Nigeria mourns as legendary Nollywood actor, Amaechi Muonagor is dead at 61

Nigerian actor Amaechi Muonagor is dead.

He died on Sunday at the age of 62. His colleague, Kingsley Orji, broke the news on social media Sunday evening.

Nollywood star and comedy legend Amaechi Muonagor has died aged 61, a relative told the BBC.

He died on Sunday after suffering kidney failure and was on dialysis, local media reported.

The actor’s cousin Tony Muonagor, also known as Tony Oneweek, confirmed his death to BBC News Pidgin.

Last week, Mr Muonagor pleaded for financial assistance in a video posted to social media to help him pay for a kidney transplant abroad. 

Nollywood is still reeling from the loss of another industry legend, John Okafor, better known as Mr Ibu, who had also asked for help.

Kingsley drew the public’s attention to Amaechi’s plight earlier in the month when he shared a video of the late actor on his Instagram, saying the illness affected his speech.

At the same time, Tony ‘Oneweek’ Muonagor, a singer and cousin of the late actor, posted a burning candle on his Facebook page, symbolizing mourning for someone’s death.

On 19 March that the late actor sought financial assistance from Nigerians and philanthropists for a kidney transplant in India.

In November 2023, he suffered a stroke and sought financial support from his fans and Nigerians online.

In December 2023, he was diagnosed with kidney disease, diabetes, and stroke.

In the same month, this newspaper reported that the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) sought financial support for the actor.

AGN’s National President, Emeka Rollas, on his Instagram page, noted that AGN approved some money to be sent to him from the guild’s trust fund.

Amaechi Muonagor began his journalism career with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in 1989 before debuting in Nollywood in the early 90s classic, Taboo (part 1).

Tributes are pouring in for Mr Muonagor, who brought joy to many African households through his performances.

“Your skills and display on screen were extraordinarily generous, brilliant and most incredible. Replacing you won’t be easy,” wrote one person on Facebook. 

During his career, Muonagor appeared in dozens of films, including Aki and Paw Paw, one of his most famous roles where he played the father of two mischief-making, over-exuberant teenagers.

Another person wrote on Facebook: “Aki and Pawpaw movie is still fresh in my mind. This man entertained us alot.”

He was nominated for the 2017 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards for Best Actor.

The actor’s health issues first came to public attention last November when a relative said he had kidney disease, according to local media.

The death of Muonagor and Mr Ibu, earlier this month, highlight a huge problem facing Nollywood actors and their healthcare.

Actors are paid on a film-by-film basis and many are not part of a health insurance scheme or able to make regular payments.