Tade Ogidan
Nigerian filmmaker and founder of OGD Pictures.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Tade Ogidan, born Akintade Ogidan in July 1960, is a Nigerian screenwriter, producer, and director working in film and television. He grew up in the Surulere suburb of Lagos, the son of Akinola and Rachael Ogidan. For elementary school, he attended Government Demonstration School and Surulere Baptist School, both in Surulere, during the mid-1960s into the 1970s. He went to Ekiti Parapo College in Ido-Ekiti for secondary school from 1972 to 1974, then graduated from Maryland Comprehensive Secondary School in Ikeja, Lagos, in 1978. Starting in 1979, he studied at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, New Mexico, and also spent a short period at the State University of New York in Buffalo.
From 1982 to 1983, Ogidan completed his National Youth Service Corps program at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in Lagos. He then became a full-time producer and director at NTA Channel 10 and a continuity announcer at NTA 2 – Channel 5. Over eight years with NTA, he produced and directed episodes of drama series including *Play of the Week*, *Tele Theatre*, *Legal Angle*, *The New Village Headmaster*, and several drama specials for the NTA National Network. He became known for episodes such as *Blinking Hope*, *The Boys Next Door*, and *To Save a Falling Angel*. One project, *The Reign of Abiku* (written by Sola Osofisan), won multiple awards at the 1986 Nigerian Festival of Television Programmes. He also worked on the magazine show *Sunny Side of Life*, hosted by Patrick Ityohegh, and other projects executive-produced by Peter Ighou and Chris Ebie.
In 1990, Ogidan left NTA to start his own production company, OGD Pictures, Ltd., named after his surname. Through this company, he has written, produced, and directed films such as *Hostages*, *Owo Blow*, *Diamond Ring*, *Out of Bounds*, *Raging Storm*, *7–12*, *Playing Games*, *Saving Alero*, *Dangerous Twins*, *Madam Dearest*, *Ayo Mi Da Family on Fire*, and *Gold Statue*, many of which have won multiple awards in Nigeria and abroad. For television, his team has produced *Behind the Siege* (seasons 1 and 2, written by Tosin James Atega, in collaboration with FHI/USAID), *Crime Fighters* (with BI Communications), *The Teju Babyface Show*, *The Intern* (an entrepreneurial reality show produced by Ofem Ofem), and *The Next Titan* (with Mide Akinlaja and FICOMMS Ltd). Ogidan and his team have also produced televisio
- born
- July 1960
- field
- Film and television screenwriter, producer, director
- nationality
- Nigerian
- known_for
- Founder of OGD Pictures, Ltd.; producer/director of hit films such as Hostages, Owo Blow, Diamond Ring, and Dangerous Twins
Lore & Background
Tade Ogidan was born in Lagos, Nigeria, to middle-class parents Akinola and Rachael Ogidan, and grew up in Surulere, a suburb of Lagos State. He attended elementary school at Government Demonstration School and Surulere Baptist School, both in Surulere, Lagos. For secondary education, he attended Ekiti Parapo College, Ido-Ekiti, from 1972 to 1974, and graduated from Maryland Comprehensive Secondary School, Ikeja, Lagos, in 1978. He then studied at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, NM, USA, starting in 1979, and completed a short stint at the State University of New York in Buffalo, NY, USA.
From 1982 to 1983, Ogidan completed the National Youth Service Corp program at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in Lagos, after which he became a full-time producer/director with NTA Channel 10 and a continuity announcer with NTA 2 - Channel 5. He spent eight years with NTA, producing and directing episodes of drama series such as PLAY OF THE WEEK, TELE THEATRE, LEGAL ANGLE, and THE NEW VILLAGE HEADMASTER. He gained renown for hit episodes including Blinking Hope, The Boys Next Door, and To Save a Falling Angel. One drama project, THE REIGN OF ABIKU, written by Sola Osofisan, won several awards at the Nigerian Festival of Television Programmes (NIFETEP) in 1986.
In 1990, Ogidan left NTA for private productions and set up OGD Pictures, Ltd. (OGD coined from his last name). He has since written, produced, and directed hit movie projects like Hostages, Owo Blow, Diamond Ring, Out Of Bounds, Raging Storm, 7 – 12, Playing Games, Saving Alero, Dangerous Twins, Madam Dearest, Ayo Mi Da Family On Fire, and Gold Statue, most of which are multiple award-winners in and outside Nigeria. He also worked on television projects such as BEHIND THE SIEGE seasons 1 & 2, CRIME FIGHTERS, the TEJU BABYFACE SHOW, THE INTERN, and The Next Titan. Additionally, his team produced TV commercials for various agencies and brands, and packaged the Lagos State Governor's Education Awards in 2013 and 2014.
Reader's Guide
Tade Ogidan's significance lies in his transition from a state broadcaster to a private film producer, founding OGD Pictures in 1990. His work spans multiple award-winning films and television series, contributing to the growth of Nollywood. He also pioneered the OGD All Stars Novelty music project, a first-of-its-kind collaboration featuring numerous Nigerian film and TV stars. His legacy includes mentoring through reality TV shows and packaging major live events for the Lagos State government.
Did You Know?
- Tade Ogidan completed the National Youth Service Corp program at the Nigerian Television Authority from 1982 to 1983.
- He set up OGD Pictures, Ltd. in 1990, with 'OGD' coined from his last name.
- The drama project THE REIGN OF ABIKU, which he worked on, won several awards at NIFETEP 1986.
- He packaged the Lagos State Governor's Education Awards in 2013 and 2014, featuring over 100 and 200 public secondary school pupils respectively.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Tade Ogidan?
Tade Ogidan is a Nigerian filmmaker who works as a screenwriter, producer, and director across both film and television. He was born Akintade Ogidan in July 1960 and grew up in the Surulere area of Lagos.
What films is Tade Ogidan best known for?
He is widely recognized for producing and directing popular Nollywood titles such as Hostages, Owo Blow, Diamond Ring, and Dangerous Twins. These projects have become some of his most cited works in the Nigerian film industry.
What production company did Tade Ogidan establish?
He founded OGD Pictures, Ltd., which serves as the primary label through which he develops and releases his film and television projects.
Where did Tade Ogidan go to school?
He attended Government Demonstration School and Surulere Baptist School in Lagos for his early education, then moved to Ekiti Parapo College in Ido-Ekiti before finishing secondary school at Maryland Comprehensive Secondary School in Ikeja in 1978.
Did Tade Ogidan study abroad?
Yes, he began his higher-education studies at Eastern New Mexico University in the United States starting in 1979. That period abroad preceded his full-time career in Nigerian screenwriting and directing.
More in Film Directors 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record