RMD: Tribute to a Made Man

By Dayo Farore

Born Richard Evans Eyimofe Damijo into a polygamous family of 18 children on Tuesday, July 6, 1961 in Warri, the Urhobo–Aladja bound iconic actor-turned-politician started his early days in the Niger Delta. ‘Okan so so Ajanaku’ like the Yorubas would put it, he was the only child of his mother and even if Larry King never saw him grow, you’ll agree to the amount of pressure he must have gone through while growing up, worth being televised. Sometimes the loneliness of not having someone to watch his back when bullied during his days at Warri’s Midwest College, Sapele’s Anglican Grammar School, Okpara Waterside in the defunct Bendel State (the present Delta State) and even during his A-Levels at St. Patrick College in Asaba, the age where some still get bullied in school. Those who take your lunch money and still make you labour for them.

Perhaps it was his irresistible look and amazing charm that marked his hard-to-admit-but-true experience at a young age of 19. Experiences that remain a part of his life till this day. During his years at the University of Benin, his girlfriend got pregnant and like any desperate average young man, he talked her into an abortion which he later found out she never had. And just as he was starting to believe it couldn’t get worse than that, he got another shocker while he was about to launch out to go serve his motherland in the NYSC after graduating in 1983 with a First Class from his father informing him that his new girlfriend was pregnant too. At the age of 19, he already had two children out of wedlock.

He began his professional Nollywood career with ‘Ripples’, a TV soap opera, after the successful completion of his NYSC service in Bauchi State. His first lead role was in ‘The Last Omen’, even though many believe his fame arose in the classic soap opera, ‘Checkmate’ where he played Segun Kadiri alongside iconic stars like Liz Benson and Segun Arinze. However, his years at the university back in ’82 witnessed a great theatrical success with him playing Emeka, a lead character in the drama ‘Echoes of Wrath’, which recorded his break into on-screen significance and the drama later won the NTA National Annual Drama Competition.

RMD also had a stint with Concord Newspaper as a reporter after which he got married to a foremost journalist and publisher, late MEE Mofe – Damijo who founded Classique Magazine. The amazing career woman, amiable talk-show host, mother and philanthropist, MEE (May Ellen Ezekiel) died on Saturday, March 23, 1996. And according to RMD, she remained the great woman who polished him and helped his troubled career, even though many claimed he married her back then for her money. At a point, RMD started Mister Magazine exclusively on men, but this was soon rested and he later returned to acting and public relations.

Returning to academics in 1997, RMD went on to study law at the University of Lagos and graduated in 2004, the same year he innovated the Made in Warri Show.

And in 1999, RMD found love again three years after the death of MEE (May Ellen Ezekiel) Mofe-Damijo in the arms of former AIT presenter, Jumobi Adegbesan.

And on Thursday, January 6, 2011 the couple celebrated their 10th year wedding anniversary.

Before his appointment as the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, the position which he still holds till date in Delta State, he was the Special Adviser to the Governor on Entertainment by the state government in 2009.

The father of 6 has featured in over 40 Nollywood movies, which include; When God Says Yes with Pete Edochie and Stella Damascus-Aboderin, The Legend with Kate Henshaw-Nuttal, Danger Signal with Desmond Elliot, Critical Decision with Genevieve Nnaji and Stephanie Okereke, Bridge-Stone with Liz Benson and Zack Orji, Indecent Girl with Ini Edo, Indecent Act with Rita Dominic and Critical Assignment with international star, Hakeem Kae-Kazim (Hotel Rwanda 2004).

Hon. Richard Mofe-Damijo without doubts is an example of an average Nigerian man who looked life in the eyeball and dared against all odds. Judging from where he stands today, RMD is a true Made Man. Amongst his many achievements is the historical commendable credit of bagging the Best Actor prize at the maiden edition Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2005.

Happy 50th Birthday, Richard.