INYA LAWAL – PRESIDENT/FOUNDER

Inya Lawal is an entrepreneur working to be a world changer. She works across film and TV. Her company – Ascend Studios produces TV and feature content, and its subsidiaries Ascend Talent Management, manages the careers of some of the finest talents from Africa and its diaspora; and Ascend Agency runs brand and content consultation for companies.   

She is the president of Women In Film and TV Africa (WIFT), was on the Jury of the prestigious Cinemafrica Film Festival in Sweden, served as a panelist representing Africa at the Hollywood Reporter event at Cannes Film Festival where she also screened her award-winning film Potato Potahto. 

Inya is a Fortune Most Powerful Women’s alumna and a lead program partner to the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos, Nigeria. She partnered the U. S. Consulate General in Lagos to run the inaugural Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE), a White House/Department of State initiative designed to support women entrepreneurs with knowledge, network and funding to start and grow their businesses. She oversees a diverse group with emerging and well-established businesses from different industries who received lessons on business management and networked with like-minded entrepreneurs and mentors. 

She is the founder of two (2) not-for-profit organizations, Ascend Studios Foundation, for capacity building and social, educational and economic empowerment of women and youth in underserved communities; and, the Africa Children’s Creative Network – to discover and nurture creative skills in school age children. 

SHIRLEY FRIMPONG-MANSO – VICE PRESIDENT

With a background in directing, writing, presenting, producing, and event organization, Shirley Nana Akua Frimpong – Manso brings to African Cinema a rich and varied experience. 42 years old Shirley joined the media and entertainment industry In Ghana right after completing her advance level education at Mfantsiman Girls Secondary School at age nineteen. During this time Shirley presented programmes on Radio Gold, TV3, Metro TV and GTV respectively. She also anchored live events such as Miss Ghana and various corporate and State events. She later graduated with first class honors in BFA at the National Film and Television Institute majoring in Film Directing. She formed Sparrow Productions in November 2003 whiles still in school and hired a collective of talented and creative minds.

Shirley has written, produced and directed several widely acclaimed Ghanaian movies including award winning films like ‘THE PERFECT PICTURE’ ‘A STING IN A TALE’, ‘CONTRACT’ and the first ever cinema series on the continent ‘ADAMS APPLES’. She collaborated with other producers from Nigeria and Sweden to produce the widely accalaimed movie POTATO POTAHTO, a romantic comedy which had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival 2017 and was accepted to screen at the prestigious Durban Film Festival in South Africa, Silicon Valley African Film Festival and The British Urban Film Festival (BUFF) and currently streaming on NETFLIX.

Ten years after changing the narrative of African Cinema in West Africa especially, Shirley and her team have released a sequel of their most commercially successful film ‘THE PEREFCT PICTURE 10 YEARS LATER’ which was also in celebration of Ghana’s year return to mark 400 years of the first enslaved African arriving in America and encourage African diasporans to return home. The movie which had it’s home premiere on the 1st December 2019 has once again broken box office records and is currently the most watched and celebrated film in the country. The Perfect Picture 10 Years Later will screen in Nigerian Cinemas, the UK, Europe and in America.
Shirley’s aim is to tell progressive African stories and push boundaries using a touch of realism.

OMA AREH – SECRETARY/ COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

Ifeoma Jennifer Areh better known as ‘Oma Areh is a communications professional and brand builder with a decade’s experience in communications and brand management. She has expertise in developing and managing relevant, engaging and measurably successful integrated communications programs for leading B2C and B2B global brands as well as some of the most influential personalities across the globe.

She has experience across telecoms, government, film, music, food & beverage, fashion & beauty, automotive and start ups. As founder of WildFlower PR & Company, ‘Oma has worked with African and global brands including Globacom, Coca-cola, the ONE campaign, Schlumberger, Chimamanda Adichie, The Lagos State Energy board, the UNODC, Kobo360, The Jamie Oliver Foundation and many more.

Production credits include ‘Primary Health Care crisis in Nigeria’ for the ONE Campaign, TV show ‘Mercy’s Menu Season 1’

She has over 5 award nominations in communication including the ELOY Awards, MAYA Awards and others. She recently led the WildFlower PR team to win the West African Innovation Awards for Corporate Communications Agency of the Year in 2018.

BAZELI MBO – DIRECTOR OF FRANCOPHONE RELATIONS

Passionate about the world of entertainment and media, Bazeli Mbo has been evolving in the TV industry for 10+ years by working with the major TV channels and platforms around the world. A graduate of a major business school with a specialization in communication, Bazeli combines her passion and expertise by launching in 2015 her webzine / blog ‘ekila entertainment’, and the same year she founded her communication agency ‘ekila agency’. Communications and media expert, content creator, event organizer, speaker, mistress of ceremonies and host, Bazeli gathers all her talents to do what she knows best : inform, entertain, inspire.

ISIOMA OSAJE – PROGRAMS DIRECTOR

Isioma is a film and television producer. Her producer credits include Something Wicked (2017), My Wife & I (2017), New Money (2018), Castle & Castle (2018), Up North (2018), The Set Up (2019) and more. She is also the Founder of Agency 106; a boutique firm which provides Talent Management and Agency services for practitioners in the Nigerian Film industry.
Her working experience spans nine years with stints in writing, music journalism, radio broadcasting and public relations. Isioma holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery degree.