Nollywood actor Odira Nwobu dies in South Africa at 43

Nigerian actor, content creator and influencer Odira Nwobu has died in South Africa aged 43, his lawyer and the Actors Guild of Nigeria told the BBC.

News of his death shocked many in Nigeria, with fans and colleagues taking to the internet to express their condolences for the Nollywood star. The Nollywood star has appeared in more than 60 movies in her life and is known for her comedic roles and baby face.

Nwobu’s family has yet to comment publicly.

It was not immediately clear what caused the actor’s death on Monday. His lawyer, Chukwujiekwu Chukwudi, said a coroner’s report was expected soon.

On Monday, a video that appeared to show the actor’s body began circulating online, causing unease.

Mr Chukwudi told the BBC’s Igbo service that an ambulance was called to Nwobu’s hotel in the town of Benoni, near Johannesburg, after Nwobu was found “gasping” in the room.

Lawyers said the actor was alone at the time and had returned from a nightclub where he had stayed with colleagues earlier in the evening.

He added that paramedics tried to keep Nwobu alive using a defibrillator but he died at the scene before they could take him to hospital.

Odira Nwobu was born in Enugu State in southeastern Nigeria in 1982 and landed his first professional role right after high school in a film called Joseph the Dreamer.

He told BBC Igbo News back in 2021 that he had had a very prolific career but struggled with feeling typecast, which led him to turn to content creation as a way to find more freedom.

He has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers through his TikTok, Instagram and YouTube accounts.

Actors Guild of Nigeria president Emeka Rolas said Nwobu was visiting South Africa with a group of social media influencers to promote a real estate company owned by Nigerians when he died.

Nwobu’s lawyer accompanied them as he was the legal adviser to the Nigerian company that organized the trip.

Mr Chukwudi said: “We were shocked to receive a call from Nigeria confirming the death of this young man and we are still discussing how to break the news to his family.”

In July, Nwobu survived a car accident in which many people wrongly assumed he had died.

According to reports, the actor is not married and does not leave any children behind.

Additional reporting by Adline Okere