User:Dr DonPedro Obaseki/DON PEDRO OBASEKI

Dr. DON PEDRO OBASEKI

Osaro Pedro Agbonifo-Obaseki, popularly known as DON PEDRO OBASEKI, is the Chairman/CEO of the Africa Content Company, ACC Broadcast Multimedia Ltd (operators of ACCMobileTV & WaWooTV) and The DonPedroMedia Group, and former Managing Director of DAAR Communications PLC multi-channel Television Service, DAARSat. He is arguably Nigeria's most visible entertainment content entrepreneur across board. A multiple-award winner, Don pedro Obaseki is a two-time recipient of the coverted Oba Erediauwa Award For Excellence, and the Nollywood Veteran's Award (2013) as one of the founders/Pioneers of Nollywood.

Born on 25th April 1967, to the influential Midwestern Nigeria family of OBASEKI, Don Pedro Agbonifo Obaseki grew up variously in Warri and Agbor (Delta State), and Benin City. He attended high school at the prestigious Unity School, Agbarho near Warri in Delta State, Nigeria. He was educated at both the University of Benin in the Niger-Delta area of Nigeria, and the University of Ibadan in South-West of Nigeria. He served his National Youth Service in Kaduna, Northern Nigeria.

Popularly referred to by his peers and admirers as DON-P or THE DON, Dr Obaseki was formerly President of The Filmmakers Cooperative of Nigeria (FCON). He was a lecturer in theatre arts at the University of Benin, Nigeria at age 21, and holds a Doctorate degree in Performance Theory & Praxis and an MBA. He is a prolific writer of plays, and poetry and directed an international television documentary “Oshogbo and Adunni Olorisha Susanne Wenger” with Dr. Adama Ulrich for ORB Brandenburg, Berlin, and with Thorolf Lipp (a German documentary film maker) a documentary on "Adire Batik” in 1996. An accomplished documentary filmmaker, playwright, stage director and one of the pioneer founders of Nigeria's Nollywood Film industry, Pedro Obaseki is arguably one of Nigeria's most influential entertainment personalities and Broadcast Consultant. A former Radio Deejay and Presenter with BBS (Bendel Broadcasting Service) and later EBS (Edo Broadcasting Service) from 1987-93, Pedro Obaseki is the CEO/Executive Producer of DonPedroMusic. He is presently President/CEO of DonPedroMedia Group. Pedro Obaseki was a guest lecturer to the Centre for African Studies Copenhagen University (Denmark) in 1996, appointed Visiting Professor to the Manhattanville College, New York, 2000. He is also a member of the American-Nigerian Culture Initiative of the US State Department (2000). He was African Performance Consultant to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington DC and associate director to Tony Award-winning American director-choreographer George Faison on the Queen Amina project. Member, National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Las Vegas, USA (since April 1998).

Dr. Obaseki was Executive Project Consultant to Daar Communications PLC, owners of AIT (African Independent Television), DAARSat (satellite DTH service), CTL cable, ABN (African Broadcast Network), London, and pioneer General Manager (programmes) DBN TV Lagos. Pedro was Director-Of-The-Year, 1999 for his epic adventure-film, IGODO. His home-video film EZIZA had screened in London and South Africa. He owns franchises and proprietary rights to the Nollywood movie Channel, MoviStar (former Channel 333 & 330 on Sky UK), and 1-MIC (a music Channel available via satellite over West Africa). Pedro Obaseki’s most popular stage work, OBASEKI, is presently on high school curricula in parts of Nigeria, and in Nigerian Universities. OBASEKI was Africa’s entry for the Euro Culture-City ’96 Festival in Copenhagen, Denmark. His troupe also toured the Scandinavia in Feb. & March 1999, with his play, AZAGIDI. AZAGIDI was also used to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the MUSON in October, 2003. Pedro Obaseki's IDIA was mounted as command performance for the Presidency as part of Nigeria’s 39th Independence celebrations and hosted by Late Mrs. Stella Obasanjo. In January 2001, President Obasanjo appointed Pedro Obaseki a Director of the Board of the Centre of Black and African Arts and Civilization in the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Culture & Tourism. Obaseki's The BRIDGE ran at the Ovalhouse Theatre in Kennington London (6th-31st October, 2004). The BRIDGE was sponsored by Alliance Francais in 2005 and was Nigeria’s entry for the World International Experimental Drama Festival in Cairo, Egypt (September, 2006).

Pedro Obaseki has written, produced and directed numerous home video films, television dramas and documentaries. He has appeared variously on national/and international media (including Voice of America TV program "Straight talk Africa" and BBC) to talk on the emerging Nigerian video film industry. In April 2004, Don Pedro Obaseki led the largest delegation of Nollywood to the USA. Pedro Obaseki was Guest Speaker at the 2005 Berlinale Forum (Berlin International Film Festival). Pedro’s has produced/directed more than 15 African movies. Dr. Pedro Obaseki is married to Uchenna and has two daughters – Eki & Osayame; and a son - Nosamudiana. Pedro Obaseki is widely traveled.