Quick Facts
Biography
Nkem Owoh is a Nigerian actor and comedian. In 2008 he won the African Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
Early life
Owoh was born in Enugu, Nigeria. After his primary and secondary school he headed to the University of Ilorin and studied engineering. Already during his university studies, Owoh began acting in various television and film productions.
Career
Owoh starred in the 2003 film Osuofia in London. He is also known for performing the song "I Go Chop Your Dollar" about advance fee fraud. The song was featured in the film The Master in which Owoh plays a scammer. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission banned the song. In 2007 Owoh was arrested in Amsterdam, Netherlands (Bijlmermeer neighborhood in the Amsterdam Zuidoost borough) as the result of a 7-month investigation by the Dutch police dubbed "Operation Apollo". Owoh was arrested while performing a musical show when the police raided the event and arrested 111 people on suspicion of lottery fraud and immigration violations. Owoh was later released.
In November 2009 Owoh was kidnapped in eastern Nigeria. His kidnappers demanded a 15 million naira ransom. Owoh was released after his family members allegedly paid a ransom fee of 1.4 million naira.
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Things Fall Apart | with Pete Edochie | ||
| 2000 | Ukwa | with Patience Ozokwor | ||
| 1999 | Big Man...Big Trouble | Sawam | ||
| with Francis Agu | Conspiracy | with Onyeka Onwenu | ||
| 2001 | Onye-Eze | Onye-Eze | ||
| 2002 | Fake Doctor | Dr. Zebedi | ||
| Ifeonye Metalu | ||||
| Long John | ||||
| Police Officer | ||||
| Spanner | with Chinedu Ikedieze | |||
| 2003 | Anunuebe | ejimfor 2011 | ||
| King of the Forest | ||||
| Lion Finger | ||||
| Mr. Trouble | with Patience Ozokwor | |||
| Osuofia in London | Osuofia | |||
| Police Recruit | ||||
| 2004 | America Visa | |||
| My Driver | ||||
| My Own Share | ||||
| Osuofia in London 2 | Osuofia | |||
| Spanner Goes to Jail | with Chinedu Ikedieze | |||
| 2005 | Akanchawa | |||
| Bus Driver | with Dakore Egbuson | |||
| The Prince | ||||
| 2006 | A Fool at 40 | Hygenius | ||
| Captain | ||||
| Foreign Base | ||||
| Indemnity | Egbentu | |||
| Made in Cambridge | ||||
| My Kingdom Come | ||||
| The Barrister | Athanasius | |||
| The Dreamer | ||||
| 2007 | Battle of Indemnity | Egbentu | ||
| Covenant Keeping God | Samuel | |||
| De prof | ||||
| Johnbull & Rosekate | Johnbull | |||
| Persecution | ||||
| Stronger Than Pain | Ulonna | with Kate Henshaw-Nuttal Owoh's performance in this film earned him the Best Actor in a Leading Role award at the African Movie Academy Awards in 2008 | ||
| 2008 | His Holiness | |||
| His Last Action | ||||
| Wonderful Man | ||||
| 2012 | Military Zone | Onyabo | ||
| 2015 | Ghana Must Go |