Veteran Nollywood actor Diewait Ikpechukwu dies at 71 after prolonged illness
Veteran Nollywood actor Diewait Ikpechukwu died Thursday at age 71 following a prolonged illness, the Actors Guild of Nigeria confirmed Friday. AGN National President Abubakar Yakubu announced the death on Instagram, describing Ikpechukwu as a legend whose memories would remain with those who knew him. Funeral arrangements had not been made public as of Friday.
Ikpechukwu's path to acting was unconventional. In the 1970s, he was an outstanding right-winger invited to the Green Eagles, Nigeria's national team. He played for Blue Diamonds of Nsukka and Kaduna Rocks, captaining Kaduna State Polytechnic to victory at the 1976 Nigerian Polytechnics Games. He later worked as a team manager at Vasco da Gama in Enugu and as a sports commentator on radio before joining NITEL, where he retired as a senior marketing manager.
His acting career began with NTA's "Second Chance" alongside Chief Zebrudaya, but his film debut came in 1998's "Evil Men" (directed by Chico Ejiro) starring Pete Edochie, Alex Usifo, and Liz Benson. Over 25 years, he became known for portraying traditional rulers and authoritative elders in films including "The August Meeting," "Royal Palace," "Python King," and "Ìjé Love" (2022) as King Obumneme.
Beyond acting, Ikpechukwu served as pioneer chairman of AGN's Enugu State chapter, organizing seminars and mentoring younger actors on patience, dedication, and professional development. His death follows the recent passing of fellow veteran Francis Duru, marking another loss for Nollywood's foundational generation.