Ibrahim Yekini, also known as “Itele D’icon,” is a Nigerian actor, screenwriter, producer, and director best known for his roles in the films Kesari (2018), Oba Bi Olorun (2021), Romeo (2022) as well as the recent trending movie – Jagun Jagun produced by renowned actor, Femi Adebayo.
In this piece ENigeria Newspaper exrays the biography of Ibrahim Yekini, career, net worth and life of the man everyone knows as Itele D’icon.
Profile Summary and Biography of Ibrahim Yekini
Name: Ibrahim Yekini Bakare
Date of Birth: 1st January, 1980 (43 years)
State of Origin: Lafenwa, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria
Religion: Islam
Marital status: Married
Stage name: Itele D’icon
Early Life of Itele D’icon
Born on the 1st of January, 1980 in Bariga, Lagos. He hails from Lafenwa, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Southwestern Nigeria. He is currently 43 years old.
Ibrahim Yekini is a native of the western Nigerian state of Ogun.
Ibrahim is truly from Abeokuta in Ogun State, despite the fact that he was born in Bariga, Lagos, Nigeria, in Southwest Nigeria. One of the Yoruba-speaking states in Nigeria is Ogun State, which is located just outside the border of Lagos State.
Ibrahim not only identified as Yoruba but also grew strong ties to Northern Nigeria. This is due to the fact that he was raised there, especially in Kano State, where he received the bulk of his early schooling. Ibrahim is a native Yoruba, Hausa, and Arabic speaker.
Education
Ibrahim went to public elementary and high schools. After receiving his Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) at Ahmadiyah Secondary School, he first graduated from Zawaye Primary School with his First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC).
At the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY) in Abeokuta, where he received his HND, Ibrahim’s academic career came to a stop. He doesn’t have a college degree and doesn’t intend to get one because he is happy with his HND.
Wife and Family of Itele D’icon
ENigeria Newspaper reports that Ibrahim Yekini Bakare (Itele D’icon) was born to a lower-class household on January 1, 1980, in Lagos, Nigeria. He is a member of the Yoruba ethnic group, which is primarily found in western Nigeria.
Ibrahim is a native of Nigeria. Furthermore, he is a Muslim by faith and a member of the Capricorn zodiac.
Ibrahim Bakare’s early years and family history are largely unknown. The actor’s siblings or even close family members are not mentioned, and it appears that this is a conscious choice to keep his life private.
He is married to Olayiwola Aminat Omowunmi and they both have a child together.
Career
When he was just 18 years old, Ibrahim Yekini Bakare started his career in the Nigerian film industry in 1998. The Folorunsho Adejobi theatrical troupe, a then-popular theatre academy, was where the young actor initially honed his acting abilities.
But it’s interesting to note that the young actor first studied boxing before going into the film industry. He dreamed of being a professional gymnast and trained at one, but his godfather persuaded him to concentrate on acting instead.
At the academy, which is situated in Iju Ishaga, Lagos State, Yekini was successful in obtaining an internship. Soon after, he appeared in the Yoruba serial “Ijakumo Mefa” for the first time in a drama. Ibrahim first learned about Nollywood from a close friend who urged him to attempt making movies.
Ibrahim made his big-screen debut in the year 2000 in his first Nollywood film, “Dapo Tori Ti E,” in which he played the role of a criminal. As the actor seemed to portray them extraordinarily effectively, such action-packed parts soon became his specialization.
Kelvin Ikeduba, Odunlade Adekola, Tunde Usman Femi Adebayo, and a host of other seasoned filmmakers and industry professionals are just a few of the people Yekini has collaborated with thus far. Ibrahim Yekini made the decision to start directing and producing movies while being surrounded by such a talented group of stage advisors.
Ibrahim took the lead role in Itele, his first attempt at directing a motion picture. It was also where Ibrahim acquired the moniker that would ultimately serve as his official name: “Itele D’Icon.” Don Richard, who assisted in the production of the young actor’s second film, “Ekun Meta,” which launched him into the spotlight, taught him how to direct movies.
‘Anini,’ ‘Akoba,’ ‘Kesari,’ ‘Lucifer,’ and numerous other projects have had Ibrahim Yekini as a screenwriter, director, or producer. The Yoruba popular movie “Return Of Kesari,” which Ibrahim wrote, produced, and directed in 2019, is his signature work. Father Abraham is a recent film he both produced and directed.
