Jude Idada is a Nigerian actor, poet, playwright and producer best known for writing the feature film, The Tenant. He has also produced and written several other short films and books.

Early life and education Idada was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria. He attended command children's school Bonny Camp in Victoria Island.

Idada was a pure science student in high school without any background in the arts. He initially applied to study medicine in the university but later, he changed his course of study to agricultural economics. After a couple of semesters in agriculture, Idada quit studying agricultural economics and stayed at home for nine months after which, he got admitted to the University of Ibadan to study theater arts where he had his first degree.

Career After graduation, Idada worked at Guardian Express Bank, a job he got while he was still a corps member after which he moved to Arthur Andersen. He immigrated to Canada, did a postgraduate and worked in banks, telecommunication firms and along that line. After seeing a short film with friends, he resigned his job to pursue writing and film production.

He was selected as one of the screenwriters for the Toronto International Film Festival's Adapt This! and the Afrinolly/Ford Foundation Cinema4Change projects. Idada was also an inaugural participant in the Relativity Media/AFRIFF Filmmaking project.

He is the Artistic director of the Africa Theatre Ensemble in Toronto, Canada. Idada has stage plays, collection of short stories, poetry to his credit. Stage plays: Flood, Brixton Stories, Lost and Coma, 3some. He has also written and published a collection of short stories: A Box of Chocolates, Exotica Celestica. Written and directed Stage plays: Oduduwa – King of the Edos, By My Own Hands and a children's book Didi Kanu and the Singing Dwarfs of the North.

As an acting coach, Idada teaches a wide variety of thespians, the rudiments and technicalities of acting for stage and for film. He has also guest lectured for the African Theatre Ensemble in Canada, the Mofilm/Unilever Sunlight Foundation Film Project in Nigeria, the AIDS foundation in Guyana. In addition, he has chaired several panels at International Film Festivals and writing for various magazines.

Filmography

Film Source: Kofa (Drama) - 2022 - Director/Producer Chameleon (Short Film) – 2016 – Writer/Director Blaze Up The Ghetto (Documentary) – 2010 – Director The Tenant (Feature Film) – 2005 – Writer/Producer Inside (Short Film) – 2000 – Director/Producer The Woman in my Closet – (Short Film) – 1999 – Director/Producer Young Wise Fools – (Short Film) – 1999 – Director/Producer

Stage plays 3some by Idada – 2018 – Director/Producer Coma by Idada – 2013 – Director Lost by Modupe Olaogun – 2013 – Director Brixton Stories by Biyi Bandele – 2012 – Director The Flood by Femi Osofisan – 2011 – Director In The Name of The Father – 2008 – Writer/Director The Seed of Life – 2008 – Writer/Director Love is the Word – 2007 – Writer/Director Your God is Dead – 2000 – Director/Writer/Producer Power of Love – 1999 – Director/Writer/Producer Snares of Lucifer – 1998 – Director/Writer/Producer

Writing credits

Screenplays Simi (feature film) – 2016 – For Applegazer and Karmacause Productions, producer, Udoka Oyeka Tatu (Feature film) – 2016 – For Filmhouse Productions, producer, Don Omope The River (feature film) – 2015 – For Applegazer and Karmacause Productions, Producer Orode Uduaghan House Girls (TV Series) – 2015 – For Xandria Productions; Producers, Chineze Anyaene, Theophilus Ukpaa. Driving Mr Akin (feature film) – 2015 – For Xandra Productions, producer, Chineze Anyaene. Doctor Death (feature film) – 2014 – For Raconteur/Creoternity Productions, Producer Chioma Onyenwe The Road (Short film) – 2014 – For Afrinolly/Ford Foundation Justice (Short film) – 2014 – For Elvina Ibru Productions Sunshine (feature film) – 2013 Coma (Feature Film) – 2012 – For I Take Media, Producers, Fabian Lojede, Mickey Dube Journeys of One (Feature Film) – 2011 – For Omcomm Communications, Producer; Soledad Grognett Lagos Connection (Feature Film) – 2011 – For 1 Take Media, Producer; Fabian Lojede Afreeka (Feature Film) – 2010 The Drum (Feature Film) – 2010 Sex in the Age of Innocence (Feature Film) – 2009 No More An Uncle Tom (Feature Film) – 2009 The Dilemma (Feature Film) – 2008 Ghetto Red Hot (Feature Film) – 2007 – (Optioned) Mirage (Feature Film) – 2006 Kite (Feature Film) – 2006 – for NTFG Productions, Producer Yifei Zhang The Tenant (Feature Film) – 2005 – released 2008 by Broken Manacles Entertainment Somewhere in Between (Feature Film) – 2005 (Optioned) Faces of a Coin (Feature Film) – 2004 (Optioned) Inside – (Short Film) – 2000 The Woman in my Closet – (Short Film) – 1999 Young Wise Fools – (Short Film) – 1999 Two Faces of a Coin (Short Film) – 1998

