Okechukwu Oku

Okechukwu Oku

Okechukwu Oku in 2015
Born Okechukwu Oku
Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria
Other names Okey Oku, The Oracle
Occupation Music Video Director, Music Producer, Film Director, Film Producer, Cinematographer, Video Editor, Singer
Years active 2001 – present

Okechukwu Oku also known as The Oracle is a Nigerian movie producer, director, cinematographer and occasional musician. He is best known for directing the movies Love and Oil (2014), Burning Bridges (2014) and Bambitious[1] (2014) which featured Belinda Effah and Daniel K Daniel.

Early life

Oku was born in Enugu, Southeastern Nigeria and is the second of eleven children of Goddy and Winifred Oku.[2] He is of Igbo descent and hails from Ukpo in Dunukofia local government area of Anambra State.[3] His father, Goddy was a popular Nigerian musician in the 1970s and his mother Winifred Oku is a retired Nigerian Civil Servant. Oku’s younger brother, Udoka Selebobo Oku, is a music producer and singer.[4]

Oku began his formal education at the WTC Primary School in Enugu and went on to St. Charles Special Science School, Onitsha, Anambra State. Halfway through his University education, Oku left school to pursue his passion in the arts; Oku immersed himself in music, recording a few gospel tracks of his own[5] and producing music for a number of musicians in Southeast Nigeria,[6] Oku eventually veered into the art of music video directing.

Career

In 2001, Oku began shooting music videos for a number of music performers from South Eastern Nigerian including Resonance (Lee Lee), Flavour N'abania (Ada Ada)[4] and SeleBobo. His love for cinematography grew stronger thus leading to his gradual venture into feature film production in 2011.

Oku began working as a cinematographer and film editor in 2011 and worked on a number of African movies including The Great Niger Mission (2011, Nigeria), Brother's Keeper (2012, Nigeria), Jafaar (2012, Nigeria), Reflection (2012, Sierra Leone), Last 3 Digits (2012, Nigeria), Refugee (2013, Ghana), and The Duplex (2013, Nigeria).

In 2013, Oku began directing and producing his own feature films; Love and Oil (2014, Nigeria), Burning Bridges (2014, Nigeria), The Bible (2014, Nigeria), The Boss is Mine (2016, Nigeria),[7] and Black Rose (2016, Nigeria).

His work as an Editor and Cinematographer in the 2014 Feature Film, Brother's Keeper earned him nominations at the 2013 Golden Icons Academy Movie Awards for Best Cinematography,[8] as well as the 2014 Nollywood Movies Awards for Best Editing.[9]

In 2015, Oku received several awards at the Afrifimo Awards and Film /Music Festival including the award for Best Film Director, Best Cinematographer and Best Video Editor. His movie Bambitious, which features Nigerian Actor Daniel K Daniel, also took home the gong for Best Independent Film and Best Romance[10]

In December 2015, Oku was nominated for Best Cinematographer for a Movie or TV Series at the 2016 African Magic Viewers' Choice Awards (AMVCA) for the film The Refugees.[11]

Okechukwu Oku on the set of a movie with Actor Seun Akindele

Personal life

Oku is married to Queendalyn Oku.[12] They have three children and live in Enugu, Nigeria.

Filmography

Feature Films

Year Title Major Cast Role Notes
2014 Love and Oil Yul Edochie, Nuella Njubigbo, Jibola Dabo, Chinaza Ekezie Director Feature Film
2014 Burning Bridges Ivie Okujaye, Ken Erics, Esther Audu Director Feature Film
2014 Brother's Keeper Omoni Oboli, Beverly Naya, Majid Michel, Barbara Soki Cinematographer, Editor Feature Film, nominated for the 2014 Nollywood Movies Awards for Best Editing and also for the 2013 Golden Icons Academy Movie Awards for Best Cinematography
2014 Bambitious[13] Belinda Effah, Bucci Franklin, Daniel K Daniel, Ebele Okaro-Onyiuke Director, Cinematographer, Editor Feature Film, won multiple awards at the AAFMF
2014 Refugees Yvonne Nelson, Belinda Effah, Diana Yekinni, Sandra Don Dufe, Ross Fleming, David Chin Cinematographer Feature Film, nominated for Best Cinematography at the 2016 AMVCA
2016 Blackrose Blossom Chukwujekwu, Ebele Okaro-Onyiuke, Lilian Echelon, Betty Bellor, William Iruoha (2Shotz) Director Feature Film

Music Videos

Accolades

Year Award Category Film Result
2013 2013 Golden Icons Academy Movie Awards Best Cinematography Brother's Keeper Nominated
2014 2014 Nollywood Movies Awards Best Editing Brother's Keeper Nominated
2015 Afrifimo Awards and Film /Music Festival[10] Best Film Director Bambitious Won
2016 Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards AMVCA[11] Best Cinematographer for a Movie or TV Series Refugees Nominated

References

  1. ↑ Nwaebele, Emeka (25 November 2014). "BAMBITIOUS: FIRST EVER MOVIE TO BE PREMIERED IN ENUGU". Nigeriafilms.com (Lagos, Nigeria). Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  2. ↑ TECH. "Okechukwu Oku: Biography". imdb.com. United States. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  3. ↑ Nwadike, Chinedu (4 July 2015). "Selebobo's Elder Brother Okey Oku (TheOracle) Nominated for best director at the AAFMF Awards". otowngist.com (Enugu, Nigeria). Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  4. 1 2 S, Kay (25 July 2015). "Selebobo's Elder Brother Okey Oku (TheOracle) Nominated for best director at the AAFMF Awards". KorrectNaija.com (Lagos, Nigeria). Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  5. ↑ Jojo, Olia (10 December 2011). "FRESH XMAS MUSIC: OKEY OKU - SILENT NIGHT". justjojoentertainment.com (Enugu, Nigeria). Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  6. ↑ Aniocha, Emeka (9 December 2011). "New Music: The Oracle a.k.a Okey Oku - Silent Night". IgboKwenuRadio.com (Lagos, Nigeria). Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  7. ↑ "The Boss Movie Website". Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  8. ↑ "ANNOUNCING THE 2013 GIAMA NOMINEES". Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  9. ↑ "NMA 2014 WINNERS LIST". Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  10. 1 2 "AAFMF 2015 AWARDEES". Afrifimo. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  11. 1 2 "FULL LIST OF NOMINEES FOR THE 2016 AMVCA". TheNETng (Lagos, Nigeria). Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  12. ↑ Blaise, Julia (26 July 2015). "CEO Oracle Films, Okechukwu Oku Dedicates Son". JuliaBlaise.com (Lagos, Nigeria). Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  13. ↑ Izuzu, Chidumga (2 December 2014). "Bambitious: Daniel K Daniel, Belinda Effah, Selebobo attend Enugu premiere". Pulse Nigeria (Lagos, Nigeria). Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  14. ↑ Ayeni, Kunle (3 July 2013). "VIDEO: Flavour – ‘Ada ada’". TheNETng (Lagos, Nigeria). Retrieved 21 December 2015.
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