Ego Boyo
{{Short description|Nigerian actress and film producer (born 1968)}}
{{use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ego Boyo
| honorific_suffix =
| image = Ego Boyo portrait2.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Boyo in 2022
| other_names =
| birth_name = Nwakaego Nnamani
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|9|6|df=y}}
| birth_place = Nigeria
| nationality = Nigerian
| citizenship = {{hlist|Nigeria|Barbados}}
| education = University of Benin
| occupation = {{Flatlist|
- Actress
- filmmaker
- entrepreneur
}}
| years_active = 1991–present
| works = Checkmate
The Ghost and The House Of Truth
A Hotel Called Memory
| spouse = Omamofe Boyo
| children = 3
| parents =
| relatives =
| awards =
| website = http://egoboyo.com/
| module = {{Infobox officeholder
| embed=yes
| office = President of the International Women's Society, Nigeria
| term_start = 2017
| term_end = 2018
| 1blankname =
| 1namedata =
| predecessor = Izarene Adams
| successor = Abimbola Bawaallah
}}
}}
Nwakaego (Ego) Boyo ({{nee|Nnamani}}; born 6 September 1968) is a Nigerian actress, producer, executive producer and creative entrepreneur who is popular for her role as Anne Haatrope in the early 90s soap, Checkmate. She is the founder and Managing Director of Temple Productions, Temple films and Temple Studio.{{cite news |last1=Akinwale |first1=Funsho |date=15 September 2018 |title=Ego Boyo is joyful at 50 |agency=Guardian |url=https://guardian.ng/saturday-magazine/ego-boyo-is-joyful-at-50/ |accessdate=5 October 2019}}{{Cite web |date=2020-03-11 |title=How Nigeria police can improve image through film – Ego Boyo |url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/entertainment/381261-how-nigeria-police-can-improve-image-through-film-ego-boyo.html |access-date=2021-03-08 |language=en-GB}}
Early life
Boyo was born in Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Umuahia, Nigeria during the Nigerian Civil War to the family of Augustine Nnamani and Gloria Nnamani Nee Harewood.
She left Nigeria at just ten days old during the Nigerian Civil War and lived in Barbados for the first four years of her life before returning to Enugu in 1971. In 1976, her family moved to Lagos. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Theater Art from the University of Benin.{{Cite web |last=Okiche |first=Wilfred |title=The Nollywood pioneer seeking perfection in African storytelling |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/features/longform/2023/9/23/the-nollywood-pioneer-seeking-perfection-in-african-storytelling |access-date=2023-12-12 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}
Career
Boyo started her career in the early 1990s series Checkmate, where she played the character of Anne Haatrope, acting alongside Francis Agu and Richard Mofe Damijo.
= 1995–1996 =
After Checkmate wrapped up in 1995, Boyo started work with Igwe on the film Violated, which was released in 1996. Several members of the Checkmate cast and crew also worked on the film, which was well received by the audience.{{Cite web |date=2012-10-14 |title=Why I may never act again —Ego Boyo |url=https://thenationonlineng.net/why-i-may-never-act-again-ego-boyo/ |access-date=2021-03-08 |website=Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics |language=en-US}} She started her own production company, Temple Productions in 1996.{{cite news |last1=Anonymous |date=13 June 2016 |title=Talent is not enough — Boyo |agency=Punch |url=https://punchng.com/talent-not-enough-boyo/ |accessdate=21 October 2019}} Ego Boyo is the founder and Managing Director of Temple Productions and Temple Media{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-04-04 |title=Renowned film producer and MD Temple Productions; Ego Boyo celebrates women in media and film |url=https://guardian.ng/arts-2/renowned-film-producer-and-md-temple-productions-ego-boyo-celebrates-women-in-media-and-film/ |access-date=2023-06-19 |website=The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News |language=en-US}}
= 1998 =
The studio was set up in 1998 with its first set of digital equipment, one of the first companies to do so as the industry made the gradual change from unstick equipment. In 1998, she bought digital equipment and opened an office on Dolphin Estate in Lagos with a staff of ten.
Temple's first major client was 'The Obasanjo For President' campaign in 1998, for which the company produced jingles, music videos and advertisements. Other major corporate clients including-dividing technical support for the industry meant the company went on to great success.
