As the clock ticks towards the eighth edition of NECLive, the conference organiser, ID Africa, has confirmed Idris Olorunnimbe, founder, Temple Management Company, as a lead speaker for the April 25, 2021 event.
Olorunnimbe, 42, is one of the few Nigerian entrepreneurs taking practical approaches to solving the entertainment industry challenges, drawing from his experience in politics, entertainment, and law.
Graduating from the University of Lagos with a Law degree in 2001, he was called to the Nigerian Bar the following year. He joined the successful campaign that launched then Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola (BRF) into office in 2007, kick-starting his career in public service as a Personal Assistant to the governor in his first term. He then served as Senior Special Assistant in 2011 until the end of BRF’s tenure.
A serial investor, Olorunnimbe has founded, co-founded or invested in a preschool, record label, and at least one fashion brand.
Guided by a passion for problem-solving, Olorunnimbe ventured into the creative industry to start addressing the sector’s issues. As a starter, he established the Temple Management Company in 2016 to project the best Nigerian talents in art, media, entertainment, and sports to the rest of the world. In its first few years, the management company worked with the Mavin Crew; writer Victor Ehikhamenor; television personality Funmi Iyanda; producer Biyi Bandele, and Grammy Award-winning Nigerian artiste Lekan Babalola.
By 2017, he established the Temple Music Production label focused on producing, promoting, and distributing African music. The TMPL Motion Picture arm followed, adding to a long list of innovative ventures to solve creatives’ problems in the industry. Last year, the company released the commercially successful debut film ‘Meet the Kujus.’
Olorunnimbe’s vision for the industry is an expansive one. In March 2021, he rolled out the Ogidi Studios by Temple. The state-of-the-art production unit boasts a Neve Genesys Black Console, multifunctional sound production equipment, and a 17 by 11-foot green screen for visual effects. It also houses a post-production and photography unit, among others.
Olorunnimbe is a board member at the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) which focuses on tackling unemployment through wealth and job creation.
ID Africa’s CEO, Femi Falodun said: “Through his impressive work with The Temple Management Company and beyond, Idris Olorunnimbe has carved a niche for himself as one of the leading change agents in Nigerian entertainment. His wealth of experience and deep investments make him a superb choice for the NECLive8 stage.”
“I have been in the entertainment industry for a fair amount of time, working in various advisory and mentorship capacities behind the scenes. With Temple, we are now working from the frontlines and we are ready to harness the energy of entertainment which I consider to be Africa’s most important sector.” Olorunimbe reasoned in a statement.
Unlike past editions, NECLive returns from a one-year hiatus, imposed by COVID-19 restrictions last year, as a hybrid media event combining a studio set-up of select speakers with live global broadcast across cable TV, other electronic channels and streaming via NECLive’s digital channels.
Other confirmed speakers at this year’s event include Nigerian comedian Bovi and co-founder Andela and Flutterwave, Iyin Aboyeji. NECLive8 will also feature a live performance from Basketmouth, one of Nigeria’s celebrated comedians.
For seven years, NECLive has attracted over 12,000 physical participants and 20 million viewers and audiences on television and digital. Nigerian Entertainment Conference (often stylised as NECLive), with the hashtag #NECLive, is an umbrella conference for Nigeria’s entertainment industry, which continually discusses the sector’s trajectory and shapes the discourse and practices surrounding it.
#NECLive is the marketplace for innovative ideas, products, the unveiling of dynamic solutions that will connect, engage and encourage industry collaborations for sustainable socio-economic development; while offering a brighter future on the continent.
