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By IFECHI OKOH
Today, Showbiz Xtra will be showcasing the four remaining showbiz acts with the big bucks, which we started since last week. Welcome to this concluding part of the parade, beginning with Don Jazzy, Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola Ekehinde and Ini Edo.
DON JAZZY
This biggest boy in contemporary music production concern in Nigeria is still enjoying his applause as a music producer which his past solid jobs may have fetched him. Hence, till date, those that matter on the beats scene are still reverencing him as a master in standard music packaging.
Don Jazzy, born as Michael Enebeli, according to a feeler in the know, started his romance with music when he was five years old. Since then, his eyes have been on studio equipment like Microphone and the Console. He has never been found missing from the studio environment itself.As a result, he was frequently in touch with these instruments and was watching closely too, how professionals play them, thereby building himself unwittingly for the great task of productions in future.
As at this time, he was already a member of the Good Morning Kids, a musical group created by his father.
With such strong background and knowledge acquired, he prepared himself for the great task of music production, from which his reputation came. Like somebody set for music production of a class, it did not take him long to establish himself when he set up Mohits Record with DBanj, before they parted ways and he started Marvin Records years later.
He was said to have invested as much as N2.8 billion in setting up Mohits record. No wonder the concern made it within the shortest possible time. His income largely comes from endorsements which are obviously sizable. His Lekki mansion estimated at N160 million is a tacit confirmation. Jazzy is among the few celebrated Nigerian music producers with big bucks.
GENEVIEVE NNAJI
This modest and front seat actress, actually kick started her acting career from Zeb Ejiros old generation Ripples as child actress at the age of eight years.
It is on good source that she featured in so many top adverts on the television screen. Some of them include the Pronto beverage and Omo detergent. When Gene, as she is massively called, turned her back on TV ads at 19 years, she hit it big in Nollywood when the pretty actress starred in the movie, Most Wanted.
In 2002, her career took a dramatic leap when she appeared in a big budget movie Sharon Stone. That was all she actually needed to get into international focus.Interestingly, her financial benefits were loud and they also showed in her good looks and wears too. Her international exposure and new status as an actress, re-invented Nollywood automatically and introduced it to the rest of the world.As a result, she became Nigerias International Ambassador within a twinkle of an eye.
With fame and links, came wealth in one-fell swoop.Like the smart lady Gene is, she made good money within the shortest possible time which really gave her the necessary leverage and gaping mileage that actually took her far, much more than expected. She consolidated her position and wealth, helping the celebrity actress to beef up her professional fees to 2.5 million per job. Since then, she had never looked back till date. Amusingly, the expensive jobs tumbled in, making her inevitably the mega bucks actress, living life to its best; and fullest too.
OMOTOLA EKEHINDE
Due to her huge natural stature, which no beauty-conscious mortal can ignore her. This makes the presence of this cross-over Nollywood actress to be embraced and applauded inevitably. Money which would have been a worrisome factor to warrant possible look down too, is there to compliment it. So what else? To top it all, she is among Nigeria's celebrity showbiz persons with the big bucks.
The six-footer, massively called Omo Sexy, according to informed sources, is currently worth N250M which actually stamped the fact that she has paid her dues in Nollywood, no matter how anybody looks at it. That is in her star appearances in both English and Yoruba productions, especially in the English movies.
Omo Sexy, who knowledgeable feelers in the industry maintained, charges as much as N5M per English production, has reportedly turned down scripts worth just N3M. This was buttressed by a N2.5M production she turned down which Ireti Doyle embraced.
She got a whopping N5M for her role in the Amina movie. It was only in Ties that bind that she settled for N4.5M after serious and several negotiations,Showbiz Xtragathered.
The restless disposition of this pretty actress which gave her the courage to delve into music, may have also contributed obviously to her financial standing today.
INI EDO
The elegant looking and stylish actress from the oil-rich Niger Delta region of Akwa Ibom State, is undoubtedly a contender in the community of Nigerian showbiz celebrities with the big bucks.
Her beauty and acting prowess may have paid-off quietly, fetching her corporate attention and patronage of Nigeria's only indigenous telecommunications player, Globalcom which reportedly paid her millions as one of their ambassadors, years back.
She has also received various and Juicy corporate endorsements, running into millions, one of which wasNoble Hair Products, worth N50M, a whopping sum, no doubt. Edo could be simply be described as one of the few lucky Nollywood female celebrities whom God just decided to bless in line with the saying in the bible that God blesses those He loves while they are asleep.