= 2017 =
She produced the silent movie A Hotel Called Memory in 2017,{{Cite web |date=2017-12-13 |title=Boyo, Omotoso challenge Nollywood, make a different kind of film |url=https://m.guardian.ng/art/boyo-omotoso-challenge-nollywood-make-a-different-kind-of-film/ |access-date=2023-05-04 |website=The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2017-11-25 |title=When the stars gathered for 'no dialogue' movie: A hotel called memory in Lagos |url=https://guardian.ng/saturday-magazine/weekend-beats/when-the-stars-gathered-for-no-dialogue-movie-a-hotel-called-memory-in-lagos/ |access-date=2023-05-04 |website=The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News |language=en-US}} which won the audience award for best experimental film at the BlackStar Film Festival in Philadelphia.{{Cite web |date=2017-11-18 |title=A Hotel Called Memory comes on big screen in Lagos tomorrow |url=https://guardian.ng/saturday-magazine/a-hotel-called-memory-comes-on-big-screen-in-lagos-tomorrow/ |access-date=2023-05-04 |website=The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News |language=en-US}} In 2019, she produced a movie The Ghost and the house of truth{{Cite web |date=2019-09-21 |title=Ego Boyo Takes The Ghost And The House Of Truth To Urban Film Festival |url=https://guardian.ng/life/ego-boyo-takes-the-ghost-and-the-house-of-truth-to-urban-film-festival/ |access-date=2023-05-04 |website=The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Online |first=Tribune |date=2019-09-20 |title='The Ghost and the House of Truth' set for US premiere |url=https://tribuneonlineng.com/the-ghost-and-the-house-of-truth-set-for-us-premiere/ |access-date=2023-05-04 |website=Tribune Online |language=en-GB}} that was directed by Africa Movie Academy Award Winner, Akin Omotoso. She was the 60th president of International Women Society (IWS),{{Cite web |last=Kareem |first=Tolu |title=Ego Boyo Becomes 60th President of the International Women's Society {{!}} Xplorenollywood |date=17 March 2017 |url=https://xplorenollywood.com/ego-boyo-becomes-60th-president-of-the-international-womens-society/ |access-date=2022-08-22 |language=en-US}} an independent, non-political, non-governmental and non-profit organisation founded in 1957.{{Cite web |date=2017-10-25 |title=Ego Boyo's IWS partners House of Oduduwa, QMA to empower women The Nation Newspaper |url=https://thenationonlineng.net/ego-boyos-iws-partners-house-oduduwa-qma-empower-women/ |access-date=2022-08-22 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2017-03-17 |title=Ego Boyo Becomes 60th President of the International Women's Society - Xplorenollywood |url=https://xplorenollywood.com/ego-boyo-becomes-60th-president-of-the-international-womens-society/ |access-date=2023-05-04 |language=en-US}}
Advocacy
She was Global Rights Ambassador for Global Rights Nigeria; whose work focuses on combating sexual violence against women.{{Cite web |title=Mrs. Nwakaego Boyo - Immediate Past President - International Women's Society, Nigeria |url=http://www.iwsnigeria.org/mrs-ego-boyo-iws-president-20172018 |access-date=2021-03-08 |website=www.iwsnigeria.org |archive-date=2018-03-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180327105817/http://www.iwsnigeria.org/mrs-ego-boyo-iws-president-20172018 |url-status=dead }}
As the founder and trustee of Tempio Media Advocacy and Information Foundation, she is focused on highlighting women's education and women's healthcare. The foundation works with the non-governmental organizations on their visual messaging to help educate the less privileged. She has worked on documentary and advocacy videos focusing on maternal health as well as sexual assault. She is the Chair of the Advisory board of the Lagos Fringe Theatre Festival, a multi disciplinary Festival which runs annually in Nigeria and encompasses the full spectrum of artistic diversities and also on the governing board of the Mirabel center, the first sexual assault referral center (SARC) in Nigeria.{{Cite web |last=Obinna |first=Emelike |date=2022-03-04 |title=Ego Boyo: Creating magic with filmmaking |url=https://businessday.ng/arts-and-life/article/ego-boyo-creating-magic-with-filmmaking/ |access-date=2022-08-22 |website=Businessday NG |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Oshin |first=Sheriff |date=2022-07-28 |title=Temple Film's 'The Ghost and the House of Truth' Gets BET+ Streaming Deal |url=https://www.withinnigeria.com/entertainment/2022/07/28/temple-films-the-ghost-and-the-house-of-truth-gets-bet-streaming-deal/ |access-date=2022-08-22 |website=ENTERTAINMENT |language=en-US}}
