The Nigerian movie industry, Nollywood has been thrown into mourning following the death of popular actor, Alex Ekubo.
Ekubo was said to have died Monday night at Evercare Hospital, Lekki, Lagos, after a battle with liver cancer. He was forty.
Vanguard confirmed the death on Tuesday with the former Big Brother Naija star and Director of Communication of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Boma Akpore, saying the actor’s body had been moved to Ebony Vaults in Ikoyi.
Another colleague, Godwin Nnadiekwe, mourned the actor on Instagram.
“I’m struggling to find the words,” he wrote. This news has really broken me. “Nollywood has lost a rare soul and I’m lost for words because this wasn’t the plan Alex Ekubo.”
Veteran director Lancelot Imasuen, who gave Ekubo his first movie role, described the death as “devastating and unbelievable.”
So that was how I gave him his first role in a movie that took him into Nollywood,” Imasuen said.
News of the death was met with a flood of tributes from colleagues, celebrities and fans.
Funke Akindele recalled their bond and how Ekubo fondly called her “Ore mi”.
Other celebrities including Bolanle Ninalowo, Peter Okoye, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Omoni Oboli, Mo Abudu, Kate Henshaw, Yvonne Jegede, Kunle Remi and Ruth Kadiri also mourned the late actor.
Human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, described Ekubo as a “rare talent,” while broadcaster Oseni Rufai wrote, “Rest well Alex.
About Ekubo
Born on April 10, 1986 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Ekubo hailed from Arochukwu in Abia State.
Over the last decade, he has become one of the recognisable faces in Nollywood, admired for his charisma and strong screen presence.
He was named one of the “Most Influential People of African Descent under 40” by the United Nations in 2020 for his contributions to entertainment and social development.
