- Veteran Nollywood actor Francis Duru died at 57 following a brief illness, with his family breaking the news on his official Instagram page
- Duru rose to fame in 1995 through his iconic role as Ahanna in Rattlesnake, going on to build a career spanning more than three decades
- His death comes just months after he publicly denied rumours of a life-threatening illness, and less than two years after losing his teenage son
Nollywood has lost one of its most enduring stars. Francis Duru, the veteran actor beloved by fans across generations for his compelling screen presence, died on Friday, 23 October, at the age of 57.
Source: Instagram
According to Yen.com.gh family confirmed his passing in a statement shared on his official Instagram page in the early hours of the morning.
"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 statement read.
The Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) President, Abubakar Yakubu, also confirmed the news. Duru is survived by his wife, Adokiye, whom he married in 2003, and their children.
Francis Duru's denial of illness
What makes the timing particularly striking is that Duru had only recently pushed back against speculation about his health. In June, a video showing him looking notably frail spread rapidly online, alarming many of his followers.
He recorded a video response dismissing the footage as "fabricated and malicious" and insisted he was in good health.
Those assurances, it now appears, masked a deteriorating condition that his family described only as a "brief illness."
A career that helped build Nollywood
Born on 27 July 1969 in Cameroon to Nigerian parents from Imo State, Duru completed his schooling in Cameroon before relocating to Nigeria, where he studied Theatre Arts at the University of Port Harcourt, graduating in 1996.
His acting journey actually began earlier, in 1989, with *Missing Mark*, directed by the late Ndubuisi Oko. However, it was his portrayal of Ahanna in the 1995 action film *Rattlesnake*, produced by the late filmmaker Amaka Igwe, that cemented his place in Nollywood history.
Over a career spanning more than 30 years, his credits include *Blood Money* (1997), *Stigma* (2013) and *Mboputa* (2020). His performance in *Mboputa* earned him the Best Actor in a Leading Role (Igbo) award at the 2020 Best of Nollywood Awards. Beyond acting, he was honoured as a United Nations Ambassador of Peace in 2007 and served as interim president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria in 2010.
His passing also comes less than two years after a deeply personal loss: the death of his 15-year-old son, Ifeanyi, in August 2024.
Tributes from colleagues and fans have begun pouring in for the actor who was instrumental in shaping the golden era of Nollywood. He was 57.
Source: TUKO.co.ke