Okechukwu Ukeje// , known as OC Ukeje is Nigerian actor,[1]model and musician.[2] He came into prominence after winning the Amstel Malta Box Office (AMBO) reality show.[3] He has received several awards including Africa Movie Academy Awards, Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards, Nollywood Movies Awards, Best of Nollywood Awards, Nigeria Entertainment Awards and Golden Icons Academy Movie Awards. He has featured in several award-winning films including Two Brides and a Baby, Hoodrush, Alan Poza, Confusion Na Wa and Half of a Yellow Sun.[4]
OC Ukeje | |
|---|---|
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| Born | Okechukwu Ukeje 15 July 1981 Lagos State, Nigeria |
| Education | University of Lagos |
| Occupation(s) | Film actor, model, musician |
| Years active | 2007— present |
| Television | Amstel Malta Box Office realiyTV Show |
| Spouse |
Senami Ibukunoluwa Togonu-Bickersteth
(m. 2014) |
| Awards | 2008 Africa Movie Academy Awards for Most Promising Actor |
Early life
editOkechukwu Ukeje, is a native of Umuahia,[5] the capital city of Abia State, southeastern region of Nigeria. He was born and raised in Lagos State, southwestern Nigeria. He is the second child of a family of three.[6]
Career
editHe attended Federal Government College Ijanikin, Ojo, Lagos.[6] He began his career in acting from his first year at the University of Lagos, Yaba, with a lead role in a stage play. He went on to pursue both music and acting, focusing mainly on acting in stage plays for the first four years of his career before attempting and winning a reality TV show, Amstel Malta Box Office (AMBO).[7] His first screen appearance was in White Waters (2007) with Joke Silva and Rita Dominic. The film was directed by Izu Ojukwu. He won the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) for the Most Promising Actor (2008) and the City People's Award for Best New Act (2010).[8]
He continued to write music, collaborating with a few Nigerian musical artists and producers and working on radio jingles for corporate organizations. He has worked in movies and television between 2008 and 2012.[9]
He was a member of the cast of the TV series that was presented at the International Emmy World Television Festival, Wetin Dey (2007) produced by the BBC World Service Trust and played lead and supporting lead roles in films like Comrade, Confusion Na Wa and Awakening. He was also featured in Black November (2012) by Jeta Amata with cast members including Mickey Rourke, Kim Basinger, Sarah Wayne-Callies, Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Vivica Fox and a host of others. He was also in the film adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Half of a Yellow Sun (2013) with Chiwetel Ejiofor and Thandiwe Newton as the lead cast, directed by Biyi Bandele. He was on the repertory team that showcased 3 stage plays for the Nigeria House at the London Cultural Olympiad (2012).[6] He also acted in the BFI sponsored film, Gone Too Far.[10][11] He was in NdaniTV's series Gidi Up with Titilope Sonuga, Deyemi Okanlawon, Somkele Iyamah and Ikechukwu Onunaku.[12][13] In January 2015, he was listed by Nigerian Cinema Exhibition Coalition as one of the highest box office grosser of 2014.[14]
In 2016, he was invited with Somkele Iyamah to attend the Toronto International Film Festival as "rising stars".[15]
Personal life
editUkeje lives in Lagos, Nigeria. He married Senami Ibukunoluwa Togonu-Bickersteth on 8 November 2014.[16][17]
Filmography
edit| Year | Film | Role | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | White Waters | Melvin | |
| 2008 | Comrade | Hakeem | |
| 2011 | Black Gold | Peter Gadibia | |
| Two Brides and a Baby | Badmus | ||
| 2012 | Black November | Peter Gadibia | |
| Hoodrush | Shez Jabari | ||
| Till Death Do Us Part (Short) | John | ||
| 2013 | Confusion Na Wa | Charles Duka | |
| Alan Poza | Alan Poza | ||
| Half of a Yellow Sun | Aniekwena | ||
| Awakening | Nicholas | ||
| Gone Too Far | Iku | ||
| The Rubicon | David | ||
| 2014 | When Love Happens | Dare | |
| Gidi Up (TV Series) | Obi (2014 – ) | ||
| A Play Called a Temple Made of Clay (Short) | Hakeem | [18] | |
| 2015 | The Department | Segun | |
| Before 30 | Ayo (2015-) | ||
| 2016 | The Arbitration | Mr. Gbenga | |
| Remember me | Micheal Tamuno | ||
| North East | Emeka Okafor | ||
| 2017 | Potato Potahto | Mr. Tony Wilson | [19][20] |
| Catch.er | Detective Komolafe | ||
| 2017 | The Royal Hibiscus Hotel | Felix | |
| 2018 | Shades of Attraction | ||
