Desmond Elliot


Desmond Oluwashola Elliot is a Nigerian actor, film director and politician. He was elected as a lawmaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Surulere Constituency in the 11 April 2015 Nigerian General Elections. Elliot competed to become the ambassador for the Face of Hope Project, a non-profit combatting illiteracy amongst Nigerian youth.

Early life

Elliot was born to a Yoruba father from Olowogbowo in Lagos Island, Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria and an Igbo mother from Illah in Oshimili North, Delta State, South-South Nigeria. He received his primary education at Air Force Primary School and later attended St John's College, both in Jos. He studied economics at Lagos State University and graduated in 2003.

Career

Elliot was influenced by a friend to become an actor. He started playing roles in soap operas like Everyday People, One Too Much and Saints and Sinners. He is one of Nollywood's leading actors, having appeared in over two hundred films including Men Who Cheat, Yahoo Millionaire and Atlanta. In 2006, he was nominated for the African Movie Academy Award for "Best Actor in a Supporting Role" in the movie "Behind Closed Doors". In 2008, Elliot co-produced and co-directed the movie "Reloaded" which received 3 nominations at the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2009. In 2009 and 2010, He was nominated for the Best Actor category at the Nigeria Entertainment Awards.
Also in 2010, Elliot competed to become the ambassador for the Face of Hope Project, a "volunteer-based non-profit, non-religious, non-political organization established to give hope to the hopeless", in which he will work toward fixing "child illiteracy in Nigeria and Africa at large" should he emerge. In 2014, he was nominated for the African Movie Academy Award for "Best Actor in a Supporting Role" in the movie "Finding Mercy"

Politics

Elliot declared his intentions in September 2014 to run for Lagos State House of Assembly under the All Progressives Congress.
He contested and won the Surulere Constituency on the 11th of April, 2015. Nigerian General Elections. In October 2020, during the End SARS protest, Desmond was heavily criticized for allegedly supporting Anti-Social Media Bill in Nigeria; an allegation he earlier denied when the news first filtered in via social media. In a viral video circulating all over the internet, he was seen vehemently criticizing social media users and influencers and stating that if the Nigerian state doesn't stop social media, social media will destroy the Nigerian state. His comments were not taken lightly by Nigerians on social media and thus the popular Nigerian pidgin slang, na Desmond Elliot cause am, meaning It's Desmond Elliot's fault, was born.
He however came out few days later to apologize. He said “I allowed my emotions get the better of me and for this I apologize to everyone my earlier statements may have hurt. Please, understand that even the best of us makes mistakes. This is why, moving forward, I ask that we all try to engage constructively on the issues that affect all of us. I promise to do the same. The pain that I feel for my constituents, the calls for assistance that I continue to get, and the need to mitigate against further destruction and violence will continue to drive my engagements and my work. I thank you all for expressing your views, and in the future, I promise to be more conscious and aware. Together, we will build a better Nigeria"
Desmond Elliot is presently using a third term as state legislator representing Surulere Constituency 1. Although, his nomination by the party during his two terms in office came unopposed, he faced strong opposition going into the 2023 general elections, as a host of aspirants including Honourable Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, the Special Adviser on Housing to the Lagos State Governor and Fuad Kayode Laguda declared intention to also vie for the ticket. Through some form of intra-party horse-trading, he eventually got the ticket, paving way for a third term representativeness.

Personal life

Elliot is married and has four children. He is involved in public relations for Globacom.
Desmond Elliot celebrated his 15th wedding anniversary with his wife, Victoria Elliot on 26 December 2018.

Filmography

  • Unknown Soja as Major Ibrahim
  • Ill Fated as Femi
  • Switched-Up as Barrister Yomi Jayesimi
  • Teni's Big Day
  • Stale as Abdul
  • Without Bounds
  • Treasury as Chief Alakija
  • Miss Bamidele's Girls as Felix
  • Love Castle as Ayo
  • Nobody's Ex as Ebuka
  • Sweet Melony as Remi
  • Memory Lane as Akin
  • Being Annabel as Maro
  • Crazy People
  • Esohe as Johnny Payne
  • Falling
  • Black Val as Fola
  • The Department as Effiong Akpodigha
  • When Love Happens as Lanre
  • 30 Days in Atlanta as Okiemute
  • Okon Goes to School
  • Kamara's Tree as Tejan Kamara
  • Finding Mercy 1 & 2
  • Kiss and Tell as Bernard
  • I'll Take My Chances
  • Bursting Out as Bernard
  • Holding Hope
  • Nollywood Hustlers as Olumide Sydney Badmus
  • Before the Light
  • Edikan
  • Uyai
  • Final Tussle
  • Guilty Pleasures as Mr. Okoro
  • Black Night in South America as Paul
  • A Better Place
  • Caught-Up
  • Double Game
  • Fine Things
  • Ghetto Queen
  • Secret Pain as Kenechukwu
  • Wind of Glory as Clark
  • A Time to Love as Hank
  • Yahoo Millionaire as Jerry
  • Put It on Me
  • Asunder
  • Men Who Cheat
  • Behind the Plot
  • Divided Attention
  • Efficacy
  • Ekaette as Tony
  • Extreme Measure ... Festus
  • Final Point
  • The Greatest Sacrifice
  • King of the Town
  • Love Wins as Austin
  • Married to the Enemy
  • My Little Secret
  • My Sister My Love as Jar
  • Naked Sin
  • Romeo
  • Strange Love
  • Supremacy
  • Too Late to Claim
  • Traumatised as Jide
  • Unbreakable Affair as Lawrence
  • Up to Me
  • Without Apology
  • The Wolves as Eric
  • Zoza as Zoza
  • A Night in the Philippines
  • 2 Face
  • Behind Closed Doors
  • The Bet
  • Broadway
  • Destiny's Challenge
  • Flying Without Wings
  • Fools in Love
  • Games Women Play
  • Girls in the Hood
  • Hold Me Down
  • It's Juliet or No One
  • Just Me as Brume
  • The King's Son
  • Knowing You
  • Men Do Cry
  • My Precious Son as Ben
  • My Sister My Child
  • My Sister's Act
  • Now & Forever
  • Orange Groove
  • The Price of Love: Life Is Beautiful
  • Shackles of Death
  • Wedding Gift
  • Wheel of Change
  • Images in the Mirror .... Deji
  • Above Love
  • Atlanta as Abel
  • Big Pretenders
  • Cinderella
  • Danger Signal
  • Deep Loss
  • Died to Save
  • Discord
  • For Real as Chris
  • A Kiss from Rose
  • Lake of Fire as Brother Emmanuel
  • Life in New York
  • Magic Moment
  • Melody of Life as Martin
  • Missing Angel as Angel
  • Passion of Mind
  • Power of Trust
  • Promise & Fail
  • True Romance as Stanley
  • Great Change
  • Magic Love
  • My Faithful Friend
  • Passion & Pain as Edward
  • Tunnel of Love
  • Fire Love
  • Jesu Mushin
  • Infidelity as Lawyer
  • ''Fishers of Men''

    Television

  • Everyday People
  • One Too Much
  • Saints and Sinners
  • Santalal
  • ''Super Story''