Chioma Omeruah (born 14 May 1976), better known as Chigul, is a Nigerian comedian, singer and actress who is known for her accents and comedic characters.[1][2]
Chioma Omeruah | |
|---|---|
| Born | Chioma Omeruah 14 May 1976 Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria |
| Other names | Chigul |
| Education | Delaware State University |
| Occupation | Actress | Comedian | MC | Talk show host |
| Known for | Voices and characters |
| Notable work | Out of Luck | Her Matters |
| Parent | Samson Omeruah (father) |
| Website | theonlychigul |
| Signature | |
 | |
Early Life
editOmeruah was born in Yaba, Lagos to Igbo parents. She moved away whilst still a baby. She is the second child of four children of Air Commodore Samson Omeruah and Mrs Omeruah.[3]
Education
editShe had her primary and secondary education in Lagos. During her secondary school days, she attended two Air Force secondary schools one in Jos, Plateau State, northern Nigeria and the other in Ikeja, Lagos State, southwest Nigeria.[4] After her secondary school, she entered Abia State University (ABSU). She attended ABSU for three months. In 1994, she left ABSU to study Criminal Law at Delaware State University, [5][6] at her father's request.[3] This was not a success, so she left after two years[7] to study French Education at Delaware State University. Omeruah is a polyglot and can speak 5 languages fluently. She returned to Nigeria after twelve years in America.[8]
Career
editShe initially became a singer under the name C-Flow, but this has been subsumed by her characters - principal of which is Chigul. Chigul speaks in a strong Igbo accent. Chigul was first heard as a recording of the song "Kilode" sent by Omeruah to her friends, but the sound was soon re-sent around Nigeria.[4] Chigul has been married, but this ended with no joint children.[9]
Omeruah has twelve characters, but she is known as "Chigul" after her most well-known invention. She has been interviewed and lauded by a number of media outlets. She had given TEDx talks[7][10] and appeared as a character in the Nollywood film Road to Yesterday.[11] In 2015 she appeared as a guest on the single "Karishika" by Falz.[12] She was a 2014 honouree as the “Comedienne of The Year” at The Sisterhoods Award Ceremony.[13]
In May 2020, Omeruah appeared in the Visual Collaborative electronic catalogue, in an issue called TwentyEightyFour, she was featured in the same issue with Dakore Akande, Oliver Nakakande and Coppé.[14][15]
In September 2022, Chioma Omeruah produced and hosted Her Matters, a talk-show series addressing pressing issues affecting women globally. The show provides a platform for professionals to share their expertise and personal experiences, focusing on sensitive subjects related to women's health and welfare. By covering a wide range of topics, Her Matters aims to empower women and raise awareness through informed discussions and relatable stories.
Personal Life
editHer father is said to be one of the best things that happened in football. Her late dad was a three time minister for information, youth, sports and culture. He was in charge in 1985 when the Golden Eaglets won the Inaugural FIFA under-16 World Championship.[16] Chioma speaks 5 languages French, Spanish, Igbo, Hausa and English.[17]
Filmography
edit- Out of Luck (2015)
- Road to Yesterday (2015) - Onome
- Remember Me (2016) - Sissy
- The Wedding Party 2: Destination Dubai (2017) - Female Immigration Officer
- Scorned (2017) - Chigul
- Wives on Strike: The Revolution (2017) - Iyawo Prince
- Banana Island Ghost (2017) - Ijeoma
- Prince of Deceit (2017) - Onome
- Relatives (2017) - Angela
- Chief Daddy (2018) - Chuchu
- Crazy People (2018) - Lucy
- Bandits (2018) - Philomena
- The Ghost and the Tout (2018) - Chigirl
- 200 Million (2018) - Chigirl
- She is (2019) - Ojugo
- Makate Must Sell (2018) - Chioma
- Dead Rite (2019) - Chigul
- The Reunion (2019) - Chioma Omeruah
- Your Excellency (2019) - Madam Echejile
- Omo Ghetto:The Saga (2020) - Amaka
- Eyimofe (This is my Desire) (2020) - Mama Esther[18]
- Charge and Bail (2021) - Barrister Nkechi
- King of Boys: The Return of the King (2021) - Madam Chijioke
- Chief Daddy 2: Going for Broke (2022) - Chuchu
- Inside Life (2022) -
- Raised Apart (2023) -
- The Beads (2024) - Aunty Adanna
- Scama O Rama(2024)
Internet and television
edit- Her Matters (2022) - Executive Producer and Host
Television Shows
edit- HQ Barbers
- Relatives(2017)
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Awards | Category | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Net Honours | Most Popular Media Personality (female) | Nominated | [19] |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Startup Grind Lagos hosts Chioma Omeruah aka Chigul by Startup Grind". VC4A. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
- ^ "Nigerian celebrities Simi and Chigul expose sexism in music and Nollywood". BBC News. 28 November 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
- ^ a b Watch Chigurl talk about chasing dreams, 31 December 2014, Uunista, Retrieved 21 September 2016
- ^ a b The Rise and Rise of Chigul, PremiumTimesNG, Retrieved 20 September 2016
- ^ "Married a virgin at 33, divorced after a year... Chigul opens up about her private life". 30 May 2017.
- ^ "Chioma Omeruah Archives". TheCable Lifestyle. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
- ^ a b Comedy is not a joke Archived 11 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine, Chioma Chigul Omeruah, Woman.ng, Retrieved 20 September 2016
- ^ "The Other Side of Chioma Omeruah AKA Chigul". 25 April 2016.
- ^ Chigul, Mybiohub.com, Retrieved 20 September 2016
- ^ TEDx Talks (22 February 2022). MAKING SUCCESS FROM WHAT MAKES YOU UNIQUE | CHIOMA OMERUAH | TEDxNzaStreet. Retrieved 2 August 2024 – via YouTube.
- ^ Badmus, Kayode (10 September 2015). "10 things you should know about Genevieve Nnaji's upcoming movie, Road to Yesterday". Nigerian Entertainment Today. Archived from the original on 27 September 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
- ^ Karishika, TooExclusive.com, Retrieved 20 September 2016
- ^ "Awards | EbonyLife TV". EbonyLife TV | Everything you think you know about Africa is about to change forever. 1 August 2016. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
- ^ Onyekwelu, Stephen (6 May 2020). "Les Nubians, Rika, Chigul, Dakore feature in TwentyEightyFour". Business Day (Nigeria). Retrieved 15 May 2020.
- ^ "Les Nubians, Rika Muranaka, Chigul, Busie Matsiko-Andan, Coppé appear in TwentyEightyFour". The Guardian. No. Guardian Arts. 3 May 2020. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
- ^ "Chioma Chigul Omeruah: unforgettable memories of my father". THE NATION. 7 July 2019.
- ^ "chioma chigul omeruah: unforgettable memories with my father". THE NATION. 7 July 2019.
- ^ "Chioma Omeruah (Chigul) Archives". Premium Times Nigeria. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
- ^ "Net Honours - The Class of 2021". Nigerian Entertainment Today. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
External links
edit- Chigul at IMDb
- Chioma Omeruah on Amazon