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Adekanla Aderinola Desalu

Born
1980-11-07 (age 45)
Birthplace
Lagos, Nigeria
Occupation
Actor, Producer, Filmmaker, Banker
Active
2005 - Present
Alma Mater
University of Lagos
AKA
Deza the Great

Career Stats

Rising
Movies
20
Lead Roles
19
Supporting
1
Years Active
21yrs
Per Year
1films

Career Overview

Adekanla Aderinola Desalu has 20 film credits spanning 2025–2026 .

  • Peak: 2026
  • Pace: 1 films/year

Role Distribution

Actor×12
Executive-producer×3
Story×2
Producer×1

Genre Breakdown

Drama
16
Romance
13
Comedy
7
Fantasy
2
Supernatural
2
Thriller
2

Biography

A popular Nigerian actor, television host, business advisor, filmmaker, motivation speaker, former banker and brand influencer, his name is Adekanla Desalu but popularly known as Deza the Great, from Lagos State Nigeria, he is the founder of DTG production company, Deza the Great was born on the 7 of November 1980, he came into landlight in 2010 when he acted in the Nigeria TV series catwalk, before then in 2025 he worked at Globalcom telecommunications as the commercial roaming manager, and he moved to sterling bank in 2008 where he worked for sometime and decided to pursue his acting career, Deza the Great gained his bachelors degree in Actuarial science from the Lagos state university and proceeded to Nexford University where he gained his master's degree of science in Artificial intelligence, he has starred in numerous movies like broken silence, the weeding plan, big love, unshaken , two wrongs, Deza is married with two children.

CAREER

Desalu worked at Glo in 2005 as the commercial roaming manager and later moved to Sterling Bank (then Equatorial Trust Bank) in 2008, where he also worked as a regional client engagement officer. He left the bank in September 2023 to focus on filmmaking. Desalu made his debut appearance in 2010 with the TV series, Catwalq where he played the character, Barry. Desalu has appeared in 150 movies and has produced 7 movies. Desalu Adekanla is a growing Nigerian actor known for his strong presence in YouTube Nollywood movies and short form digital films. He built his visibility through consistent roles in family dramas, and youthful romance films, where his expressive acting and calm delivery quickly earned him attention. Desalu’s acting style blends confidence, natural reactions, and solid emotional timing, making him a go to choice for emerging filmmakers. His rise in the digital Nollywood space is driven by discipline, adaptability, and his ability to bring authenticity to every role whether comedic, intense, or deeply emotional.

EARLY LIFE

Desalu was born in Lagos, Lagos State on 7 November 1980. He graduated from University of Lagos with a bachelor's degree in actuarial science and holds an MBA in artificial intelligence from Nexford University.

PERSONAL LIFE

Deza is married with two children.

Filmography

MOVIE

A Ride Forever

2026

RomanceComedyDrama
  • Played the character of Solomon.
MOVIE

Water And Wine

2025

DramaRomance
  • Played the character of Jide.
MOVIE

Sade Eleja

2025

DramaRomance
  • Played the character of Yemi.
MOVIE
  • Played the character of Richard.
MOVIE

Always Here

2025

DramaRomance
  • Played the character of Mike.
MOVIE

Royal Bank

2025

DramaRomance
  • Played the character of Prince Emma.
MOVIE

Arranged Yori

2025

ComedyDramaRomance
  • Played the character of Nonso.
MOVIE

Chisom And The Law

2025

ComedyDrama
  • Played the character of Lawrence.
  • As Producer
MOVIE

Across The Border

2025

RomanceFantasy
  • Played the character of Julius.
MOVIE
  • Played the character of Jay.

Career Timeline

102025
162026

By Decade

2020s
20

Box Office

Weekly Top Grossing
1

3 Cold Dishes

₦5,331,351.00

Week 51
2

Gingerrr

₦12,727,775.00

Week 47
3

Gingerrr

₦21,139,500.00

Week 46
4

The Herd

₦16,977,673.00

Week 46
5

3 Cold Dishes

₦15,261,240.00

Week 46

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