CELEBRITIES/ENTERTAINMENT; 5 NOLLYWOOD ACTRESSES YOU DIDN’T KNOW WERE FROM AKWA-IBOM STATE( IBIBIO)
The Nollywood Entertainment Industry has produced a plethora of beautiful and talented actresses from around Nigeria. Akwa Ibom State in the South-South part of Nigeria undoubtedly has a fair share of these stunning actresses in the Nollywood industry.
We are all aware of the beauty and attractiveness of Akwa-Ibom women. The weather and diet in Akwa-Ibom state are thought to be the key to their attractiveness.
Not in any particular order, find below 5 Nollywood star Actresses from Akwa Ibom State
1. Liz Benson
Liz Benson, born 29th of April 1966, from Nsit Ubium Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State is a famous Nollywood actress, television personality, evangelist, and philanthropist. She began acting when she was just 5 years old. She has a degree in Dramatic Arts from Sylvania State College, United States of America.
The veteran actress became popular when she featured in Fortunes, a television soap opera in 1993. Benson played the part of Mrs. Agnes Johnson in the soap, which ran for about two years on the Nigerian Television Authority network.
Liz Benson’s first movie was Circle of Doom where she played a minor role in the movie. In 1994, her role in Glamour Girls, a very successful home video film that focused on the theme of prostitution, literally changed her fortune after Fortunes.
The movie shot her into prominence and gradually she warmed her way into the minds of millions of Nigerian movie fans. The actress also starred in the movie, Busted which was released in 2017. She featured alongside the likes of Kate Henshaw, Paul Obazele and Ik Ogbonna.
Liz is regarded as one of Nollywood’s first women by the majority of moviegoers in Nigeria. Surprisingly, just when her rating as a leading actress had begun to rise even higher than expected, Benson suddenly quit acting in 1996.
She became a born-again Christian and started preaching the gospel. The Ibibio-born actress took another shot at marriage after her conversion.
In a quiet court ceremony in Abuja, She got married to Bishop Great Ameye of Freedom Family Assembly in 2009 at the Rainbow Christian Assembly in Warri, Delta State. The couple is deeply involved in a Christian Evangelical Ministry. While Benson is an evangelist, her husband, Emeya, is a pastor in Warri, Delta State.
2.. Nse Ikpe-Etim
Nse Ikpe Etim is a Nigerian actress, television personality, businesswoman, a self-proclaimed foodie, an enthusiastic gamer, and a conference speaker,
The award-winning actress though originally from Akwa Ibom was born on the 21st of October, 1974, in Lagos State, as the first child of her parents’ six children.
She attended Awa Nursery School and Command Primary School Kaduna, respectively.
After she completed her primary education, her parents enrolled her at St Louis College, Jos, where she schooled for a while before moving on to the Federal Government College in Jos and later on to Ilorin.
She went to different schools because her father, who worked with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), was often transferred to different parts of the country. Nse Etim got her first degree in Theater Arts from the University of Calabar.
At 18, Etim started acting on stage at the university. Her first television appearance was in the family soap Inheritance. After her graduation from university, she temporarily left the film industry to venture in other endeavours before making a comeback with Emem Isong’s Reloaded alongside Ramsey Nouah, Rita Dominic, Ini Edo and Desmond Elliot. She came into prominence for her role in Reloaded.
She was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the 5th and 8th Africa Movie Academy Awards for her role in Reloaded and Mr. and Mrs. respectively. In 2014, she won the Best Actress in a Drama award at the 2014 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards for playing “Nse” in Journey to Self.
She married her childhood friend Clifford Sule on 14 February 2013 at a Lagos registry. A traditional wedding ceremony followed in her hometown in Akwa Ibom State and Lagos State, respectively, some months after the civil union.
She currently resides in London with her husband, a senior lecturer at Middlesex University who frequents Nigeria for film engagements.
3. Ini Edo
Iniobong Edo Ekim is a Nigerian actress, producer and entrepreneur. She began her film career in 2000. Today, Ini Edo has appeared in over 100 films, and is one of the richest and highly paid actresses in Nigeria. Undoubtedly, she is a famous actress in the Nigerian film industry, Nollywood.
The gorgeous actress was born on April 23, 1982 in Akwa Ibom. She was born as the second of four children, into a family where there was strict upbringing. Her father was an elder in the Church, and her Mother, a Teacher. Ini Edo is an Ibibio, the second of four children, three girls, one boy.
Ini Edo attended Cornelius Connely College, Uyo. She then moved to the University of Uyo where she graduated with a Diploma in Theatre Arts. Thereafter, to the University of Calabar for a Bachelor’s Degree in English. Then in 2014, she was awarded a scholarship to study Law at the National Open University of Nigeria.
