A very charismatic, natural leader from her youthful years, Omoni Oboli has always loved acting. Omoni actually started her acting career as a child at the age of 3. Her first role was that of a churchgoer in the Biblical story. Her first line was, “the Bible says that, he who does not work should not eat”.
She first got into Nollywood in the mid-90s when a couple of her friends went to Lagos where they met Keppy Ekpenyong and Uche Macaulay. Omoni began her formal movie career with her first movie role in Bitter Encounter, 1996, where she played a secretary. Her next was Shame where she played Liz Benson’s house help. She then went on to do three other movies as the lead female character, Not My Will, Destined To Die and Another Campus Tale.
Omoni then left the movie industry to complete her university education. She got married right after school to her beau, Nnamdi Oboli and relocated with her family to the UK. She has been back in the industry for close to four years and has quickly risen to the top playing a number of lead roles in major movies. She is seen in the industry as a breath of fresh air and is fast becoming known as a Nollywood sweetheart. She is a gifted writer, with several intriguing screenplays to her credit including the movie Fatal Imagination. When she is not acting or producing, Omoni loves creating stories.
In June 2007, The Rivals, a movie she co-produced with her friend, Blessing Effiom, won the coveted prize for Best International Drama at the New York International Independent Film Video Festival. It was the first Nigerian film to be premiered since the festival’s inception in 2003. The movie was given a 3 star rating out of 4 at the festival’s judges.
Omoni has since featured as lead character in several different groundbreaking major movies, The Figurine produced and directed by Kunle Afolayan, Entanglement produced by industry heavyweights Emem Isong and Reemy Jes and directed by Lancelot Imasuen, Behind A Smile directed by Frank Rajah and produced by O.J productions and Jungle Ride produced by Lilian Amah and Ajua Dickson and directed by Kingsley. Passionate about the need to pursue excellence in all spheres of her life, Omoni is consistently raising the bar and breaking barriers in Nollywood with diverse roles showing great versatility in the various characters she portrays. When Omoni is not working, she loves baking and cooking for her husband of ten years and three boisterous boys.
She says about her life: “Being a wife and a mother is my greatest achievement. I won’t be me without them.”
Omoni said she is very romantic and laughed modestly when told that people say she’s very beautiful.
Last year, she rejected $500,000 and the chance of making a movie in Hollywood because it included a nude role. Asked if she would act nude if she were single, Omoni replied: “No. Not even for $1 million.” (bellanajia.com adapted)
