Samuel Ajibola
Samuel Ajibola is a Nigerian television and film actor, model and events compere. He is best known for his role as a child-actor in the Opa Williams directed movie Tears for Love,[2] as well as his role as "Spiff" in the Africa Magic TV series The Johnsons.[1] Ajibola is also famous for being the first Nigerian child actor to win the award for Best Kid Actor for three years in a row.[2][3] On March 4, 2017 he won the AMVCA (Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award) for best Actor in an M-net comedy series The Johnsons.[4]
Samuel Ajibola | |
|---|---|
| Born | Samuel Ajibola |
| Occupation | Actor, Model, Events Compere,Entrepreneur |
| Years active | 1995 – 2003, 2009 - present |
| Known for | The Johnsons[1] |
| Parents |
|
| Website | samuelajibola |
Early life
Ajibola was born in Mazamaza, Lagos State. He is the first of four children of Commander Lanre Ajibola and Mrs Irene Ajibola.[3] He is of Yoruba descent and hails from Ekiti State.[3] Ajibola began his acting career in 1995 at the age of 6 in the Opa Williams directed movie, Tears for Love.[5] He got the role, after he had impressed his aunt, Moyinoluwa Odutayo, herself an actress, during a stage play at Church.[2] He went on to feature as a child actor in other feature films including Without Love, Shame, Eye-witness, Onome II, Conspiracy, Street kids and Day of Reckoning. In 2003, he took a hiatus from acting to finish his high school education[5] and pursue a degree in Political Science[6] at the University of Lagos,[2][3] after which he performed his National Youth Service programme. He also acquired a degree in acting from Amaka Igwe’s Centre for Excellence in Film and Media Studies.[5]
Career
In 2009, Ajibola made a return to acting in the Teco Benson produced and directed movie, The Fake Prophet alongside Grace Amah. In 2013, he featured in the MTV Base produced television series, Shuga.[2] He has also featured in several Nigerian box office movies including Last Flight to Abuja with Omotola Jalade Ekeinde,[2] The Antique alongside Kiki Omeili, Judith Audu and Gloria Young. As of 2016, he had played the role of Spiff, a character in the Africa Magic produced television series The Johnsons for four seasons. He also starred in the 2018 movie Merry Men: The Real Yoruba Demons.
Ajibola made his production debut with the release of his web series "Dele Issues" on March 10, 2017.[4] In October 2017, he featured former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo on the web series.[7]
Awards and recognition
In 1996, Ajibola won the award for Best Kid Actor at the Rhema Awards for his role in the movie Eye-Witness, an award he went on to win at the 1997 and 1998 Reel Awards for the movies Onome II and Day of Reckoning respectively. In 2014, he won the award for Best Actor at the In-Short Movie Awards.[8]
In March 2017, Ajibola won the Best Actor in a Comedy Award at the 2017 AMVCA Awards.[4] Ajibola also won the Comic Actor of the Year Award at the 2017 City People Awards in October, 2017.[9]
Awards
| Year | Event | Prize | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Rhema Awards | Best Kid Actor (Eye-Witness) | Won |
| 1997 | Reel Awards | Best Kid Actor (Onome II) | Won |
| 1998 | Reel Awards | Best Kid Actor (Day of Reckoning) | Won |
| 2014 | In-Short Movie Awards | Best Actor (Sun Eje) | Won |
| 2016 | Nigerian Reliable Iconic Awards | Best Actor in a Comedy (The Johnsons) | Won |
| 2017 | AMVCA | Best Actor in a Comedy (The Johnsons) | Won |
| 2017 | City People Entertainment Awards | Comic Actor of the Year (The Johnsons) | Won |
Filmography
Movie roles
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Tears for Love | Feature Film featuring Keppy Ekpeyong Bassey, Produced and Directed by Opa Williams |
| 1996 | Without Love | Feature Film featuring Hilda Dokubo |
| 1996 | Eye-Witness | Feature Film |
| 1997 | Onome II | Feature Film |
| 1998 | Day of Reckoning | Feature Film |
| 1998 | Conspiracy | Feature Film; Directed by Ndubuisi Okoh, featuring Onyeka Onwenu |
| 1999 | Shame | Feature Film |
| 1999 | Street Kids | Feature Film |
| 2009 | And Ike Dies Slowly | Feature Film |
| 2009 | Fried Beans | Feature Film featuring Chiwetalu Agu, Ngozi Nwosu and Chinedu Ikedieze |
| 2009 | Roadside | Feature Film |
| 2009 | Hiding Place | Feature Film featuring Paul Obazele |
| 2009 | The Fake Prophet | Feature Film directed by Teco Benson |
| 2010 | Jealousy | Feature Film; featuring Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, Rachel Oniga and Emeka Ike |
| 2012 | Last Flight to Abuja | Feature Film; Directed by Obi Emelonye, featuring Omotola Jalade Ekeinde |
| 2013 | Small Moving Parts | Feature Film |
| 2015 | The Antique | Feature Film featuring Judith Audu, Kiki Omeili, Akpororo |
| 2019 | The Call | Feature film featuring Woli Arole |
Short films
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Don't Conceive | Short Film, currently on YouTube |
| 2014 | Sun Eje | Short Film, won the In Short Movie Award for Best Actor |
| 2016 | Brainware | Short Film |
Television roles
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Shuga (TV Series) | MTV Base television Series |
| 2013 | Keeping it Real | TV Series |
| 2016 | Ella's Paradise | TV Series |
| 2012–present | The Johnsons | Africa Magic TV Series |
References
- "Actor talks playing 'Spiff' in "The Johnsons", career, Nollywood". PulseNg. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
- "Why Kid Acting Doesn't Thrive Here - Samuel Ajibola". AustinNaija. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
- "Samuel Ajibola: Unearthing 'Spiff,' The official clown of The Johnsons". The Guardian Newspaper. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
- "AMVCA 2017 Best Comedy Act Winner, Samuel Ajibola, set to introduce new comedy skit series 'Dele Issues'". Daily Tribune. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
- "I Don't Have A Crush On Anyone In Nollywood – Samuel Ajibola". etcetralive. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
- "Actor Samuel Ajibola Reflects On Moments He Was Hilda Dokubo's Son". NigerianFilms. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- "Meet Samuel Ajibola, from Best Child Actor, he is all grown now still proving to be a Master of his Craft". Vanguard Newspaper. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
- "Meet Samuel Ajibola, from Best Child Actor, he is all grown now still proving to be a Master of his Craft". Judith Audu Blog. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- "FULL LIST OF WINNERS AT THE 2017 CITY PEOPLE MOVIE AWARDS". City People Magazine. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 14 December 2017.