Nollywood Actor Leo Mezie Is Dead After Battling With Kidney Disease

Nollywood actor Leonard Chimezie Onyemachi popularly known as Leo Mezie who has been battling with kidney disease has died at the age of 46 years old. It was gathered that the Actor, who had a kidney transplant over 4 years ago, had another one last week, but began to develop complications and died on Saturday, 14th May 2022.

Nollywood actress, Chioma Toplis, confirmed the death of Leo Mezie via a post on Instagram on Monday. According to reports, Leo Mezie had been in and out of the hospital for a while trying to get back on his feet.

Chioma Toplis wrote; “Actor Leo Mezie is dead. He died on Saturday in Abuja while recovering from a kidney transplant. His corpse has been moved to Umuahia his hometown. RIP Leo Mezie.”

When the news of Leo Mezie’s illness became public knowledge, many people accused Nollywood stakeholders of insulting the sensibility of Nigerians by asking people to contribute money for Leo Mezie, when in actual fact; stakeholders in the industry could have easily done so.

Leonard Chimezie Onyemachi popularly known as Leo Mezie is a famous Nollywood actor, model, television personality, entrepreneur and a philanthropist. He is originally from Umuahia, Abia State in the south eastern part of Nigeria. He is very handsome, creative and talented in acting and interpretation of movie roles.

Leo Mezie completed both his primary and secondary school education in Umuahia, Abia State in the south eastern part of Nigeria and obtained both his First School Leaving Certificate and West African Senior School Certificate.

In 1996, Leo Mezie joined the Nigerian movie industry (Nollywood) and started attending movie auditions and acting as a minor character in movies. In 2003, Leo Mezie rose to fame after acting in the Nollywood blockbuster movie “Labista” alongside with Emma Ehummadu, Jerry Amilo and Ernest Asuzu.

Leo Mezie has acted in more than 150 Nollywood movies which include Labista, Total War, No Man’s Land, Heart of a Slave, Close Enemy, King’s Sleepless Night, Empty Throne, etc. Leo Mezie is happily married to Maureen, a lady whom he had met when he was frustrated from a broken relationship.

In 2016, popular Nollywood actor Leo Mezie was diagnosed with kidney related ailment. It was gathered that the actor has been battling the ailment for several months on his own without seeking any medical attention, until things got worse and his second kidney was alleged to have collapsed. Since his first and second kidney has fail, Leo Mezie was placed on weekly dialysis by medical doctors until a kidney transplant is carried out on him.

Due to his poor health, Leo Mezie was placed on weekly dialysis. As his sickness got worse, doctors told him that he need to raise the sum of ten million naira to enable him carry out the mandatory kidney transplant in India. However, due to his poor financial state at that period, Leo Mezie could not afford such amount of money and solicited funds from friends and colleague in the movie industry to enable him successfully carry out the kidney transplant in India.

Luckily for him, Rita Dominic, Charles Inojie and several other Nollywood celebrities, film practitioners and the general public donated the sum of ten million naira for his kidney transplant and he was immediately fled to United Kingdom for the kidney transplant.

After spending four months in the United Kingdom, Leo Mezie returned back to Nigeria very healthy and free from kidney disease. Fortunately, the good-looking actor did not undergo a kidney transplant as it was widely publicized. Instead, his kidneys suddenly started working again to the surprise of everyone.

After returning from United Kingdom, Leo Mezie met with his friends and colleagues from the entertainment industry at celebrity restaurant in National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria, where he formally announced his return to the country, as well as his plans to organize a survival party to thank God for giving him a second chance to live.

At the celebrity restaurant in National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria, Leo Mezie recounted a touching story of how he cheated death. Leo Mezie stated that his battle with the deadly disease and the consequential victory over death made him to realize that there is God and he works in a miraculous way.

Leo Mezie in the cause of his acting career has won several awards which include Best Actor of the Year at the Africa Movie Academy Awards, Best Actor in a Supporting Role at the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards, Most Promising Actor in Nigeria at the City People Entertainment Awards and Most Prominent Actor in Nigeria at the Best of Nollywood Awards.

Leo Mezie has been rated as one of the most talented actors in Nollywood. He knows how to interpret his role very well and can fit in any role given to him by a movie directors and producers in Nigeria. Unfortunately, he died on Saturday, 14th May 2022 after battling with kidney disease. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace.