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Experience in stage crucial before film adventure – Ufuoma McDermott

Published

8 years ago

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Undoubtedly one of Nollywood’s most admired household name, Ufuoma McDermott’s journey into Nol­lywood began when she held movie buffs spellbound with her delivery in Zeb Ejiro’s 2004 movie, ‘The President Must Not Die’. Today, she is an A-List Nollywood actress. The former beauty queen is returning to the cinema this September with a new comedy flick, titled ‘What Just Happened’. She throws more light on the project and her career in this interview.

Excerpt:

You hinted earlier that it took you three years to shoot your new movie. Why did it take that long?

Ufuoma: The idea of perfection in this movie was my husband’s. We had spent so much money shooting the movie and when it was ready it wasn’t what we wanted. I wanted to release it but my husband wasn’t in support. I said okay let’s just throw it online and make it into DVD.

He said “unless you want to keep it under your bed. This film is not leaving this house”. To be honest with you it took a toll on me. I was heavily pregnant when we started shooting in 2015. We shot in and out of Los Angeles.

What’s the plot of the movie?

Ufuoma: The story is about a disgruntled professor who goes in search of a man. She takes up her brother’s offer for the position of a visiting lecturer at the University of Ibadan. So, what should have been a one-hour journey from Lagos to Ibadan ends up being a disaster.

Partly, (this was) as a result of her high-handedness and selfishness. The entire movie is a testimony, which is being recounted in church.

Is this your first shot at comedy?

Ufuoma: Well ‘Christmas is coming’ is a comedy but it was a romantic comedy. It wasn’t an entire comedy film as this. So probably yes, this is my first.

Did you write the screenplay?

Ufuoma: I will have to thank Bovi for his contributions especially for all the humour and comedy he injected into the script. Then I did the final rewrite of the script alongside another writer called Victor. I guess we have a great fantastic script. Bovi didn’t feature in the movie but he did a lot of ‘treatments’ for the story.

Can you give a rundown of the cast?

Ufuoma: I played the lead, Professor Ogborgbor, alongside Afeez Oyetoro who everyone knows as Saka. Jude Orhora played Leke; Segun Arinze played Efe the brother to the professor; Toyin Aihmaku played the Usher; MC Abbey played the pastor; Funnybone played the choirmaster. That’s already like a recipe for disaster.

You have a pretty interesting cast…

Ufuoma: I intentionally assembled an unusual cast; you don’t get to see the kind of cast in typical Nollywood films. For instance, nobody can dispute the fact that Segun Arinze is a damn good actor. I say to people that as much as I want people to laugh, I want people to leave the cinema after seeing my film, feeling satisfied. It’s not enough for you to just laugh. I want to be taken for a serious filmmaker. I want to be able to refer to my films many years from now with no regrets whatsoever.

What was it like shooting a comedy?

Ufuoma: I tend to respect a lot of comedy actors so much because it’s so difficult to make people laugh. It’s difficult to make light of your life.

Everything about us is serious now. I have never really played a comedic character. So yes it was a new challenge for my co-actors and I on set. They were so hilarious that it was difficult keeping a straight face on set.

When we were shooting the church scenes, my goodness, we laughed so hard in fact at a point even MC Abbey asked us to regroup and shoot another day.

How will you assess your growth as an actor?

Ufuoma: Before all an actor was only required to come on set with his or her skill set. Right now, it is a little different and I think maybe social media is to blame because right now people don’t just want to see you as an actor, they also want a peep into your life.

They want to see you beyond the character you play but that’s not going to be entirely possible because I am married to a very private man. I think, for now, my experience, as an actor is my ability to balance my private life and my career whether as an actor, director or scriptwriter.

That includes the ability to strike a balance without going against your own principles and not losing focus of what you want from your life or your career.

Today there is this segregation of who is the cinema actor, who is the DVD actor, who is the television actor, really I just want to be an actor alone. You’ve got to learn how to balance all of that. It’s very difficult but you just have to do this.

Do you have a favourite actor/actress?

Ufuoma: I can arguably say Bimbo Akintola is the greatest actress this country has ever produced.

How important is it for an actor to have a background on stage before shooting a feature film?

