Damilola Oni is a Nigerian actress, television presenter and film producer from Oyo State whose career has developed across Yoruba television, stage performance and Nollywood. She became widely recognisable through the Africa Magic Yoruba breakfast show Aajiirebi before building an acting profile through productions such as Borokini, Ajumobi, Olóládé, Sisters in Crime and Blacksmith: Alagbede. Her growing 2026 filmography, including Mofe, Oba Eto, Okiri Oko, Maryam 2 and My Brother My Family, reflects a career that is moving beyond television into broader film production and storytelling.
Damilola Oni Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Damilola Oni |
| Date of birth | May 2 |
| Place of birth | Coker, Orile-Iganmu, Lagos State |
| State of origin | Oyo State |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Profession | Actress, TV presenter and film producer |
| Education | Linguistics, University of Ibadan |
| Years active | 2017 to date |
| Known for | Aajiirebi, Borokini, Ajumobi, Olóládé |
Early Life and Education
Damilola Oni was born on May 2 in Coker, Orile-Iganmu, Lagos State, and comes from an Oyo State background. She is the eldest and only daughter in a family of four children, with three brothers. Her interest in performance began early through church drama, while her time at Federal Government Girls’ College in Oyo exposed her to Yoruba poetry, including Ewi and Esa.
She later studied Linguistics at the University of Ibadan, where her interest in performance continued through stage work at the Wole Soyinka Arts Theatre. She participated in auditions, rehearsals and stage productions while studying. During her National Youth Service Corps programme in Enugu State, she also served as drama coordinator and headed a drama team in Nsukka.
Her academic journey did not end with her first degree. Oni later obtained a master’s degree in Indigenous Knowledge and Development under Sustainable Development at the University of Ibadan, adding an academic connection to culture and indigenous knowledge that complements her work in Yoruba-language entertainment.
How Damilola Oni Started Her Nollywood Career
Before establishing herself as an actress, Oni worked in the telecommunications sector in Lagos. Her major breakthrough in entertainment came when she auditioned for Aajiirebi, an Africa Magic Yoruba magazine breakfast programme, and was selected from more than 100 applicants to become a co-presenter.
The television opportunity gave her regular visibility and helped audiences become familiar with her personality before she fully established herself in film. She also trained at REG Films and Arts Academy in Ibadan, known as REFA, which helped prepare her for professional screen acting.
Oni’s early screen career included Lovage, in which she appeared alongside Lateef Adedimeji and Jaiye Kuti. She subsequently gained greater recognition playing Susan in Borokini, an Africa Magic Yoruba series, while later taking on the role of Dumebi in Ajumobi. She reportedly appeared in more than 200 episodes of Ajumobi, demonstrating the consistency of her television career.
Breakthrough Through Aajiirebi and Yoruba Television
Aajiirebi became an important part of Oni’s rise because it placed her directly in front of Yoruba-speaking television audiences on a regular basis. She has described the programme as a major game changer because appearing on television every morning increased her visibility and made her recognisable to viewers. Her simultaneous presence on Borokini further strengthened that recognition.
Her television background also became part of her identity as an entertainer. Rather than following a single route into Nollywood, Oni developed experience as a presenter, stage performer and screen actress, giving her a broader understanding of communication and audience engagement.
Damilola Oni Movies and Filmography
Oni’s filmography has expanded across Yoruba and English-language productions. Her documented screen credits include Lovage, Borokini, Ajumobi, Romeo and Motade, Sisters in Crime, Olóládé, Apo (The Bag), Irora Iya, Iwa Eda and Blacksmith: Alagbede.
Her 2026 credits show continued activity in the industry, with listings including Mofe, Oba Eto, Okiri Oko, Hotel La Wa, Maryam 2 and My Brother My Family. These projects demonstrate that her career is continuing to develop beyond the television productions that first introduced her to a wider audience.
Damilola Oni as a Producer
Oni has also moved into film production, an important development in her career. In earlier interviews, she disclosed that she had already produced several movies, showing that her ambitions extended beyond performing other people’s scripts.
That transition is significant because producing gives her greater involvement in the creative and business decisions behind a project. It also fits with her longstanding interest in Yoruba language, culture and indigenous storytelling.
The Jigan Babaoja Kissing-Scene Story
One of the most discussed stories connected to Damilola Oni’s career involved an on-set decision concerning a kissing scene with actor Jigan Babaoja. In discussing professional boundaries and her experiences in Nollywood, Oni made it clear that actors can have different personal limits regarding what they are willing to do for a role.
The incident became part of the wider conversation around boundaries on Nigerian movie sets. However, it should be understood as one documented episode in her career rather than the defining story of who she is as an actress.
Damilola Oni on Career Challenges
Oni has spoken openly about the difficulties she experienced when she first entered the professional movie industry. She described having to adapt to the pace of production, including the challenge of shooting many scenes in a day. She also revealed that her father initially wanted her to pursue law and was not immediately comfortable with her decision to become an actress.
Her experience reflects a familiar path in Nigerian entertainment, where performers sometimes have to convince their families that a creative career can become a serious profession. In Oni’s case, her increasing television visibility eventually helped her family understand the direction she had chosen.
Damilola Oni, Culture and Yoruba Storytelling
Oni’s academic and professional interests have consistently connected her to Yoruba language and culture. She studied linguistics with a focus on Yoruba at the University of Ibadan and later pursued postgraduate studies related to indigenous knowledge and development. Her work in Yoruba television has therefore complemented rather than separated her from her academic background.
This cultural grounding has become an identifiable part of her career. Through acting, presenting and production, she has participated in a section of Nollywood where language, cultural expression and indigenous storytelling remain central to the audience experience.
Damilola Oni’s Husband and Family
Damilola Oni’s family background is publicly documented to a limited extent. She has identified herself as the first child and only daughter in a family with three younger brothers, while her father initially opposed her acting career before eventually accepting it.
Reliable public information does not establish a husband or confirmed marriage status strongly enough to present one as fact. For that reason, claims about her husband or romantic relationships should not be treated as established biographical information without stronger evidence.
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Current Career
As of 2026, Damilola Oni is continuing to build her career across acting and film production. Her expanding list of recent projects indicates that she has moved beyond the early stage of being known primarily for Aajiirebi and Borokini. She is increasingly positioned as a multi-skilled Nollywood professional with experience in front of the camera and behind production decisions.
FAQs About Damilola Oni
How old is Damilola Oni?
Damilola Oni’s publicly documented birth date is May 2, but a reliable birth year has not been firmly established.
Where is Damilola Oni from?
She is from Oyo State, although she was born in Coker, Orile-Iganmu, Lagos State.
What did Damilola Oni study?
She studied Linguistics at the University of Ibadan and later obtained a master’s degree related to Indigenous Knowledge and Development.
What movies is Damilola Oni known for?
Her credits include Lovage, Olóládé, Sisters in Crime, Blacksmith: Alagbede, Mofe, Oba Eto, Okiri Oko, Maryam 2 and My Brother My Family.
Conclusion
Damilola Oni’s career represents a gradual progression from church drama and Yoruba poetry to university stage acting, television presenting, Nollywood acting and film production. Aajiirebi gave her an important public platform, while productions such as Borokini and Ajumobi helped establish her as a recognisable Yoruba screen actress.
Her expanding 2026 filmography now points to another stage in that journey. By combining acting, presenting, cultural knowledge and production, Damilola Oni is building a career that reaches beyond simply appearing in movies and places her increasingly within the creative process of Nigerian filmmaking.
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