From the magazine: 10 most influential Nollywood actresses

For our women issue, we will be taking a look at 10 of some of  the most influential women in Nollywood. Whether it is their ability to draw in unprecedented crowds to cinemas, break box office records or lend their marquee names to causes they care about, these women rock and we love them just the way they are.

We present the fab 10 (in alphabetical order)

1. Funke Akindele
The queen of crossover will remain a Nollywood heavyweight for as long as she continues to play Jenifa, the much beloved heroine from the 2008 breakout comedy. Jenifa has spawned 2 sequels and a wide array of imitators and Akindele has gone on to test her box office appeal beyond the Jenifa character by headlining Tunde Kelani’s Maami, and the drama, Married but Living Single. Her lesser profile comedies are also huge hits in the straight to DVD markets.

2. Rita Dominic
Dominic has steadily emerged a power player in today’s Nollywood and it isn’t hard to see why. No longer content with being just the movie star, she took charge of her career and set up The Audrey Silva Company (TASC), a production outfit with director and business partner, Mildred Okwo. The first product of TASC is the award winning romantic comedy, The Meeting and both women are hard at work on their follow up, La Femme Anjola.

3. Ibinabo Fiberesima
Light skinned, pretty and tough, Fiberesima has parlayed her lack of serious acting roles into a controversial but highly visible tenure
as the President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Nollywood’s most powerful branch. She has weathered numerous storms including
‘beefs’ with colleagues Clarion Chukwurah and John Okafor on her way to securing a fresh mandate to lead the actors. Her closeness to Aso Rock has helped Nollywood receive huge presidential attention.

4. Nse Ikpe-Etim
The current Africa Movie Viewers Choice Award (AMVCA) champion for Best Actress (Drama) in a leading role (Journey to Self) may have moved to London to settle into domestic bliss, but she remains a force to be reckoned with here in Nollywood. This year, she starred in Shirley Frimpong-Manso’s Devil in the Detail and the warm memories of her expressive performance are enough to erase those of her, slumming it out in Elvis Chucks’ turkey, I Come Lagos.

Story: Wilfred Okiche