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Jade Osiberu Praises Joke Silva for Crucial Isoken Support

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Jade Osiberu

Jade Osiberu praises Joke Silva for backing her during a funding pitch for debut film Isoken, highlighting women who supported her career journey

Nigerian filmmaker Jade Osiberu, founder of Greoh Studios and director of several Nollywood hits, has revealed that veteran actress Joke Silva played a decisive role in helping her secure funding for her debut feature film Isoken.

Also read: Jade Osiberu Welcomes First Child at 40

Osiberu made the revelation on Monday in an Instagram post reflecting on the women who supported her professional journey.

The filmmaker shared the story shortly after speaking at an International Women’s Day event where she discussed the impact of female mentors and advocates throughout her career.

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The filmmaker said Silva intervened during a pitch session organised by the Bank of Industry’s NollyFund programme when Osiberu was seeking a loan to produce Isoken.

According to Osiberu, several male members of the panel initially dismissed the project as unrealistic.

Silva, however, spoke in support of the proposal and ensured that Osiberu was shortlisted for funding.

“Joke Silva was the only female on the NollyFund panel when I was pitching for a loan to make my first film, Isoken,” Osiberu wrote.

“When a number of the men on the panel dismissed my plans as idealistic, Aunty J spoke up for me and ensured I was shortlisted to get the funding. I ended up being one of only a handful of filmmakers who paid back that loan.”

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Osiberu used the moment to celebrate women who have opened doors for her career.

The filmmaker also highlighted the influence of her former corporate supervisor, Lola Odedina, whom Osiberu described as her first professional champion during her banking career.

Osiberu recalled that Odedina once arranged a meeting with the managing director of GTBank to allow Osiberu pitch the idea for Ndani TV directly, a gesture the filmmaker described as a powerful boost to her confidence.

Another deeply personal moment in the reflection involved Osiberu’s mother, who offered her home as collateral for the loan used to finance Isoken.

The filmmaker said the sacrifice remains one of the most emotional memories of her early career, noting the risk her mother took to support the project.

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Osiberu also acknowledged collaborators who have contributed to her more recent success, including colleagues who helped facilitate a landmark agreement with Prime Video for her production company, Greoh Studios.

That partnership led to the release of Gangs of Lagos in 2023, the first Nigerian original film distributed on the streaming platform.

The deal formed part of a three year arrangement to produce original films and series.

Osiberu began her career in banking before transitioning into media, working with Ndani TV.

The filmmaker later moved into film production, directing and producing titles including Isoken, Sugar Rush, Brotherhood and Gangs of Lagos.

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Released in 2017, Isoken marked Osiberu’s feature film debut and established the director as one of the most influential female voices in contemporary Nollywood.

Also read: ‘Gangs of Lagos’ Director Jáde Osiberu on Making Nigeria’s First Gangster Epic

Reflecting on the journey, Osiberu described the encouragement she received from women across different stages of her career as a transformative force that shaped her path in the film industry.

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Entertainment

Lizzy Anjorin Questions Court Order Over Priscilla Ojo’s Son

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Nollywood actress Lizzy Anjorin has questioned the authenticity of an interim order issued by the Lagos State High Court on 2 September 2026, restraining her from publishing photographs of Priscilla Ojo’s one-year-old son, Rakeem Mkambala, and from posting editorials concerning the family on specified social media platforms.

Anjorin raised the issue during an Instagram Live session on Friday, 4 September, after Priscilla shared a copy of the court order online.

The actress argued that publicising court documents before formally serving the respondent undermines the case.

“Your case na dead on arrival. If you post court letter on any platform before serving person wey you wan go serve, that court case na fake court case,” Anjorin said during the live session.

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Her comments came shortly after the High Court of Lagos State granted an ex parte application brought by Priscilla, her husband, Tanzanian singer Juma Mussa Mkambala, and their son, Rakeem.

Justice Yetunde Adesanya issued the interim order in Suit No. LD/ADR/6646/2026.

The order restrains Anjorin, as well as people acting under her authority, from publishing, posting, circulating, uploading or broadcasting photographs of Rakeem on specified social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and TikTok.

The court also directed Anjorin to cease publishing or broadcasting editorials concerning the applicants on the platforms covered by the order.

An ex parte order is made at an interim stage without the respondent being heard. The order is therefore not a final determination of the dispute and remains subject to further proceedings.

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Priscilla shared the certified copy of the order on her Instagram Story on Friday, bringing the legal development into public view.

Anjorin’s reaction centres on the timing and manner in which the court documents were publicised. Her assertion that such publication makes a case “fake” is her own claim and is not a finding contained in the court order.

The development marks another chapter in the prolonged public dispute between Anjorin and Priscilla’s family, particularly Priscilla’s mother, actress Iyabo Ojo.

The disagreement has played out largely on social media and has previously resulted in legal action, including a ₦1 billion defamation suit filed by Iyabo Ojo against Anjorin.

In recent weeks, the dispute has also drawn Priscilla and her young son into the controversy, following public comments by Anjorin concerning the family.

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BBNaija Kess Says Big Brother Makes Life Harder

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Kesiena Tony Adjekpovu, popularly known as Kess, has said that participating in Big Brother Naija can make life harder, offering a candid reflection on the challenges that may come with the reality television experience.

The former Big Brother Naija housemate made the comment in a statement shared on social media, where he suggested that winning or simply taking part in the reality show does not necessarily make life easier after leaving the house.

“Big Brother makes your life harder,” Kess said.

The remark has drawn attention because life after reality television can bring a different set of expectations, particularly as former housemates adjust to increased public attention and the pressure that can accompany visibility.

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Kess was a housemate on the seventh season of Big Brother Naija, which aired in 2022. He entered the show as a businessman and was among the contestants who competed for the season’s grand prize.

His time on the programme also placed him in the public eye, giving viewers an opportunity to follow his personality and relationships inside the house.

Kess’s latest comment offers a more reflective view of the reality TV platform, suggesting that the experience does not end when a contestant leaves the house.

However, he did not provide further details in the available post explaining which specific aspects of life after Big Brother he was referring to.

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Damilola Oni Suffers Backlash at Mama Deola Movie Premiere

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Damilola Oni

Nigerian actress Damilola Oni has come under heavy fire across social media over her controversial outfit at the star-studded Mama Deola movie premiere (more…)

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