Ufuoma: I will be honest with you, mine was the reverse. I did film first before I went to stage and I have Bimbo Akintola to thank for that. The stage is a lot of work. It’s not a flash in the pan.

Unlike film, the stage is not ‘Take 1, 2 and Take 7’. The stage is Take 1 and 1 alone. With stage, you have a lot of rehearsals as to when you are shooting a movie.

With stage, you also need to get the whole script into your head and you also need to know your line fast. You also need to know when to improvise because if your co-actor loses his or her own line, your improvisation skills will come in handy.

You also need to know how to inculcate his or her own lines into yours so that he or she can recollect. It is a lot of work; I will be honest with you. With stage, you have contributions to make and if you feel there is something that will make a film better then you should be able to contribute.

When you have a background on the stage, it keeps you very sharp and alert as an actor. Getting my lines into my head is no longer a challenge as I am one of those actors that will give you your lines in your scripts word for word.

This has nothing to do with the fact that I can’t improvise but because acting on stage has made me realise that when a writer writes in a certain way, it is because they are trying to play on words.

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Sahara weekly online is published by First Sahara weekly international. contact [email protected]

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Laffmattazz Announces Strategic Partnership with First Bank of Nigeria Limited for 2026 International Tour

Published

6 days ago

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April 24, 2026

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Laffmattazz Announces Strategic Partnership with First Bank of Nigeria Limited for 2026 International Tour

 

 

 

Laffmattazz, one of Nigeria’s foremost comedy and live entertainment brands, is pleased to announce its official partnership with First Bank of Nigeria Limited for the highly anticipated Laffmattazz 2026 International Tour, themed “Next Chapter: A New Season of Laughter.”

 

Now in its 15th year, Laffmattazz—the brainchild of renowned Nigerian comedian Gbenga Adeyinka (Gbenga Adeyinka 1st)—has evolved into a cultural phenomenon, celebrated for its seamless fusion of comedy, music, and live stage performances.

 

The 2026 tour, which kicked off on Easter Sunday, April 5th, 2026 at the Jogor Centre, Ibadan, marks a significant milestone in the brand’s journey. Building on over a decade of success across Nigeria, this year’s edition signals a bold expansion into the international market, with a multi-city run in Canada, alongside major stops in Akure, Abeokuta, and Lagos.

 

This strategic partnership with First Bank of Nigeria Limited underscores a shared commitment to excellence and innovation. It is also aligned with FirstBank’s First@Arts initiative—a significant and ongoing program dedicated to supporting the creative arts, entertainment, and cultural sectors. Through this initiative, FirstBank provides financing, advisory services, and actively fosters a sustainable value chain for artists and creative entrepreneurs, while supporting key industry platforms such as the Nigerian Entertainment Conference.

 

Speaking on the collaboration, the Laffmattazz team stated:

 

“We are delighted to welcome First Bank of Nigeria Limited as a strategic partner for the Laffmattazz 2026 International Tour. As we mark 15 remarkable years of Laffmattazz, this partnership reinforces our vision to take premium Nigerian entertainment beyond borders, while delivering even bigger, better, and more memorable experiences for our audiences.”

 

As a key partner, First Bank will enrich the tour through innovative customer engagement initiatives, experiential activations, and exclusive fan experiences across all tour locations.

 

With its distinctive blend of humor, culture, and live entertainment, the Laffmattazz 2026 Tour is poised to connect audiences across cities and continents, bringing laughter to thousands of fans worldwide.

 

⸻

 

About Laffmattazz

 

Laffmattazz is a premier Nigerian comedy and entertainment brand, now in its 15th year, renowned for its vibrant live shows and nationwide tours. Founded by Gbenga Adeyinka 1st, the brand continues to deliver high-quality experiences that celebrate creativity, culture, and laughter.

 

About First Bank of Nigeria Limited

 

First Bank of Nigeria Limited is Nigeria’s oldest financial institution, widely respected for its legacy of trust, innovation, and customer-centric financial solutions that support economic growth and development. Through its First@Arts initiative, the Bank continues to play a pivotal role in empowering the creative industry and driving sustainable growth across the sector.