Stage plays Sankara – 2016 – Commissioned by G.R.I.P media MKO – 2016 – Commissioned by the MKO Abiola family 3some – 2016 – Optioned by Make It Happen Productions The March – 2016 – Optioned by Theatre Magnifica Resurrection – 2014 – Optioned by Oracles Repertory Theatre The Calling – 2013 – Commissioned by African Theatre Ensemble Coma – 2012 – Optioned by Oracles Repertory Theatre In The Name of The Father – 2008 – Performed by the Visionaries The Seed of Life – 2008 – Performed by the Visionaries Love is the Word – 2007 – Performed by the Visionaries Vendetta – 2006 – Optioned by the Africa Theatre Ensemble Oduduwa "King of the Edos" – 2005 – Performed by the Oracle Repertory Theatre Published by Createspace/Creoternity Books Power of Love – 1994 – Performed by Neighbours International Your God is Dead – 1994 – Performed by Neighbours International Snares of Lucifer – 1993 – Performed by Neighbours International

Novels

More than Comedy (A Biography of Efosa ‘Efex’ Iyamu) – 2015 Didi Kanu and the Singing Dwarfs of the North – 2015- Createspace/Creoternity Books By My Own Hands – 2014 – Createspace/Creoternity Books A Box of Chocolates – 2005 – Trafford Publishing (Collection of Short Stories) Boom Boom – 2019 – Winepress Publishing

Poetry

Exotica Celestica – 2012 – Createspace/Creoternity Books Meditations of a Traveling Mind – 2004 Oh My Lord! – 1992

Songs Firefly – 2016 – Chibie; Producer: Brian Quaye, Chibie Okoye Life is Sweet– 2013 – Chibie; Producer: Jeff McCulloch Speed Demon – 2013– Chibie; Producer: Jeff McCulloch Revolution – 2013 – Chibie; Producer: Soji Oyinsan I No Be Tenant – 2010 – Blacko Blaze ft Chibie; Producer: Blacko Blaze, Released by Broken Manacles Entertainment

Acting credits 8 Bars and A Clef (Feature Film) – Dir Chioma Onyenwe – 2014 The Tenant (Feature Film) – Dir Lucky Ejim – 2006 Death and the Kings Horseman (Stage Play) – Dir Ronald Wiehs – 2004 The Prize (Stage Play) – Dir Lekan Fagbade – 2000 Inside (Short Film) – Dir Idada – 2000 Ezenwanyi (Stage Play) – Dir Chetachukwu Udo – Ukpai – 1999 The Woman in my Closet (Short Film) – Dir Idada – 1999 Young Wise Fools (Short Film) – Dir Idada – 1999 Doom (Stage Play) – Dir Yacoub Adeleke – 1997 Grip Am (Stage Play) – Dir Dare Fasasi – 1997 Hopes of the Living Dead (Stage Play) – Dir Lekan Fagbade – 1998 Queen Idia (Stage Play) – Dir Israel Eboh −1998 Human Zoo (Stage Play) – Dir Dare Fasasi – 1997 Snares of Lucifer (Stage Play) – Dir Idada, Ifeanyi Agu – 1993, 1997 Your God is Dead (Stage Play) – Dir Idada – 1994 Power of Love (Stage Play)- Dir Idada – 1994, 1999 Eku (Stage Play) – Dir Wale Macaulay – 1995 Atakiti (Stage Play) – Dir Esikinni Olusanyin – 1995

Awards and recognition YearAwardCategoryWorkResult2019Nigeria Prize for LiteratureChildren Novel Boom Boom 2014Nigeria Prize for LiteratureUse Of LiteratureOduduwa, King of the Edos (Stage play)2013Association of Nigerian Authors AwardBest DramaOduduwa, King of the Edos20106th Africa Movie Academy Awards Best PictureThe Tenant 2010 6th Africa Movie Academy Awards Best Screenplay 2010 6th Africa Movie Academy Awards Best Director

References

External links