Francis Agu
{{Short description|Nigerian actor (1965ā2007)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{more citations needed|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox person
| image = FrancisAgu.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = Francis Agu in the 1990s
| known_for = Checkmate, Living in bondage, Blood Money
| alma_mater = University of Lagos
| birth_name = Francis Agu
| birth_date = {{birth date|1965|02|18|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
| death_date = {{death date and age|2007|3|20|1965|2|18|df=yes}}
| years_active = 1980sā2007
}}
Francis Agu (18 February 1965 ā 20 March 2007) was a Nigerian TV and cinema ("Nollywood") actor. He was best known for his role on the long-running Nigerian television series Checkmate.
Early life
Francis Okechukwu Agu was born in Lagos State, southwest Nigeria on 18 February 1965 to the Catholic family of Fidelis and Virginia Agu from Enugu-Ngwo, Enugu state, and was the seventh of eight children. His name, Okechukwu, means "God's portion".[http://www.nigerian.name/w/index.php?title=Okechukwu Meaning of Okechukwu in Nigerian.name] A quiet and intelligent youth, he was at one time a member of the Altar Boys and a Lector at St. Dominic's Catholic Church, Yaba, Lagos. He started his formal education at Ladi-Lak Institute Alagomeji, Ebute-Metta, Lagos. His high school education was obtained at St. Finbarr's College, Lagos, where he was groomed by the missionary founder of the school, Rev. Fr. Dennis Joseph Slattery. He also attended the University of Lagos (UNILAG), where he studied Mass Communication.
Career
Agu's theatrical career began at the Yodrac Playhouse at St. Dominic's Church, at a time when he was already working for Nigeria Arab Bank in Lagos. Yodrac, founded by George Eboka, has produced entertainment industry professionals such as Toyin Oshinaike, Kevin Ushi, Kris Ubani-Roberts, Williams Ekpo, Gregory Odutayo, Jude Orhorha, Tunji Otun, and Neye Adebulugbe.
Agu's talent was immediately spotted by the then director of Yodrac, Isaac John.
His first appearance was in the play This is Our Chance by James Ene Henshaw, directed by Isaac John. He played the lead role, King Damba. Others include The Gods Are Not to Blame by Ola Rotimi, and Trials of Brother Jero by Wole Soyinka.
Segun Ojewuyi directed him in an ironical play The Man Who Never Died at the National Theater, Lagos. This was followed by several productions with different theater gurus such as Chuck Mike. He also had a stint in singing with the Steve Rhodes Voices, directed by Elder Steve Rhodes himself.
Agu featured in Checkmate, a 1990s TV soap opera, in which he played the character Benny. He also starred as Ichie Million in the first Nigerian Home Video, Living in Bondage, which brought him to national fame. He produced his first film Jezebel in 1994 and went on to produce and direct many others, including In the Name of the Father, A Divine Call, The Boy is Mine, Body and Soul, Love and Pride, A Dance in the Forest, and Take Me to Jesus.
Agu became ill in October 2006 and died on 20 March 2007.
Filmography
- Living in Bondage (1992) as Ichie Million
- Circle of Doom (1993)
- Take Me to Jesus (2006)
- Blood Money (1997) as S.P.
- Time to Kill (2001)
References
{{reflist}}
- