The death of actor, model and entertainer, Alexx Ekubo, has thrown Nollywood into mourning.
Here are 10 things to know about the veteran thespian.
1. He was born on April 10, 1986, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, but hails from Arochukwu in Abia State.
2. He spoke Igbo and Hausa fluently.
3. He was the first runner-up at the 2010 Mr Nigeria contest, a platform that helped launch his career in the entertainment industry. Since then, he has featured in several successful Nollywood productions and earned recognition both locally and internationally.
4. Alexx Ekubo attended Federal Government College, Daura, Katsina State, for his secondary education. He later studied Law at the University of Calabar before obtaining a degree in Mass Communication.
5. Ekubo began acting professionally in the early 2010s and quickly established himself as one of Nollywood’s leading actors.
6. Beyond entertainment, Ekubo is actively involved in charity and humanitarian initiatives. In 2020, he was inducted into the MIPAD/United Nations Most Influential People of African Descent Top 100 Under 40 Hall of Fame. He also received a Certificate of Excellence from Sapio Club SDG for his contributions to African entertainment and humanitarian services.
7. In 2021, he received the Nigerian National Award of Excellence as the Global Social Giving Actor of the Year for his charity efforts. The same year, he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree in Arts and Culture by Institut Supérieur de Communication et de Gestion University, Cotonou, Republic of Benin.
8. Ekubo largely kept his private life away from public scrutiny, although he remained one of the most visible celebrities in Nigeria’s entertainment industry through his social engagements, endorsements and philanthropic activities.