Dolapo Adeleke is an award-winning Nigerian filmmaker, acclaimed writer, producer, director, and editor. She has passion for telling stories that inspire and empower the modern African society.
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Dolapo Adeleke is the CEO/Founder of LowlaDee Originals Inc. (formerly Doreen Media) and the Cofounder of Giraffe Productions, Nairobi.
Dolapo Adeleke Background
Dolapo Adeleke was born on the 6th of September, 1990, in Kano State, Northern Nigeria. She commenced her early education in Kano but had to relocate to Lagos, due to incessant religious crisis in the North.
After relocating, her parents enrolled her at Providence Nursery and Primary school, Iju, Lagos, for her primary education and Dansol High School Agindingbi, Ogba, for her Secondary education.
Dolapo Adeleke obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from Covenant University. The prolific writer and director hopes to have her Master’s degree in filming soon.
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Dolapo Adeleke Career History
Dolapo Lolade Adeleke never had plans of being in the entertainment industry, but fate had different plans up its sleeves for the ever radiant filmmaker.
As a child in secondary school, she participated in humanitarian activities because her dream was to own an NGO and become either a United Nations Children Fund or World Health Organization (WHO) representative. She also wanted to be on the TV screens, like Oprah Winfrey.
But then, things changed after she had a fatal accident that almost took her life before she got into the university. The accident left a scar on her face, which has made her have a signature fringe hairstyle.
Dolapo’s early days in the University was everything but fun because she felt depressed about her scars, and what people thought of her. So, taking pictures wasn’t fun for her.
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The Birth Of The Filmmaker
Things turned around in her second year though, when she realized the scars were healing. As such, she decided to keep a record of the scar’s healing process by taking pictures of it with her roommates’ webcam.
She got addicted to doing this and started editing the pictures with Picasa. Dolapo mastered the software and realized she could compile movies with Picasa. So, she started doing slideshows with the pictures, adding background music.
After a while, she moved from Picasa to Windows Movie Maker, then started recording clips of her singing and talking with her friends. These videos started going viral within the school, and she realized that she could harness the skill. At this point, she knew all she wanted was to make good videos.
From then, she started making video adverts for school programs. Also, she did a short film for her final year project and got an A for it. Afterward, she started developing herself to be the pro filmmaker she wishes to be.
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Currently, Dolapo Adeleke writes, produces, directs, and edits videos with any version of Adobe Premiere Pro and Final Cut, which is the industry standard for filmmakers anywhere in the world. She has an indescribable passion for filming because of the circumstances surrounding its discovery.
The Birth of Doreen Media now LowlaDee Originals Inc.
Dolapo’s greatest fear is to be an ordinary person, so her quest to being extraordinary, led her to register her production company in 2011 after she graduated from the University.
Before she started her company, Dolapo had worked at Nigeria’s Got Talent show Season 1 as well as Immersion advertising agency, Lekki.
She got her big break with the short film Brave in 2014. The movie has earned her numerous awards and recognitions. In 2015, she produced her first critically acclaimed Television Film, A Place Called Happy. A movie in which she featured both Nigerian and Ghanaian actors.
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Filmography
- Be My Guest (Short film) – 2013
- The Call (Short film) – 2013
- Brave (Short film) – 2014
- A Place Called Happy (Television Film) – 2015
- This Is It (Web/Television series) – 2016
- Entangled (Television Film) – 2017
- Plan B (Web/Television Film) – 2019
Dolapo Adeleke Awards And Nominations
- Brave was named Best Short Film at the Best of Nollywood Awards (BON) – 2014
- Nominee at the Nigeria Entertainment Awards for Best Director – 2015
- Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards (AMVCA) nominee for Best Short Film – 2016
- Nominee for Film Director of the Year at the EbonyLife Sisterhood Awards Africa – 2016
- Future Awards Africa nominee for the prize of New Media – 2017
- Leading Ladies Africa’s ‘100 Most Inspiring Women In Nigeria – 2018
- Best Television Series at the Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards (AMVCA) – 2018
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Dolapo Adeleke Quotes
“The business side of filming is dear to me as well. Anyway, you can do it! Just start with what you have. Place premium on your product. Be courageous. Remember, courage is not the absence of fear but the mastery of it.”
“Because nothing will ever be perfect anyway. So, I keep practicing with each project. As long as progress is evident and I’m not sitting on the sidelines obsessed with the illusion of perfection.”
“Just do it! Jump off the cliff and trust your wings. Be wildly bold!”
“Let love, for it will always find its way.”
“Don’t settle. Don’t be hasty. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Don’t place unfair expectations on others. Be kind.”
“Learn the art of being alone, to pour into yourself, to learn and unlearn, to become and unbecome. To harness your superpowers. To understand your Midas.”
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“Be healthy from your mind to body. Do more, speak less. Don’t overwork.”
“Harness the art of walking away, letting go. Saying No. Saying Yes.”
“Trust me, you can survive ANY pain. You are stronger…you just don’t know it. Once you know, that is your miracle.”
“Can I just say, I’ve learned that there’s never a perfect time. Just get up, BEGIN and COMMIT. When you BEGIN, it all becomes clearer and life’s map will lead you exactly where your resources, manpower and networks are.”
“Don’t rush the journey, block your ears to the noise and trust your pace, your organic process. While you’re at it, don’t forget to LIVE.”
Entrepreneurial Lesson
Nothing Can Stop You from Achieving Your Dreams
Dolapo was faced with a very challenging situation after the accident. She would have given up and let the whole situation get the best of her, but No, she stood up and fought back. Today she is one of the best filmmakers and directors in Nigeria and Kenya.
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As an entrepreneur, your response to challenges and obstacles would go a long way to determine how far you will go in achieving your dreams.
Love yourself and Accept Your Reality
Dolapo loved herself enough to know that she had to fight back, accept her reality, and live life on her terms. She quickly found a way to cover her physical flaws to an extent and accept herself, so that her scars would not become a hindrance to achieving her dreams.
As an entrepreneur, accept yourself regardless of your shortcomings and strive to be the best you can be. Choose to live your life on your terms.
Credit: en.wikipedia.org, growingupmag.org, ladiesofdelight.blogspot.com, filmlinkafrica.com, Instagram.
