Esther Okereke, the Actress Running for Nigerian President

Esther Nkem Okereke has played many roles on screen, but now, the Nollywood star is running for the office of Nigeria’s president.

The actress and filmmaker, on May 29, secured the presidential ticket of the National Rescue Movement, setting up a potential showdown with incumbent President Bola Tinubu, Nigeria Democratic Congress’ Peter Obi and African Democratic Congress’ Atiku Abubakar.

Okereke emerged as the party’s sole candidate after a successful screening, making her the first female presidential candidate in NRM’s history.

WHO IS ESTHER OKEREKE?

Aside from acting, Okereke is a philanthropist, football club owner, construction and engineering entrepreneur, and real estate investor. Her foray into politics was hardly impulsive. It began after she earned a bachelor’s degree in Applied Science, with a focus on political science and government.

She later obtained a master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Abuja, where she is currently pursuing a doctorate.

In 2015, Okereke founded Kamdera Services Limited, a human resources, talent management, and humanitarian firm. By 2022, the company had expanded into hotel management and consulting.

Through her foundation, she has provided support for widows, vulnerable children, and other needy groups.

In 2023, Okereke launched the Gliding Stars Football Club, officially unveiling a new set of players for the team in 2024.

‘A NATIONAL RESCUE MISSION’

In her manifesto, Okereke lamented Nigeria’s current reality, stating that “the nation battles a systemic failure”.  She described her quest for the presidency as a “national rescue mission”.

Her focus, she added, is on eliminating corruption and the absence of visionary leadership that have long undermined the country’s potential.

“Nigeria is a nation today battling systemic failure. A land of enormous potential trapped by poor leadership, corruption, selfishness and lack of vision,” she said.

“We shall declare an emergency in education and power supply.

“I believe that together we can build a futuristic Nigeria that generations unborn will be glad to inherit.”

Okereke said if elected president, she would implement her framework for national rebirth, anchored in education, energy, economic renaissance, security, social welfare, sustainable development, technology, transparency, and transformation, housing, healthcare, human capital development, entrepreneurship, enterprise development, and employment creation, restitution, reorientation, and recovery.

Chinendu Obi, the national chairman of NRM, expressed confidence in both Okereke and the party’s rescue mission, saying the decision to back her reflects the resourcefulness of women and that “they are mothers”.

ACTING CAREER

Okereke’s movie catalogue includes ‘The Revealing’, ‘Muqabala’, ‘The Innocent’, ‘Venom’, ‘Wedding Saga’, ‘Enigma’, ‘Silent Sound’, and ‘Least Expected’.

Her other works are ‘Wife for a Day’, ‘Make Room’, ‘Who Killed Chief’, and ‘Crux’.

She also worked with stars like Mofe Duncan, the late Alexx Ekubo, Uzee Usman, Francis Duru, Ivie Okujaye, Victor Chude, and Stan Nze.

Source: TheCable