Ini Edo got married to an American-based Nigerian businessman, Philip Ehiagwina in 2008 but got divorced in 2014.
Ini Edo’s career in acting started in 2000. Luckily, a producer discovered her in an audition and she launched into the African movies in 2003, with a debut appearance in Thick Madam. In 2004, she rose to stardom after featuring in the film, World Apart with Kenneth Okonkwo and veteran actress Liz Benson. She has featured in more than 100 movies since that time.
In 2013, she was announced as a judge for the Miss Black Africa UK Pageant. She has been GLO brand ambassador for ten years from 2006 to 2016.
In 2010 she was named to be the brand ambassador of noble hair. Ini edo is brand ambassador of SlimTea Nigeria.
4.Eve Esin
Eve Esin is a talented Nigerian actress, model, producer and TV personality. Following a successful audition for a movie in 2008, the seasoned actress entered the Nigerian film industry.
She was born on October 17th, 1986 in her hometown of Oron, Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria. She lived her early life in Akwa Ibom State, where she attended Immaculate Conception Secondary School in Itak-Ikono. She proceeded to the University of Calabar, Cross River state where she studied Theatre Arts.
Esin, an award-winning Nollywood actress became a Nollywood actress after taking up a banking job which she eventually had to leave. She went for a movie audition in 2008, after which she joined the Nigeria movie industry (Nollywood) and landed her first role in a movie.
She became highly famous after acting in the Nollywood blockbuster movie “Idemili” a movie directed by an award-winning movie director Ernest Obi. According to her the most challenging movie she has acted is “Idemili” due to the fact that she had to gathered enough courage to carry a live snake in her role in the movie.
Eve Esin was the winner of the City People Entertainment Awards for Most Promising Actress in Nigeria in 2015, the Best Actress in a drama at the AMVCA and the AMAA award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.
She is one of the most gifted and most skillful actresses in Nigeria and is popularly known for her ability to cry in movies. She has had a tremendous amount of success in her acting career, starring in over 150 movies.
In 2016, she produced her first feature film titled, Spirit, which was premiered in Lagos.
5. Annie
Macaulay-Idibia
Annie Macaulay Idibia is a famous Nollywood actress, television presenter, model, entrepreneur and a philanthropist. She was born on 13 November, 1984 in Ibadan, Oyo State in the western part of Nigeria. She is the only female child in a family of four children comprising of three boys and one girl.
Annie Macaulay Idibia is originally from Eket in Akwa Ibom State in the south southern part of Nigeria. Annie Macaulay Idibia grew up in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria alongside with her family, where she completed both her primary and secondary school education. She moved to Lagos with her mother after the divorce of her parents.
Her mother got a job with Mobil working as a cook to support the family. Thereafter, they moved to Jakande Estate and later to Thomas Estate in Lekki, Lagos State, Nigeria. At the age of 15 years old, Annie Macaulay Idibia lost her younger brother to tuberculosis disease.
After completing her secondary school education, Annie Macaulay Idibia proceeded to Lagos State University (LASU) and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science. After that, she proceeded to University of Lagos (UNILAG) Lagos State and graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Theatre Arts.
In 2009, Annie Macaulay Idibia joined the Nigerian movie industry (Nollywood) and acted in her first movie “Pleasure and Crime”. After the success of her first movie, Annie Macaulay Idibia acted in another blockbuster movie “Blackberry Babes” a movie that brought her to limelight. In 2009, Annie Macaulay Idibia was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Best of Nollywood Awards.
Prior to the start of acting career, Annie Macaulay Idibia has competed for the “Queen of All Nations Beauty Pageant” where she was placed as the first runner-up. After which she went on to feature in a cameo appearance on the music video of 2face Idibia “African Queen” alongside Yvonne Jegede.
On 2 May 2012, Annie Macaulay and 2Face Idibia got married and the marriage was blessed with two beautiful daughters
Annie Macaulay Idibia has won several awards which include Best Supporting Actress at the Best of Nollywood Awards, Fast Rising Actress at the African Entertainment Legend Awards and Most Promising Actress in Nigeria at the City People Entertainment Awards.
Her Nollywood career took off after she appeared in the films Pleasure and Blackberry Babes. She has appeared in over 200 Nigerian films, including First Family, White Chapel, Blackberry Babes, Return of Blackberry Babes, Estate Runs, Unconditional, Obiageli ,Morning After Dark, and Beautiful Monster, to name a few.
Written by Oboh Promise,
(Obiwannem News Correspondent from Akwa ibom state),
Date: June 21, 2024
Ubochi Afo Ani
Published by Ngozi Odoh (Obinwannem Nsukka Office Secretary)
