Joseph Okhomina a.k.a ‘Oba Joca-P’ is a classic epitome of the invaluable Nigerian filmmaker. He directs, acts, and writes impeccable screenplays. Joseph’s films cut across different themes, even delving into subjects like forced marriage, a theme which was highlighted in his film ‘Onaiwu’; youthful exuberance and the dangers of internet fraud as is portrayed by ‘Exuberance’; irregular migration as was visually illustrated in ‘Omoatama’; depression and suicide, which is the thematic basis for ‘Depression’, just to mention a few.
Joca P’s films have such a riveting and spell-binding appeal as is clearly evidenced by the awards and prizes and international recognition he and his works have garnered over the years. This is no surprise because he possesses the essence of every qualitative filmmaker – intense and burning passion for his craft. This makes him a dependable and reliable choice for many producers seeking high quality production.
Joseph Okhomina was born in Lagos, Nigeria and he is a graduate of English and Literature from the University of Benin. He pursued his film career at the Benin Film Academy in Benin, City Edo State (2019). His earliest movies date since the period of his film studies. Before then he had been a theatre actor in Majesty Production and theatre director in the University of Benin English and Literature Theatre called Elsa Playhouse. It is impressive that he used this opportunity to train several actors who have now mastered their craft and are already doing well in Nollywood.
Joseph Okhomina has directed three feature films and several short films. His ‘Onaiwu’ (2021) was the best overall film at the Edo State International Film Festival, winning the Governor’s Prize of $10,000. It won best actor and best female actor categories.
Joca P as he is fondly called is also the brain behind ‘Exuberance’. The film was also nominated for an award in a film festival in the United States.
His other works include ‘Egba’, a Benin Language film (2024); ‘Omoatama’, which won the Governor’s Award for Best Film shot on location in Edo State at the Edo State International Film Festival, 2022; and ‘Pathos’ (2023).
Joseph Okhomina also won the best director at the Edo State International Film Festival, 2022. He also won Best Overall Film with ‘Onaiwu’ at the festival. He also won the Best Director Edo/Delta Edisa Awards 2020, and his ‘Depression’ won the best short film at the Lekki International Film Festival 2019.
Other awards are Best Theatre Director 2014 Elsa Playhouse Uniben, Best Actor Elsa Playhouse Uniben 2014, and Best Social Elsa Uniben 2014.
Joseph Okhomina also directed a magazine programme called BFA Half Hour on Independent Television (ITV) Benin City, Edo State.
In 2020, he won PITCH WIN AND SHOOT, a competition organized by Edo State Government (Edo Jobs) and UKAID. It was this competition that gave birth to his first feature movie, ‘Onaiwu’.
Other films he has directed and written are ‘Battered’, ‘Abuse’, ‘Eki’ and ‘Cycle’.
Joseph Okhomina has been a volunteer with IOM Community Theatre since 2019. He holds the position of the stage manager and has performed in several communities on issues of irregular migration and even has his face on the Community Theatre magazine.
Okhomina obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University Of Benin in 2014 and went ahead to earn more certifications in directing from Benin Film Academy and Igbinedion University Okada in 2020.
He also partook of the N-Power Screenwriting course in 2019 and gained further certifications with ‘Introduction to Filmmaking’ at the KAP Film and Television Production in 2022. He equally participated in the Nollywood Workshop Filmakademie 2023.
Conclusion
The first time I met Joseph Okhomina, I had the impression that he would be one of those proud and arrogant filmmakers who often become that way after winning loads of awards. In reality, he is actually kind and thoughtful and humble and would patiently work with you on your project until completion. He is an absolute delight to work with especially if you require someone experienced to provide the guidance and support you need to make the most of your film project. But don’t take my word for it. His works have won several awards and nominations all over the world, as we can see above. Initially I was surprised by his tremendous success but when I studied his educational history and professional devotion to his craft, I had to admit that his awards were well-deserved. Success leaves tracks. There is no elevator to success; you have to take the stairs. And he has done the hard work of staying committed to cultivating his craft over the years. This implies that we can only expect Joca P to win even more awards even as he continues to exceed his own expectation.
Aside from his accomplishments, it is quite remarkable that Joseph Okhomina is also mindful of helping others succeed and that is why this award-winning filmmaker has remained devoted to pushing Edo To The World.
