Nigerians are known to travel far and
wide. They not only survive in whichever country they find themselves,
but become successful and among the best in their fields.
In the entertainment industry today,
there are several famous blacks that are excellent in their arts. People
sometimes assume they are black Americans, or from other parts of
Africa, but the fact remains, some of these actors and musicians are
Nigerians by decent.
The most popular among them is Chiwetel
Ejiofor who starred in ’12 Years A Slave’, ‘Half of A Yellow Sun,’
‘Deadly Voyage‘, ‘Secret In Their Eyes,’ among others. Chiwetel was born
and bred in the U.K by his Nigerian parents from the Igbo tribe.
Some of the stars on this list were born
in Nigeria and grew up abroad, while some others were born and bred
outside the country, nevertheless, they have either one or both Nigerian
parents.
Let’s meet these stars.
Born as Olubowale Victor Akintimehin to
yoruba parents from Ogun State, Rapper Wale grew up in the USA. He is as
popular in the states as he is in his home country and has done music
collaborations with singers like Wizkid and Olamide. The Maybach Music
superstar, Wale, last visited his motherland in December 2013.
Hollywood actor, Kazeem was born in
Lagos State and is a native of Ogun State. He has featured in several
hit movies such as ‘Hotel Rwandan,’ ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine, ‘Pirates
of the Caribbean,’ ‘At World’s End and many TV series including 24, and
Criminal Minds.
He has also featured in some Nollywood
movies like ‘Last Flight To Abuja,’ ‘Black November‘ and ‘Half Of A
Yellow Sun.’ Currently, Hakeem is a brand ambassador for Etisalat
Nigeria.
British Singer, Jacob Taio Cruz was born
in London. His father is a Nigerian while his mother is Brazillian.
Cruz was signed on a publishing deal when he was 19 years old and has
won several awards including the BRIT Awards, Billboard Music Awards,
ASCAP Awards and American Music Awards.
Former fashion model of Yoruba origin,
and Hollywood actor, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, is best known for his
roles in ‘The Mummy Returns‘, ‘Pompeii,’ ‘The Bourne Identity‘, and in
TV series ‘Lost‘ and ‘Oz‘.
He was born in Washington, D.C to Nigerian parents and is fluent in Yoruba, Italian and Swahili, aside English language.
British actor Adetomiwa Edun was born in
1984 to a Nigerian father from the Yoruba tribe and a half-Ghanaian,
half-English mother. Edun, who moved to the United Kingdom at the age of
11, has featured in movies like Slaves, Law & Order: UK, The Hour,
Passengers.
He is popularly known for his role in
the TV series, Merlin, where he played ‘Sir Elyan’ and he became the
second black in 2009 to play Romeo at the Globe Theatre. Tomiwa speaks
English, Yoruba and French.
Uzoamaka Nwanneka “Uzo” Aduba is an
American actress who is known for her role as Suzanne “Crazy Eyes”
Warren on the television series ‘Orange Is the New Black‘. Her parents
are both Nigerians of Igbo origin.
Dayo Okeniyi was born and raised in
Lagos before he later moved with his family to the United States. The
actor is popularly known for his roles in ‘The Hunger Games‘ and
‘Terminator Genisys‘.
Caroline was born in England to Nigerian
parents but was sent to boarding school in Nigeria at a point, in an
attempt to make her abandon her dreams to become an actress. She choose
acting to taking over her father’s hospital in Nigeria.
So far, the 41-year-old has featured in
‘Holby City,’ ‘Casualty,’ ‘Babymother,’ ‘ As If ,’ ‘Judas Kiss,’ ‘Free
Fall‘, ‘Torchwood’, ‘Cyberwoman“,’ ‘Supernatural,’ and ‘Brothers and
Sisters’.
Nonso Anozie is an English actor of
Nigerian descent. Apart from movies, he was cast to play in the TV
series ‘Game of Thrones‘ and ‘Dracula‘.
Hollywood actress Hope Olaide Wilson is
from the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria. She moved to the United States in
1996, and has featured in Tyler Perry’s movies ‘I Can Do Bad All By
Myself’, ‘After the Dark and Faith & Dreams’ amongst others.
Hope speaks English, French, and Yoruba
fluently and has won the 2009 Diversity Awards Female ‘Nova’ Award
Recipient for promising talent.
Richard Ayoade is a British actor born
to a Nigerian father and a Norwegian mother. The comedian, actor and
writer has written several award-winning stage plays in the UK. He made
his Hollywood debut in 2012 after starring in the comedy ‘The Watch,’
alongside Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn and Jonah Hill.
Hollywood actor David Oyelowo was born
on April 1, 1976, in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, to Nigerian parents.
He has featured in movies like: ‘The Butler, Small Island, Rise of the
Planet of the Apes,Middle of Nowhere, Lincoln, and Blood and Oil,’ (a
film about Niger-Delta, oil and militancy in Nigeria).
American actress Adepero Oduye is not
the most popular Nigerian-American actress on this list but she featured
in 12 Years A Slave. She also played Alike in Pariah (2011) TV series,
Law & Orderamongst others. She has received several awards,
including a nomination for Independent Spirit Award for Best Female
Lead.
Born to a Nigerian father and a Jewish
mother, Sophie Okonedo is a British actress and singer. She has played
in such great movies as ‘Æon Flux‘, ‘Mrs. Mandela’, ‘Skin’ and many
more.
John is a British-Nigerian who was born
in london to Nigerian parents. He is best known for his 2011 film debut
‘Attack the Block‘. He also played Ugwu in ‘Half of A Yellow Sun‘ and
will play in the upcoming 2015 film ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Ashley Madekwe was born in London and
has a Nigerian father and an English mother. She is best known for her
roles in drama series ‘Revenge‘ and America series ‘Salem‘.
Born in Lagos to a Norwegian mother and a
Nigerian father, Toks Olagundoye is known for her role as Jackie
Joyner-Kersee in the TV sitcom ‘The Neighbors’.
56 years old American R&B singer,
and Grammy award winner, Helen Folasade Adu was born on January 16, 1959
in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
When Sade was 11 years old, she moved to
Holland-on-Sea, Essex, to live with her mother, then she later moved to
London and studied fashion design at Saint Martin’s School of Art
before she started singing. She is best known for her hit song ‘Sweetest
Taboo.’
Tracy is a British-Nigerian television
and theatre actress best known for playing in the ‘Doctor Who Christmas
special, The End of Time‘, and TV series ‘Crossbones‘.
Rotimi was born in New Jersey to
Nigerian parents. He appeared in the high grossing film ‘Divergent‘, in
‘Black Nativity‘ and in ‘Imperial Dreams‘. From 2011 to 2012, he starred
as Darius Morrison on the Starz Network original drama series Boss.
Rotimi is also the founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of
FrontRoSeat Productions.
Carmen Elizabeth Ejogo was born in 1973
in London and began her career as a teenager. Her father is Nigerian
while her mother is Scottish. The British actress has featured in
‘What’s the Worst That Could Happen?’, ‘The Purge: Anarchy‘ and ‘Selma‘.
She has received several awards, including a nomination for Independent
Spirit Award for Best Female Lead.
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