This article curates a list of veteran nollywood actors who are still relevant. The Nollywood industry have quite a number of veterans who are still very active in the industry.
Over the last 10 years, Nollywood has experienced tremendous growth, and new faces of the industry have emerged. However, there are some veterans who have proved that age has got nothing on them. As a matter of fact it will only get better.
These veteran actors always come with their well of experience to a wide variety of roles and add needed depth while proving the possibility of an active acting career regardless of ageing bias.
Sola Sobowale
Sola Sobowale is a Nigerian film actress, screenwriter, director and producer. Sola Sobowale started acting in the ealy 90’s. She hit a big lead role in 2001, in the premiere of Nigeria’s popular television drama series Super Story: Oh Father, Oh Daughter.
Sola Sobowale ha since then done several works with Adebayo Salami and Tade Ogidan. At a time in her career it appeared she was no more frequent on the screen but then in 2016 she hit another big break when she featured in Kemi Adetiba’s wedding party. Fans were thrilled to have her back on screen as they enjoyed her energy.
Wedding party the movie, opened up more opportunity for Kemi Adetiba and Sola Sobowale to produce some more amazing works as they came back with the big “King of Boys” which earned her the name “Oba”. Till date especially with the fact the the King of boys part two is going to be in series, Sola Sobowale belongs to the class of veteran Nollywood actor who are still relevant.
Richard Mofe Damijo
Richard Mofe-Damijo popularly known as RMD was born on the 6th of July 1961. He is a Nigerian actor, writer, producer, lawyer, and former journalist.
Mofe-Damijo was born in Aladja community of Udu Kingdom, Delta State. He attended Midwest College, Warri and Anglican Grammar School and was a member of the Drama Club. He enrolled into the University of Benin to continue his education and studied Theatre Arts. In 1997, Mofe-Damijo returned to the university to study law at the University of Lagos and graduated in 2004.
Sugar Daddy of Lagos as he is fondly called by some of his fans started his acting career in the late 1990s. He has co-stared with Sola Sobowale and a host of others in several leading roles. RMD particularly belongs to the class of veteran Nollywood actors who are still relevant.
Mofe-Damijo was appointed as the Special Adviser of Culture and Tourism to the then Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan in 2008, later on became the commissioner for Culture and Tourism of Delta State, Nigeria in 2009.His tenure ended in 2015.
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Pete Edochie
Chief Pete Edochie, was born on the 7th of March 1947 in in Zaria. Pete Edochie is a Nigerian actor, seasoned administrator and broadcaster. Edochie is considered one of Africa’s most talented actors. He was honored with an Industry Merit Award by Africa Magic and Lifetime Achievement by Africa Film Academy.
Pete Edochie came into limelight in the 1980s when he played the lead role of Okonkwo in an NTA adaptation of Chinua Achebe’s all-time best selling novel, Things Fall Apart. Edochie descends from the Igbo people of Nigeria. In 2003, he was honored as a Member of the Order of the Niger by President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Some of his fans call him the Lion of Africa. Pete Edochie just celebrated his 75th birthday on the 7th of March 2022. He gracefully sits in the group of veteran actors who are still relevant.
Joke Silva
Joke Silva was born 29 September 1961.She is a Nigerian actress, director, and businesswoman. Joke Silva was born in Lagos into the family of Emmanuel Afolabi Silva a lawyer and Adebimbola Silva, a doctor. Joke Silva attended Holy Child College in Lagos.
She studied English at the University of Lagos and then proceeded to Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London, Joke Silva began her career in film in the early 1990s.
Joke Silva has starred in numerous films and television series in both the English and Yoruba languages. One of her earliest roles was in the 1990 English film Mind Bending. In 1993 she appeared in Owulorojo, followed by Violated in 1995.
Also in 2002, Joke Silva co-produced and starred in The Kingmaker with Olu Jacobs. This was followed by roles in pictures such as A Husband’s Wife (2003), Shylock (2004), and A Past Came Calling.
The 60-year old Joke Silva belongs to the class of veteran nollywood actors who are still relevant. Her most recent work is Chief Daddy and Two weeks in Lagos.
Ireti Doyle
Iretiola Doyle is a Nigerian actress, entertainer, TV presenter, writer and a public speaker. She was born on the 3rd of May 1967 in Ondo State but spent her early years with her family in Boston, United States.
Ireti Doyle returned to Nigeria after a while where she completed her tertiary education. She attended Christ’s School Ado Ekiti and obtained Diploma in Mass Communication and also graduated from the University of Jos with a degree in Theatre Arts.
Ireti Doyle became prominent through the popular TV comedy series Fuji house of commotion, where she acted as the favorite wife of the chief.
As a presenter, she produced and presented her own fashion and lifestyle show titled Oge With Iretiola for ten years and at different times anchored several television shows, like Morning Ride, Today On STV and Nimasa This Week. She also featured on the popular TV series Tinsel for years.
Ireti Doyle sometimes earn the elegant sugar mummy roles in movies because of her never ageing and graceful look. She played one of such roles in Merry men. Her most recent work is Kasanova and Merry Men.
Ireti Doyle gracefully belongs to the group of veteran nollywood actors who are still relevant.
Nkem Owoh
Nkem Owoh is a Nigerian actor and comedian. Nkem Owoh was born in Enugu State, Nigeria. After his primary and secondary school, he headed to the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta and studied engineering. He began acting in various television and film productions during his university days.
Nkem Owoh starred in his first film Things fall apart with Pete Edochie in 1987. He became really popular when he co-starred with Patience Ozokwo in Ukwa in year 2000. Other movies include Osuofia in London part 1 and2, Akanchawa, Stronger than pain, Lion heart etc. His latest work is “My village people with Bovi .
Nkem Owoh the legend is one of the veteran nollywood actors who are still relevant.
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Kanayo O Kanayo
A lot of people do not know his real names are Anayo Modestus Onyekwere. He somehow became popularly known as Kanayo O. Kanayo. He was born March 1, 1962 in Mbaise, Imo State, Nigeria.
He became really famous for his controversial character role as a ritualist. Anayo Modestus Onyekwere made his debut with the movie “Living in bondage” in 1992. The Mbaise, born actor Kanayo, won the African Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in the movie “Family Battle” in 2006.
The 60year old Kanayo has appeared in Up North, Living in Bondage: the remake by Playnetworks and Lionheart. He recently went back to school to study law which he has always wanted to do. He belongs to the class of veteran Nollywood actors who are still relevant.
Patience Ozokwo
Patience Ozokwor was born 14th September 1958 in the village of Amaobo, Ngwo in present-day Enugu State, Nigeria. She is a Nigerian musician, fashion designer, gospel singer and actress. She attended Abimbola Gibson Memorial School in Lagos.
Patience Ozokwor had a passion for acting ever since she was at primary school, where she would act in different stage plays. She later attended Institute of management and technology Enugu, where Patience obtained a degree in fine and applied arts.
Before starting as an actress, she was already a star before acting and first made it into radio drama. Her main shot was taking part in a soap opera by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) titled Someone Cares.
She was popular in the late 1990s for her controversial roles as a wicked mother, wife or mother in law. Some of her fans confessed that they were scared of her growing up as a child. However she apologized to them that those were just movie roles and had nothing to do with her real personality.
Patience Ozokwo honorably belongs to the group of the veteran nollywood actors who are still relevant.
Ngozi Nwosu
Ngozi Nwosu was born on August 1, 1963. She is a veteran Nigerian actress and producer. She began her acting career in Yoruba-language films, before making her home-video debut in Living in Bondage.
She is a native of Arochukwu in Abia State, Southeastern Nigeria. Ngozi Nwosu grew up in Lagos. Her father, a Biafran veteran was killed during the Nigeria Civil War.
Ngozi Nwosu is fluent in Igbo, Yoruba and English languages. She had her primary education at St. Paul Anglican School, Idi Oro. She then proceeded to Maryland Comprehensive High School, Ikeja, and concluded her high school at East Rosary High School.
She began her acting career while attending acting classes in school, most of which were done in Yoruba. She played “Madam V boot” in the television series, Ripples. Ngozi Nwosu is one of the veteran nollywood actors who are still relevant.
She is also known for playing “Peace” in the TV comedy, Fuji House of Commotion created by Amaka Igwe. Her character was the second wife of Chief T.A. Fuji. Her latest work is the online series Skinny girls in Transit by Abimbola Craig.
Jide Kosoko
Babajide Kosoko was born on the 12th of January 1954. Babajide Kosoko is a Nigerian actor, director and producer.He is a prince born into the Kosoko royal family of Lagos Island.
Prince Jide Kosoko started acting as a child but he got more professional as an adult in 1992. He has since featured in several movies. He also does stage plays as he has his own theatre troupe.
Jide Kosoko is part of the veteran Nollywood actor who are still relevant.
Maintaining relevance in one’s career despite age and time is not a walk in the park. You will agree with me that for one, the Nollywoood industry is a very competitive place. There are a couple of others who are also in the category of veteran nollywood actors who are still relevant but did not make it to this list, we know them and acknowledge them still.
