LAGOS, Nigeria — Veteran Nollywood actress Cynthia Okereke, belovedly known as ‘Nwanyi oma,’ has died, causing shockwaves through Nigeria’s film industry and leaving her legions of fans in deep mourning.
Joseph Okechukwu, a popular actor and filmmaker, announced Okereke’s passing in a heartfelt Instagram post on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, stating she died on Tuesday, July 11, 2023.
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“I’m shattered beyond words,” Okechukwu wrote alongside a photograph of Okereke. “The fact that I was about to pay for your flight ticket to come and finish what we started only to hear you went to be with the Lord just last night is one of the toughest things I’ve had to deal with in recent times.”
The veteran actress was a revered figure in the Nigerian film industry for over two decades, celebrated for her impressive range and professionalism.
Known for her motherly roles, Okereke brought many memorable characters to life in a career spanning multiple decades.
Her untimely death comes a year after she and her colleague, Clemson Cornel, were kidnapped on their return from a movie set in Ozalla town, Enugu State.
The traumatic incident, it appears, has been followed by another shocking blow to Nollywood.
“For the more than 20 years that I’ve known you, you’ve been such an amazing, decent and lovely soul to be around. Words fail me. May your gentle soul rest on till we meet to part no more,” Okechukwu mourned in his post.
Okereke’s passing is a significant loss for Nollywood, marking the end of an era and leaving a void in an industry she helped shape.
The news has elicited an outpouring of grief and remembrance from colleagues, fans, and the broader entertainment community in Nigeria.
