In the past years, Kemi Adetiba’s name has been constantly on our lips. When we think we’ve seen the best of her, she hits us with more. Words are not enough to capture the entirety of the woman that she is.

Who is Kemi Adetiba?

Born to Dele and Mayen Adetiba, Kemi is a filmmaker and television director, with an LLB from the University of Lagos and a BL from the Nigerian Law School.

Kemi ended up in media despite being a lawyer. In an interview with CNN, She said she was always a creative kid. Her first love was in the creative [industry] and it was cultivated by her parents because they were also creative.

At 13, Kemi played roles in two national television jingles by her father for OMO, one of Nigeria’s most popular detergent brand.

Her father, Dele Adetiba is a renowned veteran who helped in the development of advertising and broadcast industries in Nigeria. Her mother, on the other hand, is a civil engineer.

She was the first female engineer to be elected into the Executive Committee of the Nigerians Society of Engineers and She is a past vice president of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and also a past President of the Association of Consultant Engineers.

With combined influence from Kemi’s father, who had already made a name for himself in the game and her mother, who was breaking boundaries and gender roles in engineering, Kemi has risen to build her own name.

Becoming an expert in her field while breaking career norms rooted in gender roles and cultural expectations. Kemi has proven to us that the limitations that exist are the ones that we set for ourselves.

 Her journey in the business.

Kemi has gone from being a radio presenter with Silverbird’s Rhythm 93.7FM OAP where she anchored two national hit shows. Soul’d Out which she hosted with Demola Sadiq and Sunday at the Seaside. Spoiling her listeners with her exquisite music taste and soothing sound, to presenting and producing on TV.

Soul’d Out which she hosted with Demola Sadiq and Sunday at the Seaside. Spoiling her listeners with her exquisite music taste and soothing sound, to presenting and producing on TV.

Kemi Adetiba began to produce and present several shows on Mnet, including Studio 53, Temptation Nigeria which she presented alongside Ikponmwosa Osakioduwa.

She hosted three consecutive seasons of the Maltina Dance All, She was also a presenter on Soundcity TV

She went on to host many other events such as The Silverbird Entertainment’s 25th Anniversary Gala, The Dance Theatre of Harlem’s Year-End Celebration show beside DTH founder; Arthur Michelle, the launch of the HAUTE Fashion Magazine in New York, the 2008 Future Nigeria Awards alongside Raz Adoti, the 2009 Hip-Hop World Awards and many others.

Birthing a dream.

In 2007, Kemi decided to make her dreams of being behind the camera a reality. She left Nigeria to study film at the New York Film Academy.

“I’d find it intriguing when I would go off for shoots with the cameramen, and they would be pressing buttons and fiddling, and I was like what is that? I wanted to know so much more about it. “She said.

Now Kemi is the amazing mind behind some of the best videos and movies that have come out of Nigeria.

She has since directed and produced a myriad of videos and movies including Across the Bloodied Ocean, which was screened at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles and the National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta.

She has also worked with various Nigerian artistes including Banky W, Omawumi, Lindsey Abudei, Waje, Bez, Tiwa Savage, Niyola, Olamide, TY Bello, the list goes on.

Kemi has become an icon and legend, She’s known for her ability to produce and direct videos, and tell stories with the littlest of elements.

Kemi’s work comes together to evoke not just visual and auditory senses of the viewer but excites all the viewer’s senses with a tale to hold on to.

One of her greatest achievements in the past year was directing The Wedding Party, which premiered at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and broke the box office records by raking in over 3.5 billion Naira.

The movie Wedding Party was a huge success.

King Women

When we thought that we had seen her best, she hits us with her documentary web series, King Women.

King Women highlights women from various industries narrating their personal experience, overcoming difficulties in their careers and their personal lives. It’s an online source of mentorship and inspiration, with Kemi’s mother as the source influence for the show. Her mom was her first King Woman.

Kemi has inspired the coming generation of women to never doubt themselves. She has given them experiences to guide and direct them. She has shown them that in their journey through life, they are never alone, and everything good will come.

Beyond being behind the camera, Kemi is a daughter, sister, friend and the best aunt. She loves food and in addition, she’s is a great cook. Kemi also has an amazing fashion sense and ears for great music.

Do you need a DJ? Kemi will surprise you with her “DJ-ing” skills.

Despite all this, we still haven’t seen the best of Kemi. She hopes to win an Oscar someday, showing us that the possibilities for her are endless.

We will always remember Kemi. She has given us hope, that we can make our dreams realities and be the change that we seek. The best is yet to come.