Story highlights
- Mo Abudu is described as Africa's most successful woman
- Her daily talk show was the most syndicated across the continent
(CNN)How do you get from a talk show sofa to boardroom chair? If you ask Mosunmola "Mo" Abudu, it's being motivated by an eagerness to dispel ignorance - more specifically about Africa.
In eleven years, this female entrepreneur has transitioned from simply hosting a television show to owning a multimedia empire. The 52-year-old has been labeled as Africa's most successful woman by Forbes.
In 2016, her studio's romantic Nollywood comedy, The Wedding Party, broke box office records in Nigeria becoming the first film to pass the 400 million naira mark ($1.3 million) despite being released amidst a recession in the country.
Diversity on screen
Born in England but partly raised in Nigeria, Abudu would indulge in black and white musical classics starring Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly.
Back then as a Nigerian child growing up in the mostly white suburb of Tunbridge Wells in London, "You didn't have much to call your own," says Mo Abudu, chief executive at EbonyLife TV, a global entertainment network. "Sammy Davis Jr was about the only actor on TV that you could see on those films and that you could actually identify with as someone of color."
As a result her perception of race and difference was quickly established. "I would be asked questions like ... do you guys live in proper houses? What do you guys eat?," she explains. "You then have to ask yourself, what actually shapes being asked these questions?"
After a career in human resources working for oil giant Exxon Mobil, and with no television experience she started her own talk show host, Moments with Mo, envisioned as a pan African daily that would give Africa its own Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah Winfrey.
Through it she's interviewed political figures from the likes of Hillary Clinton to Christine Lagarde, head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The show became one of the most syndicated on African television.
Global success
Eku Edewor – Nigerian born, New York based Iké Udé has been described as a master of portraiture, having created portraits of the world's most internationally recognized celebrities including actress and filmmaker Isabella Rossellini, shoe designer Manolo Blahnik and singer Rihanna.
His documentary "Nollywood in Focus" and an accompanying Coffee table book, sees him lend his visual eye to Nigeria's movie industry -- Nollywood.
Pictured, Eku Edewor.
His documentary "Nollywood in Focus" and an accompanying Coffee table book, sees him lend his visual eye to Nigeria's movie industry -- Nollywood.
Pictured, Eku Edewor.
Hide Caption
1 of 21
Sadiq Daba – Udé interviewed 64 of Nollywood's biggest stars including actress Genevieve Nnaji, actress turned director Stephanie Okereke Linus and filmmaker Kunle Afolayan.
"Nollywood is the new face of Africa," said Udé, "it is modern, postmodern, bold, sexy, wicked and shrewd, with a contagious attitude worth catching." Its appeal has spread far beyond Nigeria with movies sold and produced almost globally.
Pictured: Sadiq Daba
"Nollywood is the new face of Africa," said Udé, "it is modern, postmodern, bold, sexy, wicked and shrewd, with a contagious attitude worth catching." Its appeal has spread far beyond Nigeria with movies sold and produced almost globally.
Pictured: Sadiq Daba
Hide Caption
2 of 21
Beverly Naya – The industry has come leaps and bounds from the low tech productions it was once associated with, to producing big budget high quality features tackling a plethora of subjects from sexuality to government politics and identity.
It's thought to contribute around $600 million annually to the Nigerian economy.
Pictured: Beverly Naya
It's thought to contribute around $600 million annually to the Nigerian economy.
Pictured: Beverly Naya
Hide Caption
3 of 21
The School of Nollywood – This grand portrait of all 64 celebrities titled "The School of Nollywood" is inspired by Raphael's 1509 painting 'The School of Athens', which adorns the Vatican's Apostolic Palace.
"It was a daunting undertaking," Udé told CNN, "but worth every effort and breath that I spent on it."
"It was a daunting undertaking," Udé told CNN, "but worth every effort and breath that I spent on it."
