Yewande Adekoya Biography and Family Life Explored

Yewande Adekoya (Born 20 January 1983; Age: 41) is a Nigerian award-winning actress, writer, content creator, makeup artist, producer, and filmmaker famous for her roles in Bantale (2022), Iwa Eda (2022), Omo Elemosho (2013), and Black Veil (2019).

In her private life, Yewande is a mother of two and is married to the Nollywood actor Abiodun Ishola Thomas. She has also juggled being a businesswoman with owning a production company and running a YouTube Channel. Here’s more about her.

All to Know About Yewande’s Family and Education

Yewande Adekoya was born in the city of Lagos State n January 20, 1984. She is originally from Ogun State, a native of the Ososa-Ijebu Area. The actress was born the first of 5 children, and her siblings are; Temitayo Adekoya, Abayomi Adekoya, Abidemi Adekoya, and Abiola Adekoya.

While her parents maintain private lives, they have played huge roles in her career as they supported and even financed her first scripted and produced movie, Life Secret, which came out in 2006/2007.

As regards her education, Yewande’s basic and secondary educational journey started at Bright Star Nursery and Primary School, Somolu; and Bright Star Comprehensive High School in Bariga, Lagos.

After her secondary education, the actress obtained a diploma from the National Institute of Information Technology in Network Engineering. Later on, she was admitted into Lagos State University before leaving for Babcock University, where she was awarded a bachelor’s degree in Mass communication.

Yewande Adekoya Started Her Career at the Age of 18

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The multifaceted actress found her interest in acting early in life, and by the time she was 18 in 2002, she began acting. At the time, she was mostly involved in stage performances with the Alphabash music and Theatre Group. Since then, she has been involved in numerous movies that are mostly in the Yoruba language.

Despite the fame she may have gathered over the years and the many roles that come her way, Yewande has always been particular about the roles she interprets. One of such instance is rejecting sexually explicit movies.

Regardless, she has often been described as one of the most talented and has worked with stars like Funsho Adeolu, Bimbo Ademoye, Wunmi Toriola, Seun Akindele, Lateef Adedimeji, Abayomi Alvin, Iyabo Ojo, and Femi Adebayo to name but a few.

The 41-Year-Old Explores the Aspects of Writing, Producing, and Directing Movies

Shortly after Yewande Adekoya delved into acting, she produced her first television drama series called Life Secret. The TV series was shot between 2006 and 2007 and then aired on over 20 local stations in the country in 2008. By 2009, it was already showing on African Magic and had gained good attention.

As a producer, Yewande is making a name for herself behind the scenes with her directing and producing expertise. The inception of her production company called “Ednawey Productions” came to be in August 2006. Consequently, the company has been able to produce movies such as Omo Elemosho (2013), which was nominated five times at the 10th Africa movie academy awards in 2014.

Under the umbrella of The Ednawey Production, she has produced other movies like Oba Esan (2020) and Iwa Eda (2022), among others. The Kudi Klepto sensation has also directed award-winning movies like Iyawo Adegigba, which won a City People’s Movie Award for best movie of the year (Yoruba) in 2017.

Yewande Adekoya’s versatility can be easily seen in how she mixes her vast talent with writing. Some of the content she has written are movies such as Bantale (2022) and Omo Elemosho (2013).

In a thriving industry such as Nollywood, production and directing entail skill and hard work. Yewande Adekoya is among the few that are setting the pace. Some famed producers and directors she has worked with are; Funke Akindele, Adebayo Tijani, Mary Remmy Njoku (ROK Studios), Tunde Kelani, and Simon Peacemaker, amongst others.

The Best of Yewande Adekoya’s Movies

Omo Elemosho (2013)

The movie, which was released in 2013, has remained one of the driving forces behind Yewande Adekoya’s fame. Today, many Yoruba movie lovers still rave over the movie that was written and produced by the actress.

Omo Elemosho is an epic movie set in the land of Ijagbe. Yewande played the role of ‘Ero,’ the goddess of comfort and injustice who sets out to help her loyal worshippers. Despite the movie being among her early and most challenging, it is significantly one of her very best.

In 2014, the film got a five-nomination stand at the 10th Africa movie academy awards. The movie featured the likes of Bimbo Oshin, Muyiwa Ademola, and Toyin Abraham, to name a few.

Kudi Klepto (2014)

Kudi Klepto is a story that centers on “Kudi,” a role played by the Lagos State-born actress. Her character was struck with a strange spiritual air that forced her to become a Kleptomaniac.

Her interpretation of the role has drawn massive attention to her, and since then, many people refer to her as Kudi Klepto. Additionally, Kudi Klepto got an award for best actress in Leading Role at the Best of Nollywood Awards in 2014. The movie featured stars such as Lateef Adedimeji.

Despite the success of the movie shoot, Adekoya had been under stress working as a producer and actor at the time of the movie and eventually collapsed on set. The actress was able to be revived only about ten minutes after she fainted on set.

Kuru Kuru (2015)

In 2015, Yewande once again thrilled her fans with one of her productions, Kuru Kuru. The movie was released in three parts and featured actors like Kemi Afolabi and Odunlade Adekola. The soundtrack of the movie was done by Bukunmi Oluwasina, a Nigerian actress and singer who sang alongside Johnny Drille in “You will never be mine.”

