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Ferdinand Ekechukwu

Chief Executive Officer of EbonyLife Group, Mosunmola Abudu (Mo Abudu) is set to embark on a new phase of her career in the film industry as one of her cherished dreams come true. Commencing at the end of August 2022, the award-winning film producer will take a shot at directorial with two short films – Her Perfect Life and Iyawo Mi (My Wife). She will be in charge of the whole process for the very first time.

It is remarkably well known that since her first full-length feature, ‘Fifty’, in 2015, Abudu has guided the storytelling process as an executive producer and visionary, but always sought experienced directors to helm each project. Ms. Abudu attended London Film School in 2017 and completed the course in directing, with the aim of improving her filmmaking skills. However, she enjoyed the experience so much that she decided she would direct when the time was right.

Mo Abudu revealed this in a statement unveiling the production. “I believe in learning and understanding any major assignment I undertake. Directing is an art form that takes years to master, so I’m beginning with baby steps. I have written two short films that I will be directing – Her Perfect Life and Iyawo Mi (My Wife), a predominantly Yoruba language film”, she said.

“Although these stories are fictional, they highlight the mental health challenges, hardly spoken about in Nigerian society, that many people deal with all over the world. Mental health issues can affect anyone, regardless of age, race, income or social class, and they are on the increase”, she added, giving brief synopsis of the projects first with ‘Her Perfect Life’. Onajite Johnson-Ibrahim, 39, seems to have the perfect life – a flourishing career, a growing business, a loving husband and two bright, beautiful children, but appears to want to end it all.

Her Perfect Life stars Pearl Thusi and Joseph Benjamin, supported by Omawunmi Dada, Uzo Osimpka, Christian Paul and Mary Lazarus. ‘Iyawo Mi’, Abudu’s Yoruba language movie follows the story of Kunle who arrives home one night to find a horror awaiting him. His wife, Eniola, seems to have gone mad; hallucinating, screaming at their children and neighbours, and threatening to kill everyone. Kunle takes matters into his own hands, with tragic consequences.

The cast of ‘Iyawo Mi’ includes Adedimeji Lateef, Bolaji Ogunmola, Segun Arinze and Jude Chukwuka. For both films, Mo Abudu, Bola Atta, Wale Tinubu, Shola Akinlade, Pearl Thusi and Nonos Okpala are the Executive Producers, with Heidi Uys as Supervising Producer, Inem King, Joshua Olaoluwa, Sonia Nwosu producing and Temidayo Makanjuola on production design.

As CEO of EbonyLife TV and as executive producer, Mo Abudu is credited with some of the blockbusters in Nollywood including The Wedding Party, Chief Daddy, Your Excellency, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel, Castle & Castle, Oloture, and most recent, Blood Sisters, which are showing and part of a major deal with Netflix.