Jude Idada

Jude Idada is a Nigerian actor, poet, playwright and producer best known for writing the feature film, The Tenant. He has also produced and written several other short films and books.

Early life and education Idada was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria. He attended command children's school Bonny Camp in Victoria Island.

Idada was a pure science student in high school without any background in the arts. He initially applied to study medicine in the university but later, he changed his course of study to agricultural economics. After a couple of semesters in agriculture, Idada quit studying agricultural economics and stayed at home for nine months after which, he got admitted to the University of Ibadan to study theater arts where he had his first degree.

Career After graduation, Idada worked at Guardian Express Bank, a job he got while he was still a corps member after which he moved to Arthur Andersen. He immigrated to Canada, did a postgraduate and worked in banks, telecommunication firms and along that line. After seeing a short film with friends, he resigned his job to pursue writing and film production.

He is the Artistic director of the Africa Theatre Ensemble in Toronto, Canada. Idada has stage plays, collection of short stories, poetry to his credit. Stage plays: Flood, Brixton Stories, Lost and Coma, 3some. He has also written and published a collection of short stories: A Box of Chocolates, Exotica Celestica. Written and directed Stage plays: Oduduwa – King of the Edos, By My Own Hands and a children's book Didi Kanu and the Singing Dwarfs of the North.

As an acting coach, Idada teaches a wide variety of thespians, the rudiments and technicalities of acting for stage and for film. He has also guest lectured for the African Theatre Ensemble in Canada, the Mofilm/Unilever Sunlight Foundation Film Project in Nigeria, the AIDS foundation in Guyana. In addition, he has chaired several panels at International Film Festivals and writing for various magazines. More than Comedy (A Biography of Efosa ‘Efex’ Iyamu) – 2015 Didi Kanu and the Singing Dwarfs of the North – 2015- Createspace/Creoternity Books By My Own Hands – 2014 – Createspace/Creoternity Books A Box of Chocolates – 2005 – Trafford Publishing (Collection of Short Stories) Boom Boom – 2019 – Winepress Publishing

Poetry

Exotica Celestica – 2012 – Createspace/Creoternity Books Meditations of a Traveling Mind – 2004 Oh My Lord! – 1992

Songs Firefly – 2016 – Chibie; Producer: Brian Quaye, Chibie Okoye Life is Sweet– 2013 – Chibie; Producer: Jeff McCulloch Speed Demon – 2013– Chibie; Producer: Jeff McCulloch Revolution – 2013 – Chibie; Producer: Soji Oyinsan I No Be Tenant – 2010 – Blacko Blaze ft Chibie; Producer: Blacko Blaze, Released by Broken Manacles Entertainment

Acting credits 8 Bars and A Clef (Feature Film) – Dir Chioma Onyenwe – 2014 The Tenant (Feature Film) – Dir Lucky Ejim – 2006 Death and the Kings Horseman (Stage Play) – Dir Ronald Wiehs – 2004 The Prize (Stage Play) – Dir Lekan Fagbade – 2000 Inside (Short Film) – Dir Idada – 2000 Ezenwanyi (Stage Play) – Dir Chetachukwu Udo – Ukpai – 1999 The Woman in my Closet (Short Film) – Dir Idada – 1999 Young Wise Fools (Short Film) – Dir Idada – 1999 Doom (Stage Play) – Dir Yacoub Adeleke – 1997 Grip Am (Stage Play) – Dir Dare Fasasi – 1997 Hopes of the Living Dead (Stage Play) – Dir Lekan Fagbade – 1998 Queen Idia (Stage Play) – Dir Israel Eboh −1998 Human Zoo (Stage Play) – Dir Dare Fasasi – 1997 Snares of Lucifer (Stage Play) – Dir Idada, Ifeanyi Agu – 1993, 1997 Your God is Dead (Stage Play) – Dir Idada – 1994 Power of Love (Stage Play)- Dir Idada – 1994, 1999 Eku (Stage Play) – Dir Wale Macaulay – 1995 Atakiti (Stage Play) – Dir Esikinni Olusanyin – 1995

Awards and recognition