…In INI EDO’s New Movie SHANTY Town
Star Actor Chidi Mokeme is among the movie stars who rocked the screen in the 90’s featuring in outstanding movies back to back. The tall, handsome, baritone voiced and very talented actor started acting in the 90’s and made his first appearance in the movies titled “Good Bye Tomorrow and Burden of Vengeance. He was a successful businessman before joining the movie industry. What also stood him out amongst many was his dashing look. He became many fan’s favourite, most especially ladies who are crazy about his look and skills.
He is also well known for being the host of reality shows like Gulder Ultimate Search, The Therapist” show on Amazon Prime.
Besides his successful career, he has represented several brands in the market place as part of his work. He collaborated with a number of well known companies such as Vodafone. He is one of the few versatile actors who are quite proficient in Yoruba, Hausa and his native dialect of Igbo. He has appeared in numerous Yoruba and Igbo films; and so far he has featured in over 150 movies.
He got married to Dr. Jean Chinwe Olumba in 2012. She works as a doctor and a Pharmacist in the United States. They both welcome their son Noah Mokeme on March 11, 2015 in America. At a point in this multi-talented actor’s life, he became scarce on screen and many fans kept wondering what happened to him. But he just made a huge come back into the industry with a bang in the number trending movie “Shanty Town”, which according to many is like a relaunch of his acting career. This award winning movie is currently streaming in 190 countries and it is on top list in 8 countries including U.K. and within few days, it is rated No 17 T.V series in Netflix globally.
What a way to relaunch once’s career in the movie industry. Many can not help but talk about Chidi Mokeme’s character in the movie, which no doubt is the star of the movie “Shanty Town”. Chidi Mokeme gave it, it all in this new movie, he was far beyond ordinary in his appearance and role as a terror personified political thug “Shanty Town”.
The award winning actor, Chidi Mokeme played the role of Scar Aboderin in the New Netflix movie produced by the multiple award winning Actress Ini Edo. The movie was filmed in small Lagos community of Shanty Town, exposes the lives of sex workers who work for a cruel handler named Scar, who Chidi Mokeme portrays.
The strory centers around a group of Courtesians who are trying to escape the control of a powerful and ruthless Kingpin. However, their efforts are hindered by political corruption and the kingpin’s ties to their own family making their goal of freedom difficult to achieve.
The cast of the violent, multilingual thriller drama “Shanty Town” includes Ini Edo, Chidi Mokeme, Nancy Isime, Nse Ikpe Etim, Peter Okoye, Mercy Eke, Shaffy Bello, Richard Mofe Damijo, Peter Okoye amongst others. It was produced by Chinenye Nworah’s Giant Creative Studios, and Minini Empire Production. Directed by Dimeji Ajibola, written by Xavier Igborodje and Donald Tombia, with Ini Edo as the Executive Producer.
A lot of celebrities have taken to their Ig handles to praise Chidi Mokeme’s outstanding role interpretation in “Shanty Town”. His outstanding role has been trending on social media. He also spoke Yoruba and Igbo fluently, and his ability to Switch from Yoruba demoning to Igbo wickedness with such finesse, remains one of lots of people’s favourite in the movie.
“Shanty Town” was in 6 episodes on Netflix and many said Chidi Mokeme carried all the six episodes of Shanty Town like it was nothing. And the last time, they saw a character like that was in “King of Boys” Eniola Salami” which was interpreted by the legendary Sola Sobowale. A very terrifying yet likeable character. The unending praise on Chidi Mokeme’s artistic brilliance and topnotch delivery of the role despite his long break from the screen. The multiple award winning veteran also opened up, on why he took a long break from the acting during an interview on Channels Television. He revealed he was battling Bell’s Palsy.
Bell’s Palsy maybe a reaction to a viral infection. It rarely occurs more than once. It is a sudden weakness in the muscle on one half of the face likening the infection to stroke. He revealed that it affected one side of his face and as an actor, he couldn’t make public appearance. And to worsen things, doctors said the infection was something that is incurable and didn’t have treatment. According to him in his words.
“I have been off the scene for a while after he did the promotional tour for 76. Before that when we were preparing to go to the U.K on a trip for British International Film Festival, I came down with something called Bell’s Palsy, it comes like a stroke and affects one side of your face. And this was something the doctor said was incurable. They didn’t know what caused it and how to treat it.
As an actor you can imagine what I was going through, I thought it was something I could move around with. I decided to come for the Lagos premiere for 76 at that time, but the attention was focused on my face and not the premiere happ[ening at that time, that was when I concluded it was not something I could work with, so I decided to take some time off the screen to go and sort my issue out because I needed my face to get normal again. So, in the main time, I just decided to focus on my other businesses, which are seasonal Lightings and Decor
I do Christmas Lightings, Commercial Lightings and all that with state government, and Lighting Up the states for Xmas around the country. That didn’t need my face to be showing so I just focused my attention on that, while I get my face back to shape”.
All this is history now, as he has made a huge come back into the industry in “Shanty Town”.
–BIODUN ALAO
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