Nse, Jocelyn, OC Ukeje and Tope: A climb up the world stage

It was some cheery news for Nigeria’s Nollywood industry and Ghana’s Ghollywood as the African Speakers and Artists (AS+A), East Africa’s leading speaker bureau, announced during the week that it was expanding into Nigeria and Ghana, as it builds its portfolio of West African speakers and artists for the international market.

AS+A, headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, and with an office in London, United Kingdom (UK), announced that it has signed on its newest additions to AS+A’s talent roster and from the long list of household names in Nigeria and Ghana.

The list include award winning Nigerian actress, Nse Ikpe-Etim; Nigerian director and producer, Tope Oshin; Nigerian actor, OC Ukeje; and popular television presenter and actress, Joselyn Dumas, from Ghana.

AS+A founder and chief executive, George Issaias, disclosed that their job is to connect talents to global brands and to bring them worldwide exposure through international events and campaigns.
“We want our African performers, successful entrepreneurs and creative visionaries to get their share of voice and the international recognition they merit,” he said.

Celebrity salutes the talents, who all agree that the platform would provide them an opportunity to share their perspective and insights to international audiences, and, of course, to market their industries to the world.

Nse Ikpe-Etim
NSE is a multiple award-winning actress with a strong and loyal following in Nigeria, popularly known for her roles in Mr. And Mrs., Phone Swap, Black November, Inale, Devil in the Detail and Fifty.

Her recent work, A Hotel Called Memory, with Akin Omotoso and South African film, Shushh with Meg Rickards are due for release this year.
Nse is also known for her humanitarian and mentoring efforts. She recently received an award in recognition of her contribution to youth development from the Cyprus International University.

Nse’s organisation, ‘The Nurtured Ones, focuses on family and youth development.
On her signing with AS+A, she said: “It is truly humbling to know that in times like this, I have been given a chance to learn, while teaching.
“I look forward to an exceptional relationship as we grow beyond borders.”

Tope Oshin

Tope Oshin
‘TOPS,’ as her close pals simply call her, Tope Oshin is the multiple award-winning director and producer of Africa’s biggest daily soap opera, Tinsel and has also directed popular African tele-novella, Hotel Majestic.

Other credits are multiple award-winning shots, such as The Young Smoker, Till Death Do Us Part, New Horizons, the award-winning feature, Journey to Self and she is in production of her first documentary Amaka’s Kin.
Among her producing credits are 26 made-for-television movies, talk shows and 2015 BFI premiered theatrical feature, Fifty.

She has also cast several projects and notable among them are MTV’s drama series Shuga 3 and 4.
On joining AS+A, Tope said: “I am looking forward to the amazing possibilities, relationships and achievements together.
“It is a symbiosis. I am quite excited about!”

OC Ukeje

OC Ukeje
OC, as the actor is simply called is a multi, award-winning actor, of stage and screen.
He won the 2006 Amstel Malta Box Office reality television show for actors, the African Movie Academy Award (AMAA) for the Best Upcoming Actor (2008) and the City People’s Award for Best New Act (2010).
On joining AS+A’s roster of artists, he said: “I am quite happy to say I am looking forward to the dynamic opportunities and liaisons to be enjoyed on this platform.

“Even better would be the mutual benefits that linger. A place called ‘forward…”
OC starred in Wetin Dey, the 2007 television series presented at the International Emmy World Television Festival, and also in films, like Confusion Na Wa and The Awakening.

His first screen appearance was in White Waters (2008) and in 2012, he featured in the film, Black November, along with Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger, and in Bola Agbaje’s award winning play, Gone Too Far, sponsored by the British Film Institute and premiered at the 2013 London International Film Festival.

He also featured in the screen adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun (2013), with Oscar nominated Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Thandie Newton, in the highly-rated television series, Gidi Up and Dowry, and played the lead in the South African film Ayanda and The Mechanic (2015).

Jocelyn Dumas

Jocelyn Dumas
GORGEOUS Ghanaian star, Jocelyn Dumas, is on board AS+A’s roster of artists.
The actress, show host and television personality is one of Ghana’s best-known screen personality. Beautiful and blessed with a bodacious curves and an iconic hourglass figure, Jocelyn was born in Ghana and spent her early childhood in Accra, the capital.

She has her early education in Ghana, but earned a degree in Administrative Law in the United States. She returned to Ghana after a brief stint as a Paralegal practitioner to follow her dreams of becoming a television personality and an actress.

Jocelyn has won a couple of industry awards and has been nominated several times for the African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA).
She said of her joining the AS+A’s roster of artists: “I feel honoured and privileged to be on the roaster and to be part of such a great idea aimed at giving us a share of voice and international recognition.
“I look forward to a great time on board.”