Jennifer Okere

Jennifer Okere (30 August 1968 – 28 June 1999) was a Nigerian actress and one of the pioneers of the Nigerian film industry (Nollywood) in the 1990s.[1] Her two ground-breaking Nollywood blockbuster movies, Living in Bondage[2] and Glamour Girls[3][4] have been re-adapted. She was the posthumous recipient, of the 2016 Afro Heritage Broadcasting and Entertainment Awards (AHBEA) in Houston, Texas.[5]

Jennifer Okere
Born(1968-08-30)30 August 1968
Okolochi, Owerri West, Imo State, Nigeria
Died28 June 1999(1999-06-28) (aged 30)
Alma materUniversity of Nigeria, Nsukka
OccupationNollywood actress
Years active1990—1999
SpouseEmeka Ossai

Early life

Jennifer Okere was born to the family of Chief Raymond Okere and Lolo Janet Okere in Okolochi, Owerri West, Imo State, Nigeria, where she lived through her teenage years. After completing her education, Okere moved to Lagos State with her family, where she entered the movie industry.

Career

After studying Theater Art at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Okere joined Nollywood in the early nineties. She made remarkable impacts in the industry with her ground-breaking movies Living in Bondage and Glamour Girls.[6]

Movies

Okere played tremendous roles in her movies, especially her first movie Living in Bondage. The movie was a notable Igbo movie, starring Kenneth Okonkwo, Nnenna Nwabueze, Okechukwu Ogunjiofor, Francis Agu and Bob-Manuel Udokwu. Its two parts were released in 1992 and 1993, respectively.

The first movie she was featured, Living in Bondage had the cast:

  • Kenneth Okonkwo as Andy Okeke[7]
  • Nnenna Nwabueze as Merit, Andy's wife
  • Kanayo O. Kanayo as Chief Omego, cult member
  • Felicia Mayford as Obidia
  • Francis Agu as Ichie Million, cult member and Merit's boss
  • Okechukwu Ogunjiofor as Paul, Andy's friend and cult member[8]
  • Ngozi Nwaneto as Caro, Merit's friend and Paul's girlfriend
  • Ngozi Nwosu as Ego, Andy's mistress
  • Chizoba Bosah as Merit's aunt
  • Bob-Manuel Udokwu as Mike, cult member
  • Sydney Diala as cult member/initiator
  • Daniel Oluigbo as cult chief priest
  • Obiageli Molugbe as cult mother
  • Rita Nzelu as Tina, local prostitute
  • Jennifer Okere as Chinyere, Caro's friend
  • Ruth Osu as Andy and Merit's neighbour
  • Grace Ayozie as Andy's mother
  • Benjamin Nwosu as Andy's father

The makers of the movie first sold its right to Charles Okpaleke in 2015 for a possible remake. In 2015, Ramsey Nouah acquired the rights to Living In Bondage from Kenneth Nnebue, and filmed the remake in Europe, America, and Nigeria. Both Charles Okpaleke and Nouah's rights resulted to becoming a sequel titled Living in Bondage: Breaking Free.[9]

Her second movie, Glamour Girls was starred by Liz Benson, Ngozi Ezeonu, Eucharia Anuobi, Pat Attah, Ernest Obi, Zack Orji, and others. On 12 December 2019, a Nigerian filmmaker Charles Okpaleke,[10][11] acquired it for the lifetime copyrights of the 1994 for a modern remake.[12]

Okere also featured in Ikuku and True Confession.[13] She also acted The Oath, The Ripples, Strange Woman, Calabash. The Oath was Okere's final movie.

Awards

In 1996, Okere received The Movie Award as the Best Igbo Actress after acting Ikuku (part 2). After her death, she was awarded The Afro Heritage Broadcasting and Entertainment Awards (AHBEA) in 2016, in Houston, Texas. The award was received by her husband, Emeka Ossai at the 2nd edition of the prestigious award. Been made popular by Living in Bondage, and Glamour Girls, brought about the recognition and celebration of her talents at The Afro Heritage Broadcasting and Entertainment Awards (AHBEA).[14]

Death

Okere died in 1999, possibly from mistreatment by her husband, Emeka Ossai, and in-laws due to her delay in childbearing.[15] She was buried in her hometown, Okolochi, and was mourned by her colleagues in the Nollywood industry, the majority of whom were present at her funeral. Her death was the first to shake Nollywood.[16][17]

References
  1. Haynes, Jonathan (October 4, 2016). Nollywood: Creation of Nigerian Film Genres. ISBN 978-0226387956.
  2. "Living in Bondage: Between the old and new". Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  3. "Throwback: Glamour Girls". Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  4. "The Remake of Glamour Girls". Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  5. "AHBEA Awards Presents Posthumous Award To Nollywood Actor Emeka Ossai". Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  6. Glamour Girls (Video 1994) - IMDb, retrieved July 27, 2022
  7. "Andy has overtaken my real name, Kenneth Okonkwo cries out - Vanguard News". Vanguard News. October 25, 2014. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  8. "Okechukwu Ogunjiofor". IMDb. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  9. BellaNaija.com (October 28, 2019). "We Had an Exclusive Chat with Charles Okpaleke, Executive Producer of "Living In Bondage: Breaking Free"". BellaNaija. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  10. "Film producer, Charles Okpaleke plots a sequel to 1994 classic, 'Glamour Girls'". Pulse Nigeria. December 13, 2019. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  11. Ajao, Kunle (December 13, 2019). "Glamour Girls: Charles Okpaleke gets rights for sequel". Sodas 'N' Popcorn Blog. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  12. Falade, Tomi. "Glamour Girls Set To Reignite Nigerian Screens | Independent Newspapers Nigeria". Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  13. "15 Nollywood Stars You May Not Know Have Died". Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  14. "AHBEA Awards Presents Posthumous Award To Nollywood Actor Emeka Ossai". Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  15. "Motherhood In-style Magazine". Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  16. "15 Nollywood Stars You May Not Know Have Died". Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  17. "Some 18 dead Nollywood actors and how they died, Nigerians will ever miss". Retrieved October 14, 2020.
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