Nollywood actor Francis Duru dies at 57

Veteran Nollywood actor Francis Duru has died at the age of 57 after a brief illness, his family announced on his official Instagram page in the early hours of Friday.

The family thanked fans and well-wishers for their prayers, love and understanding, and asked for his soul to rest in perfect peace.

Denied reports of illness

Duru’s death came months after he dismissed reports that he was battling a life-threatening illness. In June, concern spread among fans and colleagues after a video showing him looking frail circulated online. In response, he shared a video on Instagram describing the footage as “fabricated and malicious.”

Early life and career

Duru was born on July 27, 1969, in Cameroon to Nigerian parents from Imo State. He completed his primary and secondary education in Cameroon before moving to Nigeria for university. He studied Theatre Arts at the University of Port Harcourt and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1996.

He began acting in 1989 in Missing Mark, directed by the late Ndubuisi Oko. He gained wider recognition in 1995 with Rattlesnake, an action-comedy produced by the late filmmaker Amaka Igwe, in which he played Ahanna.

Awards and honours

Over his career, Duru received several awards for his contribution to Nigeria’s film industry. He was named a United Nations ambassador of peace for his influence on young people. In 2020, he won the Best Actor in a Leading Role (Igbo) award at the Best of Nollywood Awards for his performance in Mboputa.

Family

Duru married Adokiye in 2003, and the couple had four children. The family lost one of their children, Ifeanyi, in August 2024.