Veteran Nollywood actor, Francis Duru, is no more. He died at the age of 57 following a brief illness.
His death was announced in the early hours of Friday, expressing appreciation to fans and well-wishers for their support.
“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.
Duru’s death comes months after he dismissed reports that he was battling a life-threatening illness.
In June, concern spread among fans and colleagues after a video showing the actor looking frail circulated on social media.
Responding to the reports, Duru shared a video on Instagram in which he described the footage as “fabricated and malicious”.
Born on July 27, 1969, in Cameroon to Nigerian parents from Imo State, Duru completed his primary and secondary education in the country before relocating to Nigeria for university studies.
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He gained admission to the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he studied theatre arts and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1996.
In 1989, Duru made his acting debut in the late Ndubuisi Oko’s film Missing Mark.
But in 1995, he became more well-known after appearing in the action-comedy Rattlesnake, which was produced by the late Amaka Igwe. In the movie, he portrayed Ahanna.
Duru’s contributions to the Nigerian film industry earned him numerous accolades and honours during his career. In appreciation of his impact on youth, he was also appointed a United Nations ambassador of peace.
He took home the Best of Nollywood Awards’ Best Actor in a Leading Role (Igbo) title in 2020 for his performance in Mboputa.
Duru married his wife, Adokiye, in 2003, and they had four children together. The family lost one of their children, Ifeanyi, in August 2024.
