OC Ukeje

Okechukwu Ukeje, known as OC Ukeje is Nigerian actor, model and musician.[1] He came into prominence after winning the Amstel Malta Box Office (AMBO) reality show.[2] 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.[3]

OC Ukeje
Born (1981-07-15) 15 July 1981
Lagos State, Nigeria
EducationUniversity of Lagos
OccupationFilm actor, model, musician
Spouse(s)
Senami Ibukunoluwa Togonu-Bickersteth
​
​
(m. after 2014)​

Early life

Okechukwu Ukeje, a native of Umuahia[4] was born and bred in Lagos State, Nigeria. He is the second child of a family of three.[5]

Career

He attended Federal Government College Ijanikin, Ojo, Lagos.[5] 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).[6] 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 African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) for the Best Upcoming Actor (2008) and the City People's Award for Best New Act (2010).[7]

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.[8]

He has been a member of 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 also featured in Black November (2012) by Jeta Amata with cast members such as Mickey Rourke, Kim Basinger, Sarah Wayne-Callies, Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Vivica Fox and a host of others. He was also on the film adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Half of a Yellow Sun (2013) with Chiwetel Ejiofor and Thandie Newton as 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).[5] He also acted in the BFI sponsored film, Gone Too Far.[9][10] He was in NdaniTV's series Gidi Up with Titilope Sonuga, Deyemi Okanlawon, Somkele Iyamah and Ikechukwu Onunakuhttps.[11][12] In January 2015, he was listed by Nigerian Cinema Exhibition Coalition as one of the highest box office grosser of 2014.[13]

In 2016 he was invited with Somkele Iyamah to attend the Toronto International Film Festival as "rising stars".[14]

Personal life

Ukeje lives in Lagos, Nigeria. He married Senami Ibukunoluwa Togonu-Bickersteth on 8 November 2014.[15][16]

Filmography
YearFilmRole
2007 White Waters Actor
2008 Comrade Hakeem
2011 Black Gold Peter Gadibia
2011 Two Brides and a Baby Badmus
2012 Black November Peter Gadibia
2012 Hoodrush Shez Jabari
2012 Till Death Do Us Part (Short) John
2013 Confusion Na Wa Charles Duka
2013 Alan Poza Alan Poza
2013 Half of a Yellow Sun Aniekwena
2013 Awakening Nicholas
2013 Gone Too Far Iku
2013 The Rubicon David
2014 When Love Happens Dare
2014 Gidi Up (TV Series) Obi (2014 – )
2014 A Play Called a Temple Made of Clay (Short)[17] Hakeem
2015 The Department Segun
2015 Before 30 Ayo (2015-)
2016 The Arbitration Mr. Gbenga
2016 Remember me
2016 North East Emeka Okafor
2017 Potato Potahto[18][19] Mr. Tony Wilson
2017 Catch.er Detective Komolafe
2018 Shades of Attraction
2018 In Sickness and Health
2018 The Royal Hibiscus Hotel
2019 Heaven's Hell Ahmed
2019 Ashen
2020 Shine Your Eye Amadi

Awards and nominations

References
  1. I’m Attracted To Older Women – Okechukwu Chukwudi Ukeje 6 November 2012
  2. "OC Ukeje, Actor". Mandy. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  3. http://nollywoodmindspace.com/2013/09/03/list-of-winners-nigeria-entertainment-awards-2013/
  4. "Why women send nude photographs to me - OC Ukeje". naijanewsmagazine.blogspot.com.
  5. "Nigeria: OC Ukeje, Majid Breaking the Cinemas". allAfrica.com. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  6. "How I handle my female admirers —O.C Ukeje". Vanguard. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  7. Systems, Clearwox. "Oc Ukeje on iBAKATV | Home for Nollywood Movies". ibakatv.com. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  8. "O.C. Ukeje". IMDb. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  9. "Video: Destiny Ekaragha on Gone Too Far!". British Film Institute. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  10. http://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmovies/article/Malachi-Kirby-and-OC-Ukeje-Star-in-GONE-TOO-FAR-Film-Adaptation-20130620
  11. Gidi cast on The Juice, Ndanitv, Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  12. "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.
  13. "OC Ukeje, Majid breaking the cinemas". Daily Independent. January 2015. Archived from the original on 12 February 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  14. Somkele Iyamah-Idhalama: New Nollywood rising star goes to Toronto, Shaibu Husseini, 10 September 2016, The GuardienNG, Retrieved 7 October 2016
  15. "OC Ukeje Shares On His Marriage Experience And How He Met His Wife". Pulse Nigeria TV. Misimola. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  16. "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.
  17. 'Kusare, Mak (1 January 2000), A Play Called a Temple Made of Clay, retrieved 13 May 2016
  18. 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
  19. "Shirley Frimpong-Manso's 'Potato Potahto' makes it to Netflix - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
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