Richard Mofe Damijo, RMD (Instagram)
Veteran Nollywood actor, Richard Mofe Damijo, popularly known as RMD is considered Nigeria’s ‘Prince of the Silver Screen’, not only for his handsome look but for playing leading roles in block booster movies with his grooming and charisma.
Born into a family of 18, on the 6th July 1961 in Aladja community of Udu Kingdom, near Warri, Delta State. He attended Midwest College, Warri, and Anglican Grammar School and was a member of the Drama Club in Secondary school. He enrolled in the University of Benin to continue his education and studied Theatre Arts.
After graduating from the university, Mofe-Damijo debuted his acting career in a television soap opera in the late 80’s called Ripples. But before then, he had started out at Concord Newspapers and Metro Magazine as a reporter.
In 1997, RMD returned to the university to study law at the University of Lagos and graduated in 2004. While receiving the degree in law, he successfully managed to combine his career and studying, and he produced his first movie, ‘Out of Bounds’ during the time.
During the time, he also played leading actors in a range of successful movies like Hostages (1997), Diamond Ring (1998), Freedom (1999), and others. He went on to clinch the Best Actor Award of the Africa Movie Academy in 2005 for his efforts in a leading role for ‘Ripples’ that brought him fame.
Richard Mofe Damijo, RMD (Instagram)
RMD has acted in more than 300 Nollywood movies. He had played major roles in 13 movies in 2003 alone, including Romantic Attraction (2003). The following year saw him feature as lead actor in 18 movies including I Want Your Wife, Deadly Desire, and Critical Assignment (2004) – a pan African action film.
Other movies are, Scores to Settle, 1998, When God Says Yes, 2003, Love, 2003, Keeping Faith: Is That Love, 2003, The Intruder, 2003, I Will Die For You, 2003, Emotional Pain, 2003, The Mayors, 2004, The Bridesmaid, 2005, Darkest Night, Welcome to Nollywood, 2007, 30 Days in Atlanta, 2014, Oloibiri, 2015, Okafor’s Law, 2016, Three Wise Men, 2016, The Wedding Party, 2016, The Grudge, 2016, Hush, 2016- 2017, I Love My Wife Even After Death, 2017, 10 days in, Sun City, 2017, The Wedding Party 2, 2017, Boxing Day: A Day After Christmas, 2017, Merry Men: The Real Yoruba Demons, 2018, Cross Roads, 2018, God Calling, 2018, Chief Daddy, 2018, Blood And Oil, 2019, The Hour, 2019, Castle And Castle, 2019.
His awards and nominations include Africa Movie Academy Awards Best Film In Nigeria, Best of Nollywood Awards Special Recognition Award, Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards Best Supporting, LifeTime Achievement Award, Actor in Leading Role, Africa Movie Academy Awards, Nigeria Entertainment Awards Best Supporting Actor among others.
Political Career
Apart from playing, RMD has also contributed to the development and promotion of Nigerian culture. He was appointed as the Special Adviser of Culture and Tourism to the then Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan in 2008, then became the commissioner for the Culture and Tourism of Delta State in 2009. His tenure ended in 2015.
He also founded his own production industry titled RMD Production Ltd and is busy producing a TV drama series of his own titled The Mr.X Family Show.
Richard Mofe Damijo, RMD and his family (Instagram)
Personal life
RMD was married to May Ellen Ezekiel, a famous TV personality and editor of a popular magazine, who died in 1996. In 2000, RMD went on to marry another woman, Jumobi Adegbesan, a former journalist who abandoned the media industry to work for the corporate sector.
RMD is a proud father of five kids; three sons and two daughters and judging from the Instagram photos he puts up, the family shares a strong bond.
