Kanayo O. Kanayo Explained

Kanayo O. Kanayo
Birth Name:Anayo Modestus Onyekwere
Birth Date:1 March 1962
Birth Place:Mbaise, Imo State, Nigeria
Alma Mater:University of Lagos, University of Abuja
Occupation:Actor, Lawyer
Yearsactive:1982- till date
Spouse:Nneka Onyekwere (married 1999–present)
Children:4
Awards:AMVCA Best Actor in a Drama

Anayo Modestus Onyekwere [1] [2] popularly known as Kanayo O. Kanayo (born 1 March 1962)[3] is a Nigerian actor and lawyer.[4] In 2006, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in the movie Family Battle.[5] [6]

Early life and education

Kanayo was born on 1 March 1962. He is a native of Nru Umueze Oboama Ezinihitte in Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria. Kanayo was raised in Aba, Abia State and attended St. Joseph primary school. He had his secondary education at Secondary Technical School, Aba.[7] He later obtained a diploma in Mass Communication, another diploma in Law and a graduate degree in philosophy from the University of Lagos. He also obtained a master's degree in political sciences. He also obtained a Law degree from the University of Abuja in 2018 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2020.[8] [9]

Career

Kanayo started his acting career in 1982, acting in productions by the national broadcaster, the Nigerian Television Authority. He made his debut movie appearance in the year 1992 in the film Living in Bondage. He has starred in over 100 films and was nominated in 2008 for Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the movie Across the Niger.His most recent movies are Up North and .

In 2011, he contested for a seat in the Nigerian House of Representatives but lost.[10] Seven years later, he again unsuccessfully contested for same position.[11] [12]

He has featured in multiple Nollywood productions including Lion Heart and the sitcom Professor Johnbull,[13] however, he is known for playing the role of a Villain in these productions especially in films relating to occultic practices.[14] [15]

He has received the order of the MFR.[16] [17]

Kanayo was among various Nigerians honored by the government in 2014 during the centenary celebration.[18]

Politics

Kanayo declared his interest on 6 June 2018 to represent the Ahiazu/Ezinihitte Mbaise Federal Constituency of Imo State at the House of Representatives the following election year which was 2019. He made this known to the public, stating he was going to be under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). He lost the election but was expected to run in the next election of the year (2023).

Kanayo disclosed in 2022 he was not contesting for any position in politics and said, "I will not contest for any political office in 2023. This sacrifice is to enable me to work for a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction."

Filmography

Films

YearTitle RoleRef
1992Living in BondageChief Omego[19]
1993Circle of Doom
1994Nneka the Pretty SerpentEmeka
1997Blood Money: The Vulture MenChief Collins
1998Full MoonDaniel
1999Festival of Fire
2000Battle of LoveDubem
419 Connection: Deadly Rose
Ngene: The Mistake of the Past Millennium
2001Kids Are AngryMensa
2002Evil-DoersSolomon
2003Billionaire's ClubDon
2004Across the NigerDubem[20]
2005Money is MoneyAndy
End of MoneyEtiokwe
2006Before OrdinationIlodibe
2007Cover UpSam
2008Sin No MoreEric
2009Lost DesireNana Sarpong
2014ApayeEmman[21]
Okafor[22]
2016A Little LieTony
2017Celebrity MarriageMr. Gabriel
2018Up NorthChief Otuekong
Lion HeartIgwe Pascal[23]
2019Chief Emeka Omego[24]
2021Detour[25]
2022UnexpectedChief Maduka
AlmajiriBroker
2023Charlie and the BoysCharles Omokwe
Finding OderaChief Micheals
Zarz End

TV shows

YearTitle RoleRef
1984-88Village Headmaster
1991-94CheckmateOkosun
Ripples
New Masquerade
2016Professor JohnbullProfessor Johnbull[26]
2023-presentAguEtim Inyang[27]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResultRef
2006Best Actor in a Leading RoleFamily Battle[28]
2008Across the Niger[29]
2012Africa Movie Academy AwardsSpecial Recognition Award[30]
2014Africa Movie Academy AwardsBest Actor in a Leading RoleApaye
Golden Icons Academy Movie AwardsBest Actor[31]
Best On-Screen Duo
Best of Nollywood AwardsBest Actor in Leading Role (English)[32]
Nigeria Entertainment AwardsBest Actor in a Lead Role[33]
2019Africa Movie Academy AwardsBest Actor in a Supporting RoleUp North