As an advocate for education, Boyo was on the advisory board of Oando Foundation, which has founded schools across Nigeria to create a sustainable educational system that will empower pupils and was a member of the Nigerian Oscar Selection committee.{{Cite web |date=2020-09-03 |title=Nigeria OSCAR Selection Committee calls for feature film entries |url=https://punchng.com/nigeria-oscar-selection-committee-calls-for-feature-film-entries/ |access-date=2022-08-22 |website=Punch Newspapers |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Bankole |first=Idowu |date=2020-09-10 |title=Nigeria Oscar Selection Committee call for entries to the 93rd Academy Awards |url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/09/nigeria-oscar-selection-committee-call-for-entries-to-the-93rd-academy-awards/ |access-date=2022-08-22 |website=Vanguard News |language=en-GB}}
She previously served as a member of the advisory board of the Oando Foundation and was the 60th president of The International Women’s society, and a member of the charity serving in multiple capacities. and a non executive director on the board of Lagos Preparatory and Secondary School, Ikoyi, a private British curriculum School based in Lagos.{{Cite web |last=ADANNE |date=2022-03-01 |title=Ego Boyo: Creating Magic With Filmmaking |url=https://olisa.tv/ego-boyo-creating-magic-with-filmmaking/ |access-date=2022-08-22 |website=Olisa.tv |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-08-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220822165808/https://olisa.tv/ego-boyo-creating-magic-with-filmmaking/ |url-status=dead }}
In 2024, Ego Boyo was featured as one of Vogue UK's "Forces of Change," nominated by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, who commended her charity work focused on Nigerian's women Education and Healthcare.{{Cite web |last=Vogue |date=2024-08-26 |title=British Vogue’s Original Forces For Change Cover Stars Nominate 15 Next-Gen Game Changers To Know |url=https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/forces-for-change-five-year-anniversary |access-date=2024-08-28 |website=British Vogue |language=en-GB}}
Personal life
Ego has been married to Omamofe Boyo since 1992,{{cite news |last1=Mosope |first1=Olumide |date=6 September 2018 |title=Veteran Nigerian Screen Goddess Ego Boyo Is 50 Years Old Today |agency=The Net |url=http://thenet.ng/veteran-nigerian-screen-goddess-ego-boyo-is-50-years-old-today/ |accessdate=16 October 2019}} the deputy group chief executive officer at Oando Plc.{{Cite web |title=Omamofe Boyo, Oando PLC: Profile and Biography |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/person/16185056 |website=Bloomberg News}} She has three children.{{Cite web |last=Shoyege |first=Boluwatife |date=2016-09-06 |title=I've spent half of my life with my husband –Ego Boyo |url=https://www.qed.ng/ive-spent-half-life-husband-ego-boyo/ |access-date=2022-08-22 |website=QED.NG |language=en-US}}
Filmography
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Year !Film !Role !Note !Award |
| 1996
|Producer and Actress |As Peggy |3 NOM (Thelma Awards) |
| 1998
|To Live Again |Producer and Actress |As Dr. Zainab | |
| 2002
|Keeping Faith |Producer and Executive Producer | | |
| 2007
|30 Days |Producer and Executive Producer | | |
| 2017
|Producer and Executive Producer | |AMAA Awards nominations Best Director, Best Editor, Best Film, Best Nigerian Film, Achievement in Sound and Sound Track |
| 2018 - 2023
|The Mr X Family Show |Actress |As Deka | |
| 2019
|The Ghost and the House of Truth |Executive Producer | |Official Selection Urban World Film Festival New York 2019, Winner Best Narrative Feature Film ( World cinema) |
| 2021
|Actress |As Yejide Johnson | |
| 2022
|Earth Woman |Co-executive producer | | |
Awards and nominations
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boyo, Ego}}
Category:University of Benin (Nigeria) alumni
Category:People of the Nigerian Civil War
Category:Founders of Nigerian schools and colleges
Category:20th-century Nigerian actresses
Category:Nigerian women educators
Category:21st-century Nigerian actresses
Category:Nigerian chief executives
Category:Nigerian film producers
Category:Nigerian women in business