Styled Count Down To A Fantastic MO At 60!
Nigerian Media Mogul and Chief Executive Officer of Ebony Life TV, Mosunmola Abudu, popularly known as MO Abudu, recently celebrated her 60th birthday on September 11th, 2024, in a head-turning way. The renowned filmmaker had a 10-day countdown to her birthday, in which she posted a series of jaw-dropping images daily. Her elegance and style were shown tremendously through her self-styled images.
Styling herself for these shoots, in collaboration with the finest creatives, she continually showcased her impeccable taste, which balances classic grace with a modern edge. From gowns to a cute short set, to pumps and pink platform heels, each look exuded the confidence of a woman who has not only made her mark in media but has done it fashionably well.
On September 1st, MO kicked off the excitement by announcing her birthday countdown on Instagram. “It’s 10 days to 60!” she wrote, sharing her plan to mark each day with a new photo. Tagging the series “10 Days to 60 Photographs,” Mo promised something special leading up to her big day.
MO Abudu, the CEO of Ebonylife Group, began her media journey with Moments with Mo, a syndicated talk show, which captivated audiences because of the captivating issues discussed. The talk show laid the foundation for the birth of Ebonylife TV, an entertainment and lifestyle network. While Ebonylife TV ended streaming exclusively on DSTV in 2020, Ebonylife Films ushered in a new era, producing box-office hits such as The Wedding Party, Oloture, and Chief Daddy.
To mark her 60th birthday, Mo hosted her grand party at Ebonylife Place, an entertainment and lifestyle hub nestled in the heart of Victoria Island. The venue was divided into various sections, each offering a unique experience; where guests were treated to the rhythm of Afrobeats at the ‘Afrobeats Inferno,’ given a chance to showcase their outfits in the ‘Eko Glam Zone,’ enjoyed the serene atmosphere in the ‘Jinja Enchanted Oasis,’ and savored delights at the ‘Pizza Garden.’
MO Abudu, is the only African on The Hollywood Reporter’s “Most Powerful Women in International Television” 2024. Her recognition as one of the Most Powerful Women in International Television, as curated by The Hollywood Reporter, excited her so much that she shared her excitement on Instagram, proudly noting that she is the only African woman on the prestigious 2024 list. In her post, she expressed hope for a future where more African women are celebrated for their contributions to global storytelling. She emphasized the need to move beyond the “tokenism”, surrounding Black content, highlighting that shows with Black characters often receive limited opportunities compared to their white counterparts. This year’s list comes during significant changes in the global television industry, making the leadership of women like MO Abudu essential.
Other notable women featured alongside her include: Zeinab Abu Alsamh, GM, MBC Studios (Saudi Arabia) Maria Pia Ammirati, Director, Rai Fiction (Italy) Javiera Balmaceda, Head of Originals Latin America, Canada and Australia, Amazon Studios (Latin America) Rola Bauer, Head of Pan-English scripted SVOD TV, development and series, Amazon (Germany) Renata Brandão, CEO, Conspiração Filmes (Brazil) Carol Choi, Managing Director Japan, exec VP APAC int’l market/local original productions, Disney (Japan) Jane Featherstone, Co-founder/chief creative officer, Sister (U.K.) Verónica Fernández, Director content originals series and films, Spain & Portugal, Netflix (Spain) Laura Fernández Espeso, CEO, The Mediapro Studio (Spain) Cécile Frot-Coutaz, CEO, Sky Studios /chief content officer, Sky (U.K.) Helen Gregory, Joint Managing Director, See-Saw Films (U.K.) Jay Hunt, (Industry Leader) Creative director of worldwide video, Europe, Apple (U.K.) Emiko Iijima, VP anime production, Crunchyroll (Japan) Minyoung Kim, VP content for Asia Pacific (ex-India), Netflix (South Korea/ Japan/Taiwan/ Southeast Asia/ Australia/New Zealand) Miky Lee, Vice-chair, CJ Group (South Korea) Marie Leguizamo, Managing director, Banijay Mexico & U.S. Hispanic (Latin America) Anna Marsh, CEO, StudioCanal; Deputy CEO, Canal+ Group (France) Carolyn McCall, CEO, ITV (U.K.) Anne Mensah, VP U.K. content, Netflix (U.K.) Charlotte Moore, Chief Content Officer, BBC (U.K.) Cathy Payne, CEO, Banijay Rights (U.K.) Gabriela Rodríguez, Head of company, Esperanto Filmoj (U.K.) Julie Roy, CEO, Telefilm Canada (Canada) Monika Shergill, VP of content, Netflix India (India) Prerna Singh, CEO, Bhansali Productions (India) Julia Stuart, Director, Sky Original Film (U.K.) Karen Thorne-Stone, President/CEO, Ontario Creates (Canada) Jane Tranter, Co-founder/CEO, Bad Wolf (U.K.) Jane Turton, CEO, All3Media (U.K.) Yang Xiaopei, Founder/CEO, Xixi Pictures (China)
Chiamaka Nnadigwe