10 Nollywood Actors And Actresses Who Died Before The Year 2020

In this article I will be sharing with you 10 Nollywood actors and actresses who died before the year 2020. These actors and actresses contributed immensely to the success of Nollywood in Nigeria and rest of the world. Their passion, determination, hard work and creativity put Nollywood on the spotlight. Unfortunately these celebrities didn’t live to see 2020 but their legacy still lives.

1. Enebeli Elebewu

Enebeli Elebuwa was a Nollywood actor who died on 5th December 2012. He was popularly known for playing the role of a king in Nollywood movies. He was born on 14th February 1947 in Delta State and died on 4th December 2012 in India at the age of 65 years old. He is one of the most recognizable and respected faces in the ever growing Nigerian film industry popularly known as Nollywood. He suffered a major stroke before he died.

2. Sam Loco Efe

Sam Loco Efe was a Nollywood actor who died on 7th August 2011. He is a Nollywood legendary comic actor who has been described as the best and most decorated comic actor in Nigeria, popularly known for his heavy use of grammatical words in a comic manner. He was born on 25th December 1945 in Enugu but his ancestral home is trace to Benin in Edo state. On 7th August 2011, Sam Loco Efe died at the age of 65 years old on a movie location, in his hotel room in Owerri, Imo State. The cause of his death was suspected asthma.

3. Geraldine Ekeocha

Geraldine Ekeocha was a Nollywood actress who died on 4th September 2011. She feature mostly as a mother and house wife in several Nollywood movies. She was born on 15th June 1955 in Imo State and died on 4th September 2011 at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Ituku Ozalla in Enugu at the age of 56 years old. It was gathered that she was diagnosed with liver cancer before she kicked the bucket living behind her 7 children comprising of 6 girls and 1 boy.

4. Justus Esiri

Justus Esiri was a veteran Nollywood actor who died on 19th February 2013. He was generally considered to be one of the pillars of Nollywood with an acting career that goes way back to the 1960s. He was born on 20th November 1942 in Oria-Abraka, Delta State and died on 19th February 2013 in a hospital in Lagos from complications of diabetes at the age of 70 years old. A tribute night, organized by the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) was held for him at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos on 8th April 2013 to honor him.

5. Muna Obiekwe

Muna Obiekwe was a Nollywood actor who died on 18th January 2015. He acts mostly in romantic and action movies. He was born in 1979 in Lagos and died on 18th January 2015 in Festac Town, Lagos at the age of 36 years old after been diagnosed of kidney disease. Muna Obiekwe is originally from Enugu State. He joined the Nigerian movie industry (Nollywood) in the late 90s and since then till his death, he has acted in several Nollywood blockbuster movies. He was secretly married to Gift Obiekwe and the marriage was blessed with two beautiful kids. He kept his marriage secret and his private life personal until his untimely and painful death which was caused by Kidney disease.

6. Dede One Day

Dede One Day was a Nollywood comic actor who died on 14th December 2015. The comic actor has been described as the best, most decorated and most talented comic actor in Nigeria and a master of ceremony. Dede One Day whose real name is Peter Onwuzurike Onyehidelam is one of Nigerian best comic actor known for his hilarious comedy movies, shows, events and audio tape. He was born and raised in Aba, Abia State. He is originally from Umuagwuru Mbieri in Imo State. In 2003 he joined Nollywood professionally. Unfortunately, on 14th December 2015, Dede One Day died after he slumped while performing at an event in Aba, Abia State. It was later discovered that Dede One Day tragic death was caused by complications of hypertension and high blood pressure.

7. Pete Eneh

Pete Eneh was a Nollywood actor who died on 15th November 2012. He was known for his fatherly role in movies. He was born in 1944 in Port Harcourt, River State and died on 15th November 2012 in Enugu at the age of 68 years old. Pete Eneh is one of the pioneers of the Nigerian movie industry (Nollywood) and contributed immensely to the growth of Nollywood in Nigeria and the rest of the world. He acts mostly as an elder, traditional ruler, traditional prime minister and a title chief in several Nollywood movies. Unfortunately, on 15th November 2012, Pete Eneh, died after leg amputation due to an infection on the leg in Enugu at the age of 68 years old. He was one of the highly respected and most talented actors Nigeria has ever produced.

8. Ashley Nwosu

Ashley Nwosu was a veteran Nollywood actor who died on 21st April 2011. He features mostly as a father and title chief in several Nollywod movies. He was born on 21st November 1954 in Umuahia-Oboro, Abia State, and died on 21st April 2011 at the Military Hospital, Yaba, Lagos at the age of 56 years old. He is originally from Umugu-Oboro in Ikwano Local Government Area of Abia State. Unfortunately, on 21st April 2011 Ashley Nwosu died at the age of 56 years old at the Military Hospital, Yaba, Lagos State, Nigeria, leaving behind his wife and five children. The cause of his death was due to liver disease he has been battling with for months.

9. Peter Brunor

Peter Brunor was a Nollywood actor who died on 1st May 2015. He is known for his role as a father in several Nollywood movies. He was born in Ogwashi Uku in Delta State. He joined Nollywood in the early 90s. He rose to fame after starring in the Nollywood blockbuster movie “Checkmates”. Unfortunately, Peter Bunor was reported to have died in Asaba, Delta State. He died in the early hours of Friday, 1st May 2015 in Asaba, Delta State. His death was announced by his son, Peter Bunor Jr, through his Facebook post. The late actor died at the age of 60 years old. His son Peter Bunor Junior broke the news of his father’s demise on his official Facebook page and it was reported that the cause of his death was due to a deadly stroke.

10. Prince James Uche

Prince James Uche was a Nollywood actor who died on 8th March 2017. He joined Nollywood in late 90s and acted in his first movie Igodo, a movie which brought him to limelight. Prince James Uche was earlier suffering from Diabetes, Blindness, High Blood Pressure and Kidney disease for over 8 years which kept him off the screen. Unfortunately, he died on 8th March 2017 at a private hospital in Festac Town, Lagos where he had been for two years after a long battle with a kidney related disease.