1. Romanus Amuta (Natty)

Date of birth: 1942 Demise date: 9 February 2022, Age at death: 79 years

Romanus Amuta, also known as Natty, died in February 2022. He was among the country’s most prolific actors of the 1980s. He passed away in Lagos in February 2022 after a protracted illness.

2. Lari Williams 

Date of birth: 1940 Demise date: 27 February 2022 Age at death: 81 years

Lari Williams passed away in his hometown, Ikom, Cross-River, aged 81. He had a long-time illness that eventually led to his demise on 27 February 2022.

3. Tafa Oloyede

Date of birth: 19 November 1952 Demise: 1 February 2022, Age at death: 69 years

Tafa Oloyede was one of the top Nollywood actors who died in 2021. He joined Nigeria’s acting industry in 1974 and went on to become a household name in Nollywood. He passed away at the beginning of 2022 after a short illness. 

4. Shade Akintaylor, alias Oluweri Magbo Ojo

Date of birth: October 1962 Demise: 28 February 2022, Age at death: 59 years

Shade Akintaylor, also known as Oluweri Magbo Ojo, passed away in the United Kingdom, aged 59 years. The late actress’s family reported that she died peacefully and quietly at night. Shade was one of the best-known Nollywood actresses in the 1980s and 1990s.

5. Victor Decker

Year of birth: 1949 Demise: 15 February 2021, Age at death: 72 years Before his demise

Victor Decker was among the best-known Nigerian veteran actors. He died in mid-February 2021. His neighbours reportedly found him dead in his apartment, with his body in a sitting position.

6. Rachel Oniga

Date of birth: 23 May 1957 Demise: 31 July 2021, Age at death: 64 years

Rachel Oniga passed away at the age of 64 due to malaria and typhoid-related complications. While there were rumours that she passed away due to COVID-19 complications, her family dismissed the speculations. She was among the top Nigerian actresses who died in 2021. 

7. Jim Lawson Maduike 

Date of birth: 25 December Demise: 9 January 2021

Jim Lawson Maduike was a well-known television show host, actor, radio broadcaster, and writer. He became an actor in 2004 and featured in over 150 movies before his demise. He passed on at home after complaining of body aches for a short while.

8. Ngozi Chiemeke

Demise: 7th December 2021 The young Nollywood actress was said to have gone to use a point-of-sale shop on Deeper Life Road in the Boji-Boji area of Agbor Owa, Ika North Local Government Area of Delta State when some armed men invaded the place and shot her. She succumbed to the wounds sustained during the shooting.

9. Babatunde Omidina, alias Baba Suwe 

Date of birth: 22 August 1958 Demise: 22 November 2021, Age at death: 63 years

Babatunde Omidina, also known as Baba Suwe, died at the age of 63. In April 2019, he went to America to seek diabetes treatment. Unfortunately, his health declined significantly in the years following the visit, eventually resulting in his demise.

10. Prince Ifeanyi Dike

Demise: 27 August 2021 Prince Ifeanyi Dike passed away due to kidney-related complications. He had been diagnosed with kidney failure years before his demise and even underwent a transplant. Unfortunately, he had a kidney failure relapse and passed on in the process of raising additional funds for medical care.

11. Victor Olaotan 

Date of birth: 17 February 1952 Demise: 26 August 2021, Age at death: 69 years

Victor Olaotan was a prolific actor best known for his leading role in the soap opera Tinsel. He became disabled for years after being involved in a car accident along the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway.

12. Stanley Okoro

Date of birth: 10 October 1992 Demise: 11 August 2021, Age at death: 28 years

Stanley Okoro was among the fastest-rising Nigerian actors who died in 2021. He was also a digital marketer and content creator and mainly appeared as a comedian in films. After his demise, his family alleged that colleagues poisoned him since he was suspected of having died from food poisoning. 

13. Rich Oganiru 

 Instagram Date of birth: 23 May 1957 Demise: 10 August 2021, Age at death: 64 years

Rich Oganiru passed on after battling an illness for several months. Sadly, he did not have access to proper healthcare due to a reported lack of funds. Before his demise, a video of the bedridden actor surfaced online. In the clip, he was seen begging for funds to help him get medical attention.

14. Sam Obiagu 

Date of birth: 25th-September-1964 Demise: 23 December 2021, Age at death: 57 years

Sam Obiagu was renowned for his roles in The Orbit, Battle of Kings, Strength of Womanhood, The King’s Decision, Another Life, Blood Brothers, and Royal Headache. While the date of his demise is known, the cause of his death was never publicly disclosed.

15. Olanrewaju Fasasi, alias Sound Sultan

Date of birth: 27 November 1976 Demise: 11 July 2021, Age at death: 44 years

Olanrewaju Fasasi, also known as Sound Sultan, passed away in New Jersey, United States of America. His death came after a spirited battle with a type of cancer known as Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma.

16. Dan Nkoloagu

Date of birth: 1937 Demise: 22 January 2021 Age at death: 84 years

Dan Nkoloagu was a veteran Nigerian actor who passed away due to health complications related to old age. These included arthritis and prostate issues. He was in and out of hospital for about a year prior to his demise.

17. Abiodun Aleja 

Date of birth: 16 April Demise: 21 May 2021 Abiodun Aleja was an actor, producer, and film director. He passed away at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), where he had been admitted following a short illness. 

18. Bruno Iwuoha

Date of birth: 6 October 1952 Demise: 10 April 2021 Age at death: 68 years

Bruno Iwuoha passed away at the National Hospital Abuja after a long battle with diabetes. He was renowned for his roles spanning over 509 films in his lifetime. One of the late actor’s most recent roles was in the 2020 film Silent Prejudice.

19. Karibi Fubara

Karibi Fubara. Date of birth: 30 August, Demise: 15 December 2021

Karibi Fubara died in mid-December 2021 after battling cancer for more than a year. He was diagnosed with the disease in 2020.

20. Sadiq Daba

Date of birth: 1951 Demise: 3 March 2021, Age at death: 70 years

Sadiq Daba was a renowned Nigerian broadcast journalist and actor. He took his last breath at a Lagos hospital. He had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and later leukaemia and was hospitalized for months before his demise.

21. Ernest Asuzu 

Date of birth: 26 November 1983 Demise: 27 January 2021, Age at death: 37 years

According to the late Ernest’s spouse, the renowned actor slept but never woke up. In 2015, he suffered a stroke that significantly affected his speech and had him bedridden for three years before his death.

22. Folake Aremu (Orisabunmi)

Date of birth: 10 October 1960 Demise: 5 January 2021, Age at death: 60 years

Folake Aremu rose to prominence in the 1980s when she was cast to portray Orisabunmi in the television series, Arelu. Numerous other roles followed this in different productions in the 1990s. She passed away in her home in Ibadan, Oyo State.