{"id":31026,"date":"2026-05-13T14:35:56","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T13:35:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.funminews.com\/?p=31026"},"modified":"2026-05-13T14:36:01","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T13:36:01","slug":"alexx-ekubo-madam-koi-koi-other-nollywood-actors-who-have-died-in-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/13\/alexx-ekubo-madam-koi-koi-other-nollywood-actors-who-have-died-in-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Alexx Ekubo, Madam Koi Koi, other Nollywood actors who have died in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Nigerian film industry has endured a year of repeated tragedy in 2026, losing several beloved actors and actresses whose contributions left indelible marks on Nollywood. From household names to comic favorites, the deaths have sparked widespread mourning and tributes across the entertainment community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alexx Ekubo, one of Nollywood\u2019s most recognizable faces, died on May 11 at age 40 after reportedly battling liver cancer. Rising to fame as the first runner-up at the 2010 Mr. Nigeria contest, Ekubo went on to star in films such as Weekend Getaway<\/em> and Lagos Cougars<\/em>, building a reputation for his charisma and romantic drama roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veteran actress and filmmaker Oby Kechere, popularly known as Madam Koi Koi, passed away on April 27 after a prolonged illness. She became a household name through her role in the classic comedy Aki na Ukwa<\/em>, where her \u201cMs Koi Koi\u201d character won audiences over. Kechere also served in leadership roles within the Directors Guild of Nigeria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ajara Lasisi, fondly called Aunty Ajara, died in February after a long illness. Known for her comic supporting roles in Yoruba films, she built a loyal fan base portraying outspoken relatives and market women. Her passing followed months of public fundraising efforts to support her treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Actor Bamidele Oluwatope, popularly called Okemesi, also died in February. He was celebrated in the Yoruba movie industry for his energetic acting style and comic timing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Actor Bamidele Oluwatope<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Other Nollywood figures lost in 2026 include Davis Offor, remembered for his dedication to the craft, and Solomon Akiyesi, a familiar face in numerous productions who had built recognition over the years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The deaths have reignited conversations about the pressures faced by entertainers, the need for stronger health support systems within the industry, and the importance of preserving the legacies of those who shaped Nollywood\u2019s growth.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Nigerian film industry has endured a year of repeated tragedy in 2026, losing several beloved actors and actresses whose contributions left indelible marks on Nollywood. From household names to comic favorites, the deaths have sparked widespread mourning and tributes across the entertainment community. Alexx Ekubo, one of Nollywood\u2019s most recognizable faces, died on May […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":30955,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3699,2,2096,776,25,4,18,3],"tags":[15911,15740,15912,15913,15916,15910,15914],"class_list":["post-31026","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-africa","category-business","category-economics","category-educational","category-entertainment","category-featured","category-lifestyle","category-naija-news","tag-ajara-lasisi-aunty-ajara","tag-alexx-ekubo-death","tag-bamidele-oluwatope-okemesi","tag-davis-offor-nollywood","tag-nigerian-film-industry-tributes","tag-oby-kechere-madam-koi-koi","tag-solomon-akiyesi-death"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.funminews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/65559_092155_eng.webp?fit=700%2C400","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31026","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31026"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31026\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31031,"href":"http:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31026\/revisions\/31031"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30955"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31026"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31026"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31026"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}