Nigeria

Amaka Igwe was a Nigerian writer, director and producer and owner of Amaka Igwe Studios. She was a visionary and pioneer of modern Nigerian TV and movie production. Some of her popular productions include Rattle Snake, Violated, Checkmate and Fuji’s House of Commotion. She also organized a TV market annually: Best of the Best TV (BOB TV), the regular fora she held for filmmakers to share ideas and critically assess their productions. Amaka Igwe graduated from the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife with a B.Sc. in Education/Religion. Sometime in the 1980s, after watching some episodes of the Lola Fani Kayode production Mirror in the Sun, she conceived the idea for a script about an all-conquering heroine like the legendary Queen Amina in a stage format. That idea blossomed to become Checkmate, a soap dwelling on issues such as male chauvinism, polygamy, secret cultism and the Osu caste system. It is regarded by many as the best Nollywood soap opera of the 90’s era and still evokes feelings of nostalgia among viewers. In 2011, Nigeria recognized her substantial efforts and immense contributions to the creative industry by awarding her with the Nigerian National Order of '"MFR," which stands for "Member of The Federal Republic of Nigeria." Igwe passed away in Enugu, Nigeria in April 2014. Her funeral was attended by Rochas Okorocha, the governor of Imo State, as well as personalities from the Nollywood film industry.

Filmography

Violated 1 -2 (1995)
Rattle Snake (1995)
Rattle Snake 2 (1995)
Violated 2 (1996)
Forever (1997)
Forever 2 (1997)
Rattle Snake 3 (1999)
A Barber’s Wisdom (2000)