Mosunmola Abudu popularly known as Mo Abudu is a woman of many parts. She’s a human resource expert, media mogul, venture capitalist, film maker, television hostess and hospitality practitioner. The wonder is that she excels at them all.
Mo Abudu was born in Hammersmith, London, United Kingdom to Nigerian parents over 61 years ago. She attended Ridgeway School, MidKent College and University of Westminster for her primary, secondary and University education in England. However, she had a brief stint in her paternal Ondo town for effective grounding in her formative years.
Mo Abudu started out life as a Human Resources specialist and was headhunted by Exxon Mobil from the United Kingdom for their Nigerian office. She was head of Human Resources and Training. She later resigned to start Vic Lawrence Associates, a highly successful human resource agency that pulled all the stops in project and people management. She facilitated several hotel projects during the period.
It was this time that she experienced a hunger or pull into the media space with the launch of her eponymous Moments with Mo talkshow. This show was a runaway success in Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and other countries as well. She is credited with enriching interviews with international and national guests such as Secretary Hilary Clinton, Kirk Franklin, Prof Wole Soyinka, President Goodluck Jonathan and countless dignitaries.
She still wasn’t done as she made a foray into the entertainment industry with the establishment of Ebony Life Television, Ebony Life Films with multiple films, series and podcasts. She produced such critically acclaimed films and series such as Wedding Party, Chief Daddy, Castle and Castle, Sons of Caliphate, Royal Hibiscus Hotel, Oloture, Fifty among others.
She partnered with Lagos state government and other private stakeholders to establish Ebony Creative Academy to train young creative professionals in film production. She also provided them with seed grants to execute projects. This is her attempt at giving back to an industry replete with massive opportunities.
Mo Abudu is a peripatetic personality who thrives in breaking barriers and shattering glass ceilings. She opened Ebony Life Place, a luxury boutique hotel, restaurants and cinema space in Lagos. She’s expanding with a London branch opening this summer.
We doff our hats to Mosunmola Abudu for her massive strides in a previously dominated male industry. She is certainly a befitting feature on our special International Women’s Day Series on Influential women in Nigeria throughout the month of March.
Please join the conversation with your comments and feedback on this and other topics to mooborscounsellingroom@gmail.com.
By Mubo Okosun
Women’s Editor.