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Anayo Modestus Onyekwere aka KOK. Africa Movie Academy Award. 18 January 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110724225404/http://www.africafilmacademy.org/anayo-modestus-onyekwere-aka-kok. 24 July 2011. dead. dmy-all.
  2. Web site: Official Website. kanayookanayo.com. 18 January 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20100701185243/http://www.kanayookanayo.com/home.html. 1 July 2010. dead. dmy-all.
  3. News: Why Nollywood must recapitalise – Kanayo O. Kanayo. AMatus. Azuh. 2 March 2007. Daily Sun. 18 January 2011. Lagos, Nigeria. https://web.archive.org/web/20070304092033/http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/showtime/2007/mar/02/showtime-02-03-2007-001.htm. 4 March 2007. dead. dmy-all.
  4. Web site: Okporu . Rachel . 26 January 2022 . 'This is disgusting' Actor Kanayo O. Kanayo dragged after rubbishing s€x for role claims in Nollywood . 14 March 2022 . Kemi Filani News . en-GB.
  5. Web site: AMAA 2006 - List of Winners . Africa Movie Academy Awards . 11 September 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080212002056/http://www.ama-awards.com/winners.html . 12 February 2008 . dead .
  6. Web site: Kanayo O. Kanayo Celebrates His 59th Birthday (Photos) – Igbere TV . 23 July 2022 . igberetvnews.com.
  7. Web site: 17 September 2021 . The Sun Award winners 2020: Kanayo O. Kanayo: Thespian of outstanding ability . 17 April 2022 . The Sun Nigeria . en-US.
  8. Web site: 1 March 2022 . Nollywood actor, Kanayo O. Kanayo celebrates 60th birthday . 17 April 2022 . The Sun Nigeria . en-US.
  9. Web site: 15 September 2020 . Nigerians congratulate Veteran actor, Kanayo Kanayo as he officially becomes a lawyer . 23 August 2021 . Vanguard News . en-US.
  10. Web site: Nigeria: Kanayo's Truth About the Country. Ovwe. Medeme. 28 March 2011. Daily Independent. 11 April 2022. AllAfrica.
  11. Web site: Actor Kanayo O Kanayo To Contest For House Of Reps. Jayne. Augoye. 7 June 2018. Premium Times. 11 April 2022.
  12. Web site: APGA aborted my dream — KOK. 8 February 2019. 11 April 2022. Vanguard.
  13. Web site: Glo-Sponsored Professor Johnbull cast and crew on set for Season 6. Daniel. Anazia. 24 March 2018. The Guardian. 11 April 2022.
  14. Ojiakor . Ojinime Ebelechukwu . Obiora . Adanma Vivian . 2019 . Perception of Nigerian Audience on Real-life of Nollywood Artistes Repeatedly Characterized as Villains . International Journal of Social Sciences and Management Research . 5.
  15. Hanmakyugh . Teddy Thaddeus . 2019 . Ritual culture phenomenon in Igbo films: a study of Money is Money . EJOTMAS: Ekpoma Journal of Theatre and Media Arts . en . 7 . 1–2 . 374–385 . 10.4314/ejotmas.v7i1-2.25 . 224242230 . 2449-1179. free .
  16. Web site: Nollywood actor Kanayo O. Kanayo celebrates 59th birthday. Muhaimin. Olowoporoku. 1 March 2021. P.M. News. 11 April 2022.
  17. Web site: The Sun Award Winners 2020: Kanayo O. Kanayo: Thespian of outstanding ability. 16 October 2021. The Sun. 11 April 2022.
  18. Web site: Nigeria's Centenary: Queen Elizabeth and all the award winners . PM News. 7 October 2014.
  19. Book: Haynes, Jonathan . Nollywood: The Creation of Nigerian Film Genres . 4 October 2016 . University of Chicago Press . 978-0-226-38795-6 . en.
  20. Book: Tsika, Noah A. . Nollywood Stars: Media and Migration in West Africa and the Diaspora . 10 April 2015 . Indiana University Press . 978-0-253-01580-8 . en.
  21. Web site: Apaye . sunnewsonline.com . 16 May 2014.
  22. Web site: Synopsis; October 1 – A Kunle Afolayan Movie . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131220005731/http://www.october1movie.com/synopsis-2/ . 20 December 2013 . 23 March 2014 . October1movie.com.
  23. Tsika . Noah . 21 January 2022 . Genevieve Nnaji, director. Lionheart. 2018. 95 minutes. English and Igbo, with English subtitles. Enugu, Nigeria. The Entertainment Network. Streaming on Netflix. No price reported. . African Studies Review . en . 65 . E56–E58 . 10.1017/asr.2021.122 . 0002-0206 . 246168515. free .
  24. Web site: 22 November 2019 . Living in Bondage: How 1992 classic changed Nollywood . 28 November 2019 . Pulse Nigeria . en-US.
  25. Web site: Staff . Daily Post . 14 November 2021 . Afribold releases thriller "Detour" starring KOK, Jemimah Osunde, Monalisa Chinda, others . 5 August 2022 . Daily Post Nigeria . en-US.
  26. Okoye . Chukwudi M.C. . Abunike . Chibuike M. . 2019 . Cultural transposition and challenges of policy making: a review of select Nigerian television series . Unizik Journal of Arts and Humanities . 20 . 3 . 119–132 . 10.4314/ujah.v20i3.7 . AJOL . 228953346. free .
  27. Web site: Udodiong . Inemesit . Kanayo O Kanayo set to play lead role in Showmax's new series 'Agu' . Pulse Nigeria . 30 December 2023 . en . 20 November 2023.
  28. Web site: AMAA Awards and Nominees 2006 . . 6 November 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101012171116/http://www.ama-awards.com/amaa-awards-and-nominees-2006 . 12 October 2010.
  29. Web site: 4TH AMAA AWARD WINNERS AND NOMINEES . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140214074149/http://ama-awards.com/awards/2008 . 14 February 2014 . 26 February 2014 . African Movie Academy . dmy.
  30. Web site: AMAA Nominees and Winners 2013 | Africa Movie Academy Awards . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140208053114/http://ama-awards.com/awards/2013 . 8 February 2014 . 4 February 2014 . Ama-awards.com.
  31. Web site: GIAMA 2014 Full List Of Winners . pulse.ng . 14 June 2016.
  32. Web site: BON Awards 2014 . 22 August 2014 . BON Magazine.
  33. Web site: Micheal Abimboye . Nigeria: Tiwa Savage, Davido, Win Big At NEA Awards . Premium Times . allAfrica.com . 3 September 2014.