Icon Master Class May 2016

Falz,Rita Dominic,Osayi

Falz: A bundle of refreshing talents

 

FolarinFalana (Falz), son of the renowned human rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, will probably be mistaken as just another fortunate Nigerian kid born with the proverbial silver spoon.

However, those who have followed his career so far know that his success in the Nigerian entertainment industry is a result of his talent, passion and hard work.

His music career started out as a hobby in his college days when he formed a music group called “The School Boys” with his friends. As a college student, in 2009, Falz compiled some of his recordings into a mix tape, Shakara: The Mixtape. In 2011, he had his first singles, “Waz Up Guy,” which was followed by other singles. In 2014 and 2015, he launched two albums, “Wazup Guy” and “Stories That” Touch” respectively. He also owns an independent record label, BahdGuys Records.

Falz, a trained lawyer-turned-rapper and actor, has carved a niche for himself in the Nigerian entertainment industry with his style of music which he described as “Wahzup music,” hip-hop rap rendered in comic Yoruba accent that gives expression to the comedian in him.

Of course, FunkeAkindele’s TV series, Jenifa’s Dairy, is showcasing more of Falz the comedian as viewers get their ribs cracked whenever he shows up.

Falz has become more popular for his style. His tracks were nominated for different awards categories in 2014 and 2015. And for his role as SegunFunkeAkindele’s TV series Jenifa’s Diary, Falz won the “Best Actor in a Comedy Movie/Series” at the 2016 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards.

With his plan to launch his TV show, it is clear he still has many positive steps to model for young people who have come to admire his commitment to excellence.

 

 

Rita Dominic: Professionalism with class

 

From a little girl appearing on children’s variety shows on Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Aba, her passion and talent in acting has earned her a place among famous and elegant actresses in the Nigerian film industry.

For Rita, acting which she has been doing as far back as she could remember, is her life. Perhaps, this justifies why she passionately acts out a character as real as possible. Since her debut in a BasorgeTariah production entitled My Guy, her acting career has taken an upward trajectory that has seen her starring as the lead character in many other Nollywood movies. In 2004, she was the City People’s Most Outstanding Actress award winner.

Beyond the borders of Nigeria, Rita’s role in a Kenyan movie, Shattered, won the 2012 best actress of the category at the Kalasha Film and Television Awards held in Nairobi, Kenya. Her movie, The Meeting, which was released in 2012, also won her couple of awards including the prestigious New Era Award at the 2014 Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards (AMVCA) awards and 2015 Best Producer in Comedy.

Although, Rita seems to feature only in select movies recently, her professional interpretation of roles has remained outstanding, eliciting accolades from different quarters, especially young people who see in her an epitome of a true and dedicated thespian.

 

 

Osayi Alile Oruene: Unending Passion for Entrepreneurship 

 

She is many things to those who know her. She is a great facilitator and management trainer, a consultant on non-profit management and strategy, and a passionate community development specialist who takes great delight in non-profit public service.

For Osayi, her passion for community service could be attributed to her upbringing in a large family where she learnt to accommodate and share with others no matter how little she had. Hence, she finds it a pleasure to volunteer as trainer and coach to corporate organisations.

Osayi who once worked as a bank teller in Guaranty Trust Bank, has not failed to proceed in serving the public in different capacities. For four years, Osayi served as vice president at Junior Achievement of Nigeria, the “world’s largest organisation dedicated to educating students about workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy through experiential, hands-on programmes.”

She served for seven years as executive director, FATE Foundation, a non-profit initiative established to promote wealth creation through entrepreneurial skill acquisition and business development for young Nigerians. From 2013-2105, she chaired Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ), a non-profit organisation focused on helping women achieve their highest potential as experts in the aforementioned fields.

She presently sits on the board of some organisations including House of Tara, WIMBIZ, Zapphire Events and Global Dignity, an affiliation of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Norway.

Of course, Osayi’s commitment to public service has not gone unrecognised. She was among WEF’s 2007 “Young Global Leader” (YGL), among Nigerian Professionals Organisation (NIPRO), and among Global Top 40 Women Under 40.

The Interview Editors

Written by The Interview Editors

The Interview is a niche publication, targeting leaders and aspiring leaders in business, politics, entertainment, sports, arts, the professions and others within society’s upper middle class and high-end segment in Nigeria.