Veteran Nollywood actor Francis Duru has died at the age of 57 following a brief illness. His family announced his passing in a statement shared on his official Instagram page early Friday, expressing gratitude for the prayers, love and understanding received during the difficult period.
In June, Duru had dismissed viral reports claiming he was battling a life-threatening illness after footage showing him looking frail circulated online. He described the video as “fabricated and malicious” in an Instagram post. Born in Cameroon to Nigerian parents from Imo State, he studied Theatre Arts at the University of Port Harcourt, graduating in 1996.
Duru began his acting career in 1989 in Missing Mark and gained wider recognition for his role as Ahanna in the 1995 film Rattlesnake. He received several honours during his career, including the Best Actor in a Leading Role (Igbo) award at the 2020 Best of Nollywood Awards for Mboputa. He married Adokiye in 2003, and they had four children. The family lost their son, Ifeanyi, in August 2024.
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RIP 😔