Hide Caption
4 of 21
Stephanie Okereke Linus – Stephanie Okereke Linus "has an imposing physicality," explained Udé, "yet sweet and a positively sunny personality." He added; "since she has this incredibly powerful persona, I wanted to explore the possibility of a dramatic tension" hence the "unexpected stretch of a leg."
Hide Caption
5 of 21
Joke Silva – Born in Nigeria in 1964, the photographer's previous works have been exhibited in the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, as well as the Smithsonian Museum of Art.
Pictured: Joke Silva
Pictured: Joke Silva
Hide Caption
6 of 21
Enyinna Nwigwe – Pictured, Enyinna Nwigwe. "I recall that after our photo session, he sat for a long while, engaged with Nollywood elders who were almost double his age trading ideas and civilized arguments with them and confessing how much he enjoyed doing so, how important it was to listen to experienced folks and learn wisely from them," Udé recapped on Nwigwe's photo shoot.
Hide Caption
7 of 21
Genevieve Nnaji – In composing Genevieve Nnaji's portrait, "I was drawing from the grand, iconic African antique cultures of the Nile Valley civilization" says the photographer. "There is a Janus-like moment whereby she motions forward while looking back, as it were, engaging both the past and the future."
Hide Caption
8 of 21
Alexx Ekubo – "Nollywood talents have this artistic, creative and imaginative autonomy and independence very rare, even impossible for Africans in the diaspora to own," said Udé.
Pictured, Alexx Ekubo.
Pictured, Alexx Ekubo.
Hide Caption
9 of 21
Omoni Oboli – Born in the ancient city of Benin, Omoni Oboli trained as a digital filmmaker at New York's Film Academy. 'The Rivals,' a film she co-produced won Best International Drama at the New York International Independent Film & Video Festival in 2007.
Hide Caption
10 of 21
Chioma Ude – Born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, Chioma Ude is the founder of the Africa International Film Festival.
Hide Caption
11 of 21
Osas Ighodaro Ajibade – Born in the Bronx, New York, Osas Ighodaro Ajibade moved to Nigeria in 2012 and has starred in over 20 movies since relocating.
Hide Caption
12 of 21
Jim Iyke Esomugha – Gabon-born actor Jim Iyke Esomugha has starred in over 100 movies.
Hide Caption
13 of 21
Kiki Omeili – Lagos-born Kiki Omeili has been in 32 Nollywood movie productions.
Hide Caption
14 of 21
Kunle Afolayan – Born in Lagos, Kunle Afolayan has produced and directed five Nollywood movies to date.
Hide Caption
15 of 21
Kehinde Bankole – Lagos-born actress Kehinde Bankole.
Hide Caption
16 of 21
Taiwo Ajai-Lycett – Born in Lagos, Taiwo Ajai-Lycett is a fellow of the Society of Nigerian Theatre Artists.
Hide Caption
17 of 21
Uti Nwachukwu – Actor Uti Nwachukwu.
Hide Caption
18 of 21
Monalisa Chinda – Port-Harcourt born Monalisa Chinda has starred in over 150 movies since her first major film in 1996.
Hide Caption
19 of 21
Linda Ihuoma Ejiofor – Actor Linda Ihuoma Ejiofor.
Hide Caption
20 of 21
Desmond Elliot – Lagos -born actor Desmond Elliot has been in more than 200 movies.
Hide Caption
21 of 21
Following a move to her parents' hometown in Nigeria, in 2006, she launched EbonyLife TV. The network runs in more than 49 countries across the continent and has expanded beyond the region airing in the UK and the Caribbean. It's aim? To show Africa from a different perspective, one which could represent its young and increasing middle class urbanites.
"It's important for us to ensure that EbonyLife TV as a platform can sit in a global space because the world," she says, "must understand who we are as Africans. Especially this generation."
Her first foray into film, Fifty, detailing the lives of four Lagosian women was 2015's most successful movie in Nigeria, and was the only Nigerian movie to screen at the BFI London Film Festival that year.
"We're building a community that has made us brand ambassadors for the entire continent," says Abudu. "As a black person sitting here today, I know how important it is to have people I can look up to that represent me in media," she adds.
