It’s been two years since the Nigerian entertainment industry lost one of its foremost film producer, writer, director and a leading player in the motion picture industry – Uzoamaka Audrey Igwe aka Amaka Igwe. The late veteran filmmaker was honoured with a Google doodle last week on her 57th posthumous birthday.
She is often credited as one of the pioneers that helped start the video film era of the Nigerian motion picture industry. She is also responsible for some of the most highly-rated classic TV shows to ever grace Nigerian television.
Here are five things you should know about her:
- Amaka Igwe was born on January 2, 1963, in Port-Harcourt. She was the fifth child among seven children.
- Amaka met her husband, Charles Igwe, in September 1992, and they got married in April 1993. She was a proud mother of three kids – Ruby, David and Daniel.
- The late filmmaker wrote and produced “Checkmate,” and its spin-off “Fuji House of Commotion.” Both are considered among the all-time greatest Nigerian TV shows.
- Amaka Igwe was the founder of BOBTV Expo, Top Radio 90.9FM, Amaka Igwe Studios, and Q Entertainment Networks.
- In 2011, she was awarded the Nigerian National Order of ‘MFR’ (Member of The Federal Republic of Nigeria).
On April 28, 2014, the filmmaker passed away after an asthmatic attack in Enugu, where she had gone for a pre-production preparation for a new Igbo soap she was working on. She will be remembered for her incredible contributions to Nollywood, the Nigerian TV industry and the entertainment industry as a whole. Rest on, legend!
