Early Life

Peju Ogunmola, born Ogunmola Adepeju, was born on 10 April 1966 in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria, though her family hails from Okemesi Ekiti. She comes from one of Yoruba cinema’s most storied theatrical families: her father was Kola Ogunmola, a pioneering dramatist, actor and playwright credited with developing Yoruba folk opera into a serious theatre form through his Ogunmola Travelling Theatre. Growing up surrounded by traditional Yoruba arts and culture shaped her early passion for performance, and she later moved to Lagos to pursue acting professionally.

Career

Peju Ogunmola made her television debut in the 1979 Yoruba series ‘Ade Love,’ playing the character Kadara, and continued building her career through the 1990s with roles including Mama Amuda in the 1993 drama series ‘Owuro Lojo,’ alongside Joke Silva. Over more than four decades, she has become known for portraying wise, maternal and authoritative women in Yoruba cinema, appearing in films including ‘Maradona’ (2003), ‘Mafi Wonmi’ (2008), ‘Toromade’ (2009) and ‘Apaadi.’ In more recent years, she has taken on the recurring role of Mama in the mystery drama series ‘Pandora’s Box’ (2021-present), and has continued to appear in major productions including ‘Omo Ghetto: The Saga’ and ‘House of Ga’a.’

Beyond acting, Peju has worked as a comedic performer, playwright, director and producer, extending her family’s theatrical legacy across generations. Her brother, Yomi Ogunmola, was also a well-known Yoruba director and actor known for films including ‘Koto Aye’ and ‘Ige Adubi,’ before his death in 2003.

Personal Life

Peju Ogunmola is married to veteran comic actor, playwright, director and producer Sunday Omobolanle, popularly known as Papiluwe, whom she wed as his second wife in 1989. The couple share a son, Sola. She is also stepmother to actor Sunkanmi Omobolanle. In 2025, Peju Ogunmola’s loss of her only son was widely mourned across Nollywood, coming more than two decades after the death of her brother Yomi, and the outpouring of tributes from colleagues reflected the deep respect she commands within the industry.

With a career spanning more than four decades and a family legacy stretching back to the earliest days of Yoruba theatre, Peju Ogunmola remains one of Nollywood’s most respected and enduring veteran actresses.