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Opinions divided over Pasuma Jaiye Kuti proposed wedding 

Published

7 days ago

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April 23, 2026

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Opinions divided over Pasuma Jaiye Kuti proposed wedding 

 

 

The current threading in *entertainment* world of speculated society marriage between oganla Fuji, Wasiu Alabi Pasuma with Nollywood icon, and widely acclaimed Queen of the tube jaiyeola Kuti has brought out different opinions amongst the fans and entertainment personnel.

 

What started as a rumour and mirage is gradually turning to reality and some fans are saying it’s not possible for Jaiye Kuti who is one of the scandal free Nollywood actress to be involved in such an unholy union with Pasuma

Most people who spoke with our correspondence, are of opinion that such a marriage can only happen in a mirage sessions and in Nollywood movies that apart Jaiye Kuti been responsible and married with children, Pasuma is someone who have vowed not to married and have a woman under his roof.

But to some also, it’s not impossible as artistes are known to be engaging and married to each other after denied and counter claims, which made and at the end they will go ahead and married . With this most people believe that truly there’s marriage in offspring for both celebrities While both parties refused to comment on the trend controversial issues about the whole issue , the world is anxiously waiting if this well circulated story of Pasuma getting married to Jaiye Kuti will come to pass or it will turn out to be a mirage.

Either way the die is cast as all eyes will be on Jaiye Kuti and Pasuma with searchlight on Nigeria entertainment industry once again

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PRESIDENT TINUBU CONGRATULATES OTEGA OGRA ON ELECTION TO WORLD FEDERATION OF ADVERTISERS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

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1 week ago

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April 21, 2026

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PRESIDENT TINUBU CONGRATULATES OTEGA OGRA ON ELECTION TO WORLD FEDERATION OF ADVERTISERS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

PRESIDENT TINUBU CONGRATULATES OTEGA OGRA ON ELECTION TO WORLD FEDERATION OF ADVERTISERS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

 

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated his Senior Special Assistant on Digital Engagement, Strategy and New Media, Mr Otega Ogra, on his election to the Executive Committee of the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA).

 

The election took place today at the organisation’s Annual General Meeting, held during the Global Marketing Week Conference in Stockholm, Sweden.

PRESIDENT TINUBU CONGRATULATES OTEGA OGRA ON ELECTION TO WORLD FEDERATION OF ADVERTISERS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

President Tinubu described the development as a significant step for Nigeria’s growing influence in global communications.

 

He noted that Mr Ogra’s emergence as the only representative from West Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa on the Executive Committee reflects the depth of Nigerian expertise and the contribution of a new generation of young Nigerian professionals to global industry standards.

 

Mr Ogra was elected to the Executive Committee on the platform of the Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN), underscoring the role of Nigeria’s organised advertising and marketing industry in shaping representation at the global level.

 

The WFA is the leading global body for advertisers, representing over 150 multinational and Fortune 500 companies, alongside national advertiser associations across more than 60 countries, with a combined annual marketing spend running into hundreds of billions of dollars. Its Executive Committee is the organisation’s highest decision-making body, responsible for setting priorities and guiding global policy on responsible advertising, media transparency, sustainability, and the evolution of digital ecosystems.

 

President Tinubu noted that Mr Ogra’s election is both a personal distinction and a strategic opportunity for Nigeria and the African continent, placing them at the centre of global conversations on brand trust, platform accountability, innovation and the future of marketing and communications.

 

The President commended Mr Ogra, who also serves as Vice President of ADVAN, for his sustained contributions to strengthening Nigeria’s marketing and communications ecosystem, drawing on a career spanning leadership roles across the banking, manufacturing, and public sectors.

 

“Otega’s election reflects the growing recognition of Nigerian expertise and affirms our capacity to contribute meaningfully to the frameworks shaping global markets,” the President said.

 

President Tinubu added that the achievement aligns with his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in advancing the creative economy, strengthening digital governance, and positioning Nigeria as a competitive hub for innovation and enterprise.

 

Josh Faulks, CEO of the Australian advertiser association (AANA), and Simon Michaelides, Director General of the UK advertiser association (ISBA), also join the leadership team.

 

Current members of the executive committee, David Wheldon, President and Philip Myers, Deputy President, who is also the Chief Institutional Affairs and Corporate Communications Officer at Ferrero, continue in their current roles, as do all regional vice presidents.

 

 

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