Jimmy Odukoya Biography

Oluwajimi Odukoya (born April 27), popularly known as Jimmy Odukoya, is a Nollywood actor, pastor, musician, relationship coach, and motivational speaker. He has, throughout the years, been successful in establishing a career for himself in the Nigerian film industry and is regarded as one of the most well-known actors in films, with an emphasis on English-language films. He also hit a great milestone in his career by appearing in the blockbuster Hollywood movie “The Woman King” alongside John Boyega.

Early Life and Education

Jimmy Odukoya was born on April 27 in Lagos State, Nigeria to Pastor Taiwo and Bimbo Odukoya, who died in the infamous 2005 Sosoliso plane crash. He has two female siblings from his deceased mother and two male siblings from his now-dead stepmother, Nomthi Odukoya, whom his father married in 2010. Jimmy has four siblings in total.

He had his primary and secondary education in Lagos State, Nigeria before moving to the United States of America where he bagged his first degree in Business Administration (advertising minor) from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma and later an MBA in Business Administration from the same school.

Career

He started singing in the church choir as he was growing up and participating in religious activities. With age, his devotion to God and the church only deepened. He moved to the United States after his elementary education, and while living in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Pastor J, as he was affectionately known, became highly involved in the Greenwood Christian Centre under Bishop Gary and Debie McIntosh. He contributed to the growth of the church and also played a significant role in the expansion of the ministry’s B.I.O. college (Bring It On).

Early in 2009, Jimmy obtained his ministerial licence. He was also ordained as a pastor at Fountain of Life Church in the same year, and when he returned in 2010, he was appointed assistant pastor of Church 3:16, which is the youth arm of the church.

He started his career in the movie industry while starring in the movie titled “Baby Shower,” produced by Desmond Elliot. Other movies he has featured in also include Lifting the Veil, Charmed, and Gyn, among others. He played the role of Oba Ade in the 2022 blockbuster Netflix movie, The Woman King. In the movie, he will be starring alongside John Boyega, Lupita Nyong’O, Thuso Mbedu, Jayme Lawson, Hero Fiennes, Tiffin, Masali Baduza, and the famous African Grammy winner, Angelique Kidjo.

He has worked with other actors in the industry such as Moyo Lawal, Elozonam, Omowunmi Dada, Adunni Ade, Ben Lugo Touitou, Keira Hewatch, Ireti Doyle, Bimbo Ademoye, and many others.

Personal Life

Jimmy is married to Oluwakemi Folashade Banjoko, now known as Kemi Odukoya, on March 9, 2013, in London. She is an English graduate who was raised in London. As he is popularly called, Pastor J and his wife, Kemi, who is an executive director at FILM, have two children together, a boy and a girl.

Controversy

Nollywood actor Jimmy Odukoya took to his social media timeline a few hours after his stepmother Nomthi Odukoya’s death was made public to announce a significant professional achievement. Jimmy Odukoya agreed it was an inappropriate time because he had just lost his stepmother, but he nonetheless said he would be working on a new Hollywood film project called “Woman King” with Grammy Award winner Angelique Kidjo, British-Nigerian John Boyega, and American actor and producer Viola Davis.

Filmography

• Celebrity Marriage
• A Lot Like Love
• Love In Sight
• Baby Palaver
• Cooked Up Love
• Baby Shower
• The Bling Lagosians
• Lifting the veil
• Tempted
• Oga Pastor
• Charmed
• Guyn Man
• The Woman King

Discography

Album

• Nostalgia

Songs

• Stand By Me
• Conquerer
• Mr. Wonder
• Your Love
• My Way
• Forever
• Oga Boss
• Jaiye
• Attention

Awards and Nominations

Jimmy has received numerous nominations, such as:

• City People Movie Award for Best Supporting Actor of the Year (English).
• Best New Actor -Scream Awards 2019
• Best Actor in a Comedy -Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards 2018
• African Film Academy Awards 2018

Net Worth

He has an estimated net worth of $500,000.

Social Media Handles

Instagram: iamthatpj
Twitter: @jimmyodukoya_