The year 2021 has been a difficult one for the movie industry, with some Nigerian celebrities passing away.
Below are some Nigerian celebrities who has died so far in 2021.
1. Ada Jesus
Ada Jesus, a 22-year-old comedienne, died on April 21st, after a battle with kidney disease.
Ada Jesus who was battling with kidney problem was able to celebrate her birthday on a hospital bed but unfortunately gave up the fight after having a cardiac arrest just a few hours after celebrating her birthday.
Aside from being a comedian, Ada Jesus was a mother of one who loved and shared the images of her daughter on her Instagram story.
The comedian has been seen in series of photos having fun with her daughter who happens to be less than two years.
2. Mrs. Folake Aremu (Orisabunmi)
The 61 year old Yoruba actress Folake Aremu, popularly known as Orisabunmi died on January 5th, 2021.
Her death came four months after ex-husband Jimoh Aliu, better known as Aworo, died.
President of the Theatre Arts And Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN) Bolaji Amusan, aka Mr Latin, who confirmed her death wrote:
“It is so sad we lost a Priceless Jewel, a very rare gem in the Nigerian film industry, Chief Mrs Folakemi Aremu, aka Orisabunmi, to the cold hands of death last night.
According to the actor, Orisabunmi died at 11 pm after a brief illness at 11pm.
3. Jim Lawson Maduike
The Imo-born thespian, veteran Nollywood actor, Jim Lawson died on January 9 after reportedly complaining of body pains at around 12 pm.
The late actor was also an accomplished broadcaster, writer, and TV personality who featured in over 150 movies in his lifetime. He joined Nollywood in 2004 where he played lead roles in most films.
He was also a pioneer staff of Ray Power Radio for three years, and then for MINAJ for another three years before venturing into Nollywood.
Some of his memorable roles were in movies like ‘My Conscience’, ‘The Trust’, ‘Queen of Aso Rock’, ‘Lust for lust’, ‘Atonement’ and ‘National Cake’. Others are ‘Executive Mess’, ‘Queen Of Hasso Rock’, ‘The Master’, ‘My Conscience’, ‘Enemies In Love’ and ‘Still In Love’.
His death comes days after the demise of popular Yoruba actress Folake Aremu, popularly known as Orisabunmi.
4. Sotonye Green
Nollywood actress, Sotonye Green died from COVID-19 complications at the isolation centre in Yaba, Lagos on January 15th, 2021.
The death of actress, Sotonye Green was made public by her friend, Debby King who claimed to have taken her to the Yaba Isolation Centre.
Announcing her death, Debby King blamed the Yaba Isolation Centre for killing the budding actress for their ineptitude.
On her Instagram page where she announced the death with accusing fingers pointed at the Isolation Centre, Debby writes:
“Please and Please.
Help spread the word. Yaba isolation center is a dead trap where only the rich and famous are treated after their doctors have been bribed. I never thought I would be saying goodbye so soon. Rest in peace my bestie. May God forgive all your sins and accept your soul into paradise in Jesus name….Amen.”
Please if you know anyone who has COVID, they should stay home, self isolate and treat themselves. They should not go to that Yaba Isolation center. They are killing people there so that they can have numbers to count.
Imagine, they would come and take her oxygen, Oxygen that her family bought for her, they will take it and give to other people. It is the people that give them money they give oxygen to. People that bribe them are the people they take care of. They would come and collect her oxygen and give to other people. Lagos state government, please look into this. That place they are just killing people. That Isolation center in Yaba.”
5. Ernest Asuzu
Popular Nollywood actor, Ernest Asuzu, died at the age of 37 on January 27, 2021. His wife, Jennifer Asuzu confirmed the news of his death to the media.
His wife said the actor slumped on Tuesday evening and never woke up.
The actor came down with a stroke in 2015 which affected his speech. He was also bedridden for three years. This affected his acting career and he was off the screen for many years.
In his last interview published in December 2020, Asuzu said his problem was spiritual. He was also planning a return to Nollywood and music after an eight-year hiatus.
Asuzu began his acting career in the ’90s and rose to prominence after he starred in the 1997 Nollywood classic, ‘Rituals’
Apart from acting, he was also a musician with the name El Cream.
He is survived by his wife and two children.
6. Bruno Iwuoha
Veteran Nigerian actor, Bruno Iwuoha, died on April 10 at the National Hospital Abuja after a prolonged battle with diabetes. He was 68 years old.
The late actor has starred in numerous film such as World Apart, Magic Cap, Keeping Close, Another Bondage, Faces Of Love and Days Of Hatred. Others are Two Bad Boys, Double Mind, Eagle’s Bride, Forever Yours, Jealous Lovers, My Own Share,My Portfolio, Occultic Battle,The Prince and The Princess and Sins Of The Flesh.
Iwuoha won the Best Supporting Actor at the 2007 Africa Movie Academy Awards for his performance in the film “Sins of the Flesh”.
In his lifetime, he starred in over 509 films with the most recent being ‘Silent Prejudice’ (2020), produced by Chris Kalu.
Iwuoha is survived by his wife and six children.
7. Rachel Bakam
Rachel Bakam, a Nigerian actress and television presenter, has died. She was 38 years old.
Bakam died at a private hospital in Abuja on Tuesday, April 13, 2021, after a brief illness. Her brother, Armstrong Bakam, revealed that Rachel died at 12 pm on Tuesday afternoon with her mother by her bedside.
“She had anaemia; so, she was taken to the hospital on Friday and she died this afternoon at about 12pm. I was not with her when she died, but her mother was by her side. Before Friday, she fell ill and was admitted for some days but she was discharged and taken home. However, she was returned to the hospital on Friday,” Armstrong told The PUNCH in a chat.
He added: “We will really miss her because her death is a shocking and devastating news to the family. In fact, the whole family is actually troubled and quite a number of people are yet to believe that it is actually true.”
Rachel Bakam was born and brought up in Kaduna State where she had her primary, secondary, and tertiary education. She studied English and theatre arts at Ahmadu Bello University and digital filmmaking at New York Film Academy.
Until her death, she was the CEO and Managing Director of Rayzeds Media Ltd, Founder & President of the Nigerian Water Ski And Wakeboard Federation (NWWF) and media consultant for the Performing Musician Employers Association (PMAN) & African Fashion Reception Paris.