OC Ukeje
Born
Okechukwu Ukeje

(1981-07-15) 15 July 1981
Lagos State, Nigeria
EducationUniversity of Lagos
Occupation(s)Film actor, model, musician
Years active2007— present
TelevisionAmstel Malta Box Office realiyTV Show
Spouse
Senami Ibukunoluwa Togonu-Bickersteth
​
​
(m. 2014)​
Awards2008 Africa Movie Academy Awards for Most Promising Actor

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]

Early life

Okechukwu Ukeje, a native of Umuahia[5] Abia State, was born and raised in Lagos State, Nigeria. He is the second child of a family of three.[6]

Career

He 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

Ukeje lives in Lagos, Nigeria. He married Senami Ibukunoluwa Togonu-Bickersteth on 8 November 2014.[16][17]

Filmography

YearFilmRole Ref
2007 White Waters Actor
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
North East Emeka Okafor
2017 Potato Potahto Mr. Tony Wilson [19][20]
Catch.er Detective Komolafe
2018 Shades of Attraction
In Sickness and Health
The Royal Hibiscus Hotel
2019 Heaven's Hell Ahmed
Ashen
2020 Shine Your Eye Amadi
2022 Black mail [21]
2022 Brotherhood Izra
2023 Orah Agent Uche Odi

Awards

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

  1. ↑ Adebayo, Tireni (16 July 2021). "OC Ukeje quietly marks 40th birthday". Kemi Filani News. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  2. ↑ I’m Attracted To Older Women – Okechukwu Chukwudi Ukeje 6 November 2012
  3. ↑ "OC Ukeje, Actor". Mandy. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  4. ↑ "List of winners of Nigeria Entertainment Awards 2013".
  5. ↑ "Why women send nude photographs to me - OC Ukeje". naijanewsmagazine.blogspot.com. 10 June 2013.
  6. 1 2 3 "Nigeria: OC Ukeje, Majid Breaking the Cinemas". allAfrica.com. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  7. ↑ "How I handle my female admirers —O.C Ukeje". Vanguard. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  8. ↑ Systems, Clearwox. "Oc Ukeje on iBAKATV | Home for Nollywood Movies". ibakatv.com. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  9. ↑ "O.C. Ukeje". IMDb. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  10. ↑ "Video: Destiny Ekaragha on Gone Too Far!". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  11. ↑ Desk, Movies News. "Malachi Kirby and OC Ukeje Star in GONE TOO FAR Film Adaptation". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  12. ↑ Gidi cast on The Juice, Ndanitv, Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  13. ↑ "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.
  14. ↑ "OC Ukeje, Majid breaking the cinemas". Daily Independent. January 2015. Archived from the original on 12 February 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  15. ↑ Somkele Iyamah-Idhalama: New Nollywood rising star goes to Toronto, Shaibu Husseini, 10 September 2016, The GuardienNG, Retrieved 7 October 2016
  16. ↑ "OC Ukeje Shares On His Marriage Experience And How He Met His Wife". Pulse Nigeria TV. Misimola. 19 May 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  17. ↑ "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.
  18. ↑ 'Kusare, Mak (1 January 2000), A Play Called a Temple Made of Clay, retrieved 13 May 2016
  19. ↑ "Shirley Frimpong-Manso's 'Potato Potahto' makes it to Netflix - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  20. ↑ 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
  21. ↑ "Obi Emelonye's 'Black Mail' Opens in 100 UK Cinemas – THISDAYLIVE". www.thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  22. ↑ "Phone Swap, OC Ukeje and Rita Dominic Win Big at 2013 NMA". Channels Television. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  23. ↑ 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.
  24. ↑ Bada, Gbenga (15 December 2019). "BON Awards 2019: 'Gold Statue', Gabriel Afolayan win big at 11th edition". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
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