute to Tavo Aderinokun (2011), FAGUNWA: Literature, Language and Literalism (2013), MAKOKO: Futures Afloat (2016), Unmasked: Leadership, Trust and the COVID-19 (2021).

Filmography[edit]

TV dramas[edit]

  • Tinsel (2008)
  • Battleground (2018)
  • Brethren (2019)
  • Movement Japa (2020)
  • Covenant (2022)

Feature films[edit]

  • Maroko (2006)
  • Gidi Blues (2016)[24]
  • 4th Estate (2017)
  • Code Wilo (2018)
  • The Eve (2018)

Documentaries[edit]

  • Life in Lagos (2003)
  • Bar Beach Blues (2004)
  • Oui Voodoo (2005)
  • Metamorphosis (2006)
  • Ibadan: Cradle of Literati (2006)
  • Bariga Boys (2009)
  • Oriki (2010)
  • Change Today (2010)
  • Keeping Hope Alive (2010),
  • And The Chain Was Not (2010)
  • The Orange Chronicle (2010)
  • Nigeria Good People, Great Nation (2011)
  • A Beautiful Life: Tribute to Tavo Aderinokun (2011)
  • Fagunwa: Literature, Language, and Literalism[25]
  • Makoko: Futures Afloat (2016)
  • Unmasked: Leadership, Trust, and the COVID-19 Pandemic in Nigeria (2021)[26]

Personal life[edit]

Odugbemi is from the family of D. O. Fagunwa.[2]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Friday, Nwafor (2013). "The Emergence of a Committed Nigerian Documentary Filmmaker: Femi Odugbemi" (PDF). The Crab: Journal of Theatre and Media Arts. pp. 121–132.
  2. ^ a b c d Ige, Tofarati (10 December 2017). "I work for legacy, not money – Femi Odugbemi". The Punch. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Obioha, Vanessa (22 May 2023). "The Glorious Mind of Femi Odugbemi". This Day Style. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  4. ^ "Nigeria in Self-Conversation: The Films of Femi Odugbemi". Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art. 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  5. ^ Ugor, Paul (4 November 2017). "Introducing The Cinema Of Femi Odugbemi" (presentation). P.M. News. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  6. ^ Ohai, Rita (2016). "Femi Odugbemi through the lens ...The journey of a rare talent". Business Day. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d "Femi Odugbemi". ScreenWorlds. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  8. ^ Njoku, Benjamin (25 March 2023). "Femi Odugbemi returns as AMVCA head judge". Vanguard. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  9. ^ Obioha, Venessa (22 December 2022). "Catalysts of Change in Nigeria's Entertainment Scene". ThisDay. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  10. ^ Bilau, Olaolu (5 October 2022). "Femi Odugbemi joins International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences". Western Post. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  11. ^ Bada, Gbenga (11 December 2018). "Femi Odugbemi gets lifetime achievement award from Nigerian Film Society". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  12. ^ "Tinsel: The journey so far". Vanguard. 17 September 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  13. ^ Balogun, Hazeez (May 2013). "Tinsel, a return to the golden age of TV drama". Daily Independent. Archived from the original on 11 October 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  14. ^ Sesan (7 May 2017). "Battleground hits the ground running". The Punch. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  15. ^ Ebirim, Juliet (3 December 2019). "A look at Femi Odugbemi's Brethren". Vanguard. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  16. ^ Obioha, Vanessa (4 October 2019). "After Battleground, Odugbemi Brings Brethren". This Day. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  17. ^ Nation, The (17 November 2021). "Femi Odugbemi speaks on new series, Movement Japa". The Nation. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  18. ^ Adeniji, Funmilayo (2 October 2022). "Covenant, new series by Zuri24 Media, berths on Africa Magic Showcase, Oct 3". Naija Times. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  19. ^ "Marako, by Femi Odugbemi". Africine.org. 19 December 2006. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  20. ^ Ekenyerengozi, Michael Chima (2013). Nollywood Mirror. p. 21. ISBN 9781304729538.
  21. ^ Nwanne, Chuks (11 June 2016). "Gidi Blues...Odugbemi's Lagos love story on big screen". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  22. ^ a b "Meet the mentors for the 'African folktales, reimagined' competition". Vanguard. 24 November 2021.
  23. ^ Augoye, Jayne (20 March 2018). "Mr Ibu, Ronke Oshodi, others thrill Nollywood fans in The Eve". Premium Times. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  24. ^ "Gidi Blues... Odugbemi's Lagos love story on big screen". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 11 June 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2022.[permanent dead link]
  25. ^ "Candid lens on a legendary writer". punchng.com. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
  26. ^ "COVID-19-inspired movie, Unmasked, premieres in Ibadan today". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 29 May 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2022.

External links[edit]

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