Nollywood Mourns As Veteran Actor Francis Duru Dies At 57
Ferdinand Ekechukwu and Tosin Clegg
The sad news of the death of filmmaker, Francis Duru, popularly known as Ahanna, has continued to draw reactions from colleagues, fans, and friends of the late thespian.
Aged 57, his family officially announced his passing in a statement shared on his verified Instagram page on Friday, October 23, 2026.
According to the announcement, the veteran ‘Rattlesnake’ star passed away following a brief illness. Duru died months after he pushed back against reports of him being critically ill and described the claims as a deliberate attempt to mislead the public.
“We, the family of Francis Duru, regret to announce his passing following a brief illness. We appreciate your prayers, love, and understanding. May his soul rest in perfect peace. Amen,” the family said.
The news of the thespian’s demise was received with sadness, as it came five weeks after the industry lost another icon, Olu Jacobs.
Veteran actor Kanayo O. Kanayo, while mourning the demise of Duru, described him as one of the most flexible and prolific performers in Nigeria.
The Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) also confirmed Duru’s death in an Instagram post published alongside its president, Abubakar Yakubu, in the early hours of Friday.
The guild described the actor’s passing as the exit of a great thespian. “Another great thespian gone, rest in peace, Francis Duru,” AGN wrote.
Duru was born in Cameroon to Nigerian parents from Imo State. He completed his primary and secondary education there before returning to Nigeria to study Theatre Arts at the University of Port Harcourt, where he earned a bachelor’s degree.
Duru began his career in 1989 with ‘Missing Mark’, directed by the late Ndubuisi Oko. Despite the early start, the film failed to bring him the recognition he sought, leaving him largely an up-and-coming actor at the time.
His breakthrough came in 1995 when he played Ahanna in ‘Rattlesnake’, an action comedy produced by the late Amaka Igwe. The performance brought him greater prominence in the industry.
Since then, he has featured in several films such as ‘Ugly Bird’, ‘Abigail’s Memoir’, ‘Blood Vessel’, ‘The Locals’, ‘The Good Husband’, ‘Mboputa’, ‘Why Not?’, ‘Merry Men: The Real Yoruba Demons’, ‘Who Killed Chief?’, ‘Lipstick’, ‘Mortuary Gate’, ‘Stigma’, ‘Home in Exile’, ‘Nnenda’, among others.
In 2007, he received the United Nations Ambassador of Peace award for his positive influence on the youth.
In 2010, Duru was appointed interim president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) and, that same year, was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role at the Africa Movie Academy Awards.
His death came two years after he lost his 15-year-old son, Ifeanyi, whom he described as a “champ” and a “lion” who fought fearlessly.