Veteran actor Fabian Adibe has died at the age of 81.
The Things Fall Apart star died in the early hours of Wednesday.
Seun Oloketuyi, CEO of Best of Nollywood (BON), confirmed the news on Instagram.
He wrote, “Things Fall Apart actor, Fabian Adibe, is dead. Died 2:30 am this morning.”
Adibe began his screen career in 1987, playing Ogbuefi Uzowulu in the Nigerian Television Authority’s adaptation of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, where he acted alongside Pete Edochie.
Over the years, he featured in more than 300 movies including Slave Warrior (2012), White Kingdom 2 (2014), and Father’s (2014). He also appeared in international productions such as Soweto and Hollywood’s Mr Johnson.
Before Nollywood fame, Adibe led Nigeria to its first Commonwealth Art Festival in 1965 and worked with the Nigerian Television Authority until 1984 when he was retrenched.
Tributes have poured in online with colleagues and fans describing him as a “gentle soul” and a “legend” of Nollywood.
His death adds to a growing list of Nollywood losses this year, including Patience Ugwu, Columbus Irosanga, Kayode Peters and filmmaker Obafemi Lasode.