Together with acclaimed filmmaker Tope Adebayo, he co-directed the movie. The movie “Ololufe,” his most recent endeavor, is scheduled for release later this year. Ibrahim’s estimated.
Ibrahim Yekini – Itele D’icon Latest Movie 2023
Itele is known and respected in the Yoruba Nollywood movie circle for his dexterity, versatility and craft and over the years the outstanding actor has starred in several movies and TV shows, most of which are captured below. However, fresh in teh hearst of many Nigerians, home and abroad is his recent character of (Gbogunmi) in Femi Adebayo produced movie, Jagun Jagun which is currently the most talked about movie on Netflix.
Ibrahim Yekini’s TV Shows and Films
Anini, Billionaire’s Daughters, Romeo (2022), as Rotimi, Ojukoro (2022), as Sesan, King of Thieves (2022), as Abinbesu, Imelda (2022), as Temi, Wasila Coded Reloaded (2022), as Bonje, Lucifer, Aleba, Owe Akalamagbo, Oloko Meta, Osunwon Mi, The Gardner, Oga Alani Ogidan, Apajuba, Anjola, Olutowo, Golden Boys, The Cokers, Regardless (2022), as Tunde, Ajibade (2021), Jankariwo (2021), as Show, Jamal (2021), The Cokers (2021), as Adewusi, President Kuti (2021), Oba Bi Olorun (2021), as Aremu, Omo Ghetto, The Saga (2020), as Jericho, 77 Bullets (2019), as Silent, Adebimpe Omo Oba (2019), as Adewole, Kesari (2018), The Ghost and the Tout (2018), as Ghetto Tout, Awusa (2017), Omo University (2015), as Coal.
Movies Produced and Directed by Ibrahim Yekini include:
Gbakadara (2019), Baba Omo (2019), Zino (2019), AWORAN (2019), Kadara Olohun (2019), Romeo, Ojukoro, Imelda, Jankariwo, President Kuti, Oba Bi Olorun, Kesari.
Ibrahim Yekini’s Awards and Recognitions
For his works and achievements in the Nigerian movie industry, Ibrahim has been nominated for several prestigious awards, some of which he has won. They include:
- Won Best Movie for ‘Kesari’ at the City People’s Awards in 2019
- Won Best Producer and Director at the Emperor Awards in 2021
- Nominated for City People Movie Award for Best Supporting Actor of the Year (Yoruba) in 2018
- Nominated for City People Movie Award for Movie Director of the Year in 2019
- Won Best Actor at the BON Awards in 2019
- Won Best Actor at the BON Awards in 2020
- Won Best Producer at the City People Awards in 2019.
Net Worth
His net worth as of 2023 is currently above $380,000. (Not yet verified by net worth valuers)
Itele breaks silence on his character as Gbogunmi in the movie, ‘Jagun Jagun’, he spoke to Tofarati Ige of Punch Newspaper
Popular actor, Ibrahim Yekini (Itele D’icon), has said that he has things in common with the character of Gbogunmi, which he played in the widely acclaimed movie, ‘Jagun Jagun’.
In this interview with Saturday Beats, Itele said, “I have some things in common with that character. I always like to carry people along and help them in my own way. I like seeing people succeed. That is why I always want my students (of film school), to go higher than me. Those were some of the things that made it easy for me to interpret the character of Gbogunmi, because he also liked to help people.”
Speaking on what interested him the first time he got the script for the movie, the actor said, “The first thing that interested me about the story was when I read the part where Ogundiji (Femi Adebayo’s character) gave Gbotija (Lateef Adedimeji’s character) the task to fight Gbogunmi. Gbotija then had to meet someone to tell him about Gbogunmi. There was then a flashback of how brutal Gbogunmi used to be, and that piqued my interest. I was determined to bring Gbogunmi’s brutality to life.”
The actor also stated that he always sought to outdo himself in every movie he featured in. He said, “I always bring out another side of myself in every movie I act in. I love challenging characters, and something unique. I always want to do something extraordinary, and make a difference.”
Speaking on his forthcoming movie, ‘Kesari’, Itele stated that though the film already had different parts, there is something new in the latest one. He said, “The ‘Kesari’ people have seen is totally different from what they are about to see. That is why the title is, ‘Kesari The King’. It is a whole different narrative and ‘magic’. That is also why I am taking this one to the cinema. The story has not been exhausted.”