| In Sickness and Health | Priye Martin | ||
| The Royal Hibiscus Hotel | Felix | ||
| 2019 | Heaven's Hell | Ahmed | |
| Unbreakable | Chidi | ||
| Ashen | |||
| 2020 | Shine Your Eye | Amadi | |
| 2022 | Black mail | Ray Chinda | [21] |
| 2022 | Brotherhood | Izra | |
| 2023 | Orah | Agent Uche Odi | |
| 2024 | Happiness Is |
Awards
edit| Year | Award | Category | Film | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Africa Movie Academy Awards | Most Promising Actor | White Waters | Won | |
| 2012 | Africa Movie Academy Awards | Best Actor in a Leading Role | Confusion Na Wa | Nominated | |
| 2013 | Nigeria Entertainment Awards | Best Lead Actor in a Film | Alan Poza | Won | |
| Best of Nollywood Awards | Best Lead Actor in an English Movie | Won | |||
| Nollywood Movies Awards | Best Actor in a Lead Role | Hoodrush | Won | [22] | |
| Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards | Best Actor in a Drama | Two Brides and a Baby | Won | [23] | |
| 2019 | Best of Nollywood Awards | Best Actor in a Lead role – English | Unbreakable | Nominated | [24] |
References
edit- ^ Adebayo, Tireni (16 July 2021). "OC Ukeje quietly marks 40th birthday". Kemi Filani News. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- ^ I’m Attracted To Older Women – Okechukwu Chukwudi Ukeje 6 November 2012
- ^ "OC Ukeje, Actor". Mandy. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
- ^ "List of winners of Nigeria Entertainment Awards 2013".
- ^ "Why women send nude photographs to me - OC Ukeje". naijanewsmagazine.blogspot.com. 10 June 2013.
- ^ a b c "Nigeria: OC Ukeje, Majid Breaking the Cinemas". allAfrica.com. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
- ^ "How I handle my female admirers —O.C Ukeje". Vanguard. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
- ^ Systems, Clearwox. "Oc Ukeje on iBAKATV | Home for Nollywood Movies". ibakatv.com. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
- ^ "O.C. Ukeje". IMDb. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
- ^ "Video: Destiny Ekaragha on Gone Too Far!". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
- ^ Desk, Movies News. "Malachi Kirby and OC Ukeje Star in GONE TOO FAR Film Adaptation". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ Gidi cast on The Juice, Ndanitv, Retrieved 6 October 2016.
- ^ "Meet the Stars of Gidi Up, Season 2". Encomium. Encomium Magazine. 5 July 2014. Archived from the original on 23 September 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
- ^ "OC Ukeje, Majid breaking the cinemas". Daily Independent. January 2015. Archived from the original on 12 February 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ Somkele Iyamah-Idhalama: New Nollywood rising star goes to Toronto, Shaibu Husseini, 10 September 2016, The GuardienNG, Retrieved 7 October 2016
- ^ "OC Ukeje Shares On His Marriage Experience And How He Met His Wife". Pulse Nigeria TV. Misimola. 19 May 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
- ^ "Nollywood actor, OC Ukeje weds at 33 – Nigerian Entertainment Today – Nigeria's Top Website for News, Gossip, Comedy, Videos, Blogs, Events, Weddings, Nollywood, Celebs, Scoop and Games". Nigerian Entertainment Today – Nigeria's Top Website for News, Gossip, Comedy, Videos, Blogs, Events, Weddings, Nollywood, Celebs, Scoop and Games. 10 November 2014. Archived from the original on 11 February 2017. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
- ^ 'Kusare, Mak (1 January 2000), A Play Called a Temple Made of Clay, retrieved 13 May 2016
- ^ "Shirley Frimpong-Manso's 'Potato Potahto' makes it to Netflix - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
- ^ Frimpong-Manso, Shirley (15 December 2019), Potato Potahto (Comedy), O. C. Ukeje, Joselyn Dumas, Joke Silva, Kemi Lala Akindoju, 19 April Entertainment, Ascend Studios, Lufodo Productions, retrieved 3 February 2021
- ^ "Obi Emelonye's 'Black Mail' Opens in 100 UK Cinemas – THISDAYLIVE". www.thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
- ^ "Phone Swap, OC Ukeje and Rita Dominic Win Big at 2013 NMA". Channels Television. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
- ^ Inyang, Ifreke (10 March 2013). "Mercy Johnson, Mirror Boy, Jackie Appiah, OC Ukeje - See full list of winners from AMVCA 2013". Daily Post Nigeria. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
- ^ Bada, Gbenga (15 December 2019). "BON Awards 2019: 'Gold Statue', Gabriel Afolayan win big at 11th edition". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 10 October 2021.