Name it, comedy, action, drama and horror, Richard Mofe-Damijo has done it all.
He is one of the greatest Nollywood actors. One who has made an indelible mark on Nigerian cinema with an array of successful movies to his name.
Today, July 6, 2017, is his 56th birthday, and we celebrate his past, his present and the future the legend has in store for the Nigerian film industry.
Popularly known as RMD, the actor made his acting debut after graduating from the University of Benin. In the 80s, he took part in a TV series titled “Ripples.”
The actor is, however, most remembered on the small screen for his character Segun Kadiri in the Amaka Igwe classic series, “Checkmate,” which portrayed him as the arch-enemy turned lover of Ann Haastrup (Ego Boyo).
In the 1996 movie “Violated”, he reiterated his absolute dedication to his craft with his interpretation of the character Tega, a wealthy man who falls in love with a woman beneath his background.
In 1997, he received a writer/producer credit for “Out of Bounds,” a movie which also featured him as the lead character.
In 2002, he featured in one of the greatest romance dramas ever, “Keeping Faith”. The movie featured him alongside Genevieve Nnaji, Joke Silva, Bimbo Akintola among others.
RMD’s acting prowess isn’t limited to romantic dramas. As an action hero in movies like “To Rise Again,” “Oloibiri”, “Darkest Night” and “Amadas”, he is perfect, believable, violent, cruel and human as he deals with his inner demons, creating relatable characters and scenarios.
Years after featuring in a long list of classics alongside virtually every veteran, he took a break from Nollywood. In 1999, he became the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in Delta State.
In 2016, he made one of the greatest comebacks in the Nigerian film industry. Surprisingly, his long absence from the film business didn’t diminish his star power.
Consistency became his watchword. He covered a variety of genres by featuring in “Dinner”, “Oloibiri”, “Hush”, “The Wedding Party”, “The Grudge”, “Okafor’s Law”, “Three Wise Men”, all in 2016.
For “Oloibiri,” he went through a pronounced physical transformation, losing 20kg for his character Boma AKA Gunpowder. His performance in the movie also earned him his first Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards nomination.
For his return to the small screen, he chose “Hush,” an Africa Magic Telenovela that changed Nigerian television.
RMD is a movie god whose on-screen and off-screen appeal hasn’t declined. With over two decades in the film industry, the actor has been able to successfully outlast most actors from his generation, who have seen their star power decline, especially with the arrival of a younger generation.
Off screen, RMD possesses a public persona that is considered inspirational, aspirational and charismatic. On social media, he is active with over 799 thousand followers on Instagram.
As he turns 56, it’s important that we remember and celebrate his role in the Nigerian film business.
For over 20 years, Richard Mofe Damijo has effortlessly remained a charismatic and relevant movie god.
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