Kuru Kuru earned Yewande an award as best actress in 2016 at the ACI Award ceremony in Atlanta, USA.

Iyawo Adegigba (2017)

The movie seeks to portray a hunter and prince of the royal household who, in a bid to seek vengeance, unhinges unknown terror, war, and tragedy in his community. Although his initial quest was against the leadership of his village, Irepodun, it will eventually be known what grave consequences lay in wait for them.

The actress played the roles of ‘Ayoka,’ a notorious ancestor, and her twin, ‘Awero.’ It featured actors such as Mercy Aigbe, Ibrahim Chatta, Afeez Eniola, and Joke Muyiwa.

Iyawo Adedigba received an award in 2017 for the Best Movie of the Year at the City People Movie Awards

Bantale (2022)

With the likes of Bimbo Ademoye, Adeniyi Johnson, and Joseph Momodu, the movie Bantale seems to be ranking as a highly anticipated movie.  The English movie was written and produced by Yewande Adekoya in conjunction with ROK Studios. The movie depicts kindness, betrayal, and abrupt changes.

Awards and Nominations

• City Peoples Entertainment Award for Best New Actress (2014)
• Yoruba Movie Academy Awards for Most Promising Actress (2014)
• Most Promising Act Award at Yoruba Heritage Awards (2014- United States)
• Best Actress in a Leading Role at ACI Awards (2016)

She is Involved in Several Other Businesses

Makeup artist

Notwithstanding her present success, Yewande Adekoya once upon a time was just a makeup artist in the industry. She, in fact, was an assistant make-up artist in the movie The Campus Queen (2004).

She Owns a YouTube Channel 

In April 2021, Yewande Adekoya TV was officially introduced on YouTube and has since gained over ten thousand channel subscribers. The ongoing two-seasoned series of Sweet Lolly is getting a lot of attention. She has also combined her style with funny skits, which she creates for the viewing pleasure of her fans.

Who is Yewande Adekoya’s Husband? 

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Abiodun Ishola Thomas is Yewande’s husband. He is a Nollywood actor, producer, and content creator. Ishola is known for his roles in movies such as Cupid (2018), Belladonna (2018), Oba Esan (2020), and Iwa Eda (2022). He is also known as “Aunt Milly” on social media as he creates skits and content posing as a lady or a funny individual.

Asides from his acting career and skits, not much is known of his private life. Looking into how the couple met, Yewande was visiting a friend at a hospital after she graduated from Babcock University and was called up for her NYSC (National Youth Service Corps) program in Ibadan in 2008.

However, not much was exchanged between the pair until she came back fully for her service year and ran into him. Following that, the celebrity actors dated for five years before tying the knot on February 14 (Valentine’s day) in 2013 at a Federal Marriage Registry.

Inside Yewande Adekoya’s Marriage

2 years after the wedding, Yewande Adekoya delivered their first child named Precious Abiodun in 2015. Before the birth of the child and while she was still pregnant, she wrote and produced one of her most acclaimed films, Kuru Luru.

About 5 years after the birth of the first child and about 7 after they got married, Yewande and her husband welcomed their second daughter, Treasure Abiodun, in April 2020. Both girls enjoy the attention of their parents and are seen in videos uploaded by their parents.

While the couple may have lasted more than a decade and sometimes portrayed a picture-perfect relationship, sources have it that trouble was brewing underneath. It was disclosed in April 2022 that the celebrity’s marriage was on the verge of crashing. The actor, Abiodun Thomas, had allegedly packed out of their matrimonial home to an unknown destination.

Yewande Adekoya claimed that her estranged husband had emotionally abused her and remained unfaithful throughout their many years of relationship. In the same way, she maintained that Abiodun Thomas was controlling and did not treat or love her well during their time together. The popular actress called out her husband’s behavior as one who preferred to live a lavish lifestyle rather than being responsible, otherwise leaving her to foot most of their bills.

Although the couple is not officially divorced, they are, however, living separate lives. Their children are still living with their mother, Yewande.

She Has Been Involved in Some Controversies

She was involved in a Fraud Case

While the actress may have enjoyed a life of fame, her name was called in a bank transfer fraud case in 2017 when she was said to have been arrested in Atlanta, United States. The news further claimed that she was placed on house arrest by police following her heading to the country in relation to the Oodua Image Awards, which took place in Houston.

The claim also went further to add that it was some Nigerians in Atlanta that asked for her bank account to be used for the transfer of funds. Unknowing to her, the activity was a fraudulent one, and the transaction was linked to her.

Nonetheless, she had come out to refute the claim and stand to her ground that nothing of sort had ever taken place. Instead, she woke up one morning only to see that she was trending over an incident she had no idea of.

She Had a Clash with Her Marketer Over Cheating

In the aspects of movie rewards, Yewande had claimed that her marketer, Mr. Akeem Olatuni Balogun of Olasco film, was allegedly defrauding and cheating her out of her movie rewards.

She called him out in 2016 after he had been in charge of marketing several of her movies, such as Emere, Omo Elemosho, Irawo Meji, Igbo Dudu, Kudi Klepto, and at that time, the newly released Kuru Kuru. Subsequently, she received N300,000 as compensation for Kuru Kuru and two other movies.