Ebele Okaro Onyiuke// (born 19 January 1964)[1] is a Nigerian actress and film producer.[2]

Ebele Okaro
Born19 January 1964
NationalityNigerian
Other namesEbele Okaro Onyiuke
CitizenshipNigerian
Alma materUniversity of Calabar
Occupation(s)Actress, Producer
Notable workBambitious
Awards2017 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award, Best Supporting Actress

Early life / Education

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Ebele Okaro was born on 19 January 1964 in London and raised in Enugu State, southeastern part of Nigeria.[3] She began acting while attending the Santa Maria Primary School[1][2] and continued while at Nsukka's Queen of the Holy Rosary Secondary School where she wrote her Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE). Initially she began her studies in education at the University of Calabar (Unical), Cross River State, in the southern region of Nigeria, but later discovered that her passion was for the dramatic arts, leading her to earn a Bachelor's degree in Theatre Arts.[2][3] Okaro's mother is a television producer and her father, an engineer[4] who also has great interest in arts and literature.

Career

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After graduating from university, Okaro served her National Youth Service at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), where she made some television appearances.[2][4] However, after the Youth Service, she worked with an embassy in Lagos and later in a bank before returning to acting in the Nigerian movie industry (known as Nollywood).[3]

In 2014, Okaro produced and acted in Musical Whispers, a movie that advocates for loving care for children with autism.[5][6][7] It featured other prominent Nigerian actors, most notably Chioma Chukwuka and Kalu Ikeagwu.[6]

She has become known as the "Mama of Nollywood"[1][4] and has earned the respect of both fans and colleagues.[3] Ebele always knew she wanted to become an actress. Although she left acting for a short time when there was a huge decline in the Nigeria Movie Industry.[8] It led her to earn a living somewhere else. She worked at an embassy in Lagos and also took up a Banking job at the time but when back to acting when things got better.[9]

Personal life

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She married into the Onyiuke family.[3]

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Film Result Ref
2017 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award Best Supporting Actress 4-1 Love Won [3][10]
2018 Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards Best Supporting Actress Black Rose Nominated [11]
2019 Best of Nollywood Awards Best Actress in a Supporting Role (English) Black Rose Won [12]
2020 Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards Best Actress in a Comedy (Movie/TV Series) Smash Nominated [13][14]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Director Notes References
Eziza [4][3]
Moving Fingers [4][3]
Red Light [3]
Shallow Waters [3]
Third Eye [4][3]
1996 Hostages Tade Ogidan [4][3][15]
2006 30 Days Mama Alero Mildred Okwo [4][3][16]
2014 Bambitious Dr. Ese Okechukwu Oku [17]
2014 Chetanna Ugomma (as Ebere Okaro) Ikechukwu Onyeka Igbo language [18]
2014 Musical Whispers Jasmine Bond Emerua Also the producer [5][6]
2016 4-1-Love Uju's Mother Ikechukwu Onyeka Best Supporting Actress in a Drama – 2017 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards [3]
2015 The Powerful Babies Chioma Nonso Emekaekwue Written by Greg Chyke Inawodoh and Ifeanyi Ononye [19]
2015 Road to Yesterday Victoria's mum Ishaya Bako [20]
2017 Karma Mama Ngozi Mayor Ofoegbu [21]
2018 Black Rose Rose Okey Oku [22]
2019 Living in Bondage: Breaking Free Eunice Nworie Ramsey Nouah
2023 A Tribe Called Judah grandma Adeoluwa Owu and Funke Akindele
2024 Adam Bol Grandmother Cheta Chukwu and Almaz Alimzhanov Action/Comedy
2024 Out of Breath Ezenwanyi Obi Emelonye

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Actress Ebele Okaro Stuns in New Birthday Photos". gistmynaija.com. 19 January 2016. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d "Ebere Okaro". ModernGhana. 30 May 2007. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Husseini, Shaibu (18 March 2017). "A pip for beloved Nollywood actress, Ebele Okaro-Onyiuke". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Williams, Yvonne (19 January 2016). "Birthday Shout! Celebrating veteran Nollywood actress Ebele Okaro". Happenings Magazine. Archived from the original on 8 April 2017. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  5. ^ a b Dachen, Isaac (14 May 2014). "She Is Back: Veteran Actress, Ebele Okaro Makes Return In Musical Whispers". pulse.ng. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  6. ^ a b c Elekwachi, Edith (16 May 2014). "Nollywood Thespian Ebele Okaro-Onyiuke Debuts New Movie Against 'Autism'". ModernGhana. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  7. ^ "Nigeria: Okaro-Onyiuke's Autism-Inspired Musical Whispers Premieres With Glam". The Daily Independent. 6 June 2014. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  8. ^ udeh, Chika (April 21, 2023). "facts you didn't know about ebele okaro biography and family members". BUZZ NIGERIA.
  9. ^ udeh, chika (April 21, 2023). "facts you didn't know about ebele okaro biography and family members". BUZZ NIGERIA.
  10. ^ Inyang, Ifreke (5 March 2017). "'76' wins five awards at AMVCA 2017". Daily Post. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  11. ^ "AMVCA 2018 : Adekola Odunlade, Omotola Ekeinde win best actor, actress". Vanguard. Nigeria. September 1, 2018.
  12. ^ Bada, Gbenga (2019-12-15). "BON Awards 2019: 'Gold Statue', Gabriel Afolayan win big at 11th edition". Pulse Nigeria. Archived from the original on 2019-12-15. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  13. ^ "2020 AMVCA: Check out the full nominees' list". Pulse Nigeria. 2020-02-07. Retrieved 2020-10-10.
  14. ^ "AMVCA 2020: Full list of winners". TODAY. March 14, 2020. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  15. ^ "Film: OGD Pictures Limited – Television & Film Production". OGD Pictures Limited. 2011. Archived from the original on 7 April 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2017.
  16. ^ Osofisan, Sola (30 July 2006). "Does 30 Days Live Up To The Hype?". nigeriansinamerica.com. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  17. ^ Izuzu, Chidumga (2 December 2014). "'Bambitious': Daniel K Daniel, Belinda Effah, Selebobo attend Enugu premiere". pulse.ng. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  18. ^ Izuzu, Chidumga (29 October 2014). "'Chetanna': Chigozie Atuanya's Movie Wins Best Indigenous Film". pulse.ng. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  19. ^ "Ebele Okaro, Ken Erics, Richie Akpipki, Saheed Apanpa: 4 Reasons to watch out for Culprit | National Daily Newspaper". National Daily Newspaper, Lagos. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  20. ^ Bako, Ishaya (27 November 2015). "Road to Yesterday". IMDB. TEN. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  21. ^ "Road To Yesterday For Release November 27". The Guardian. 31 October 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  22. ^ "Black Rose". Nollywood Reinvented. 3 June 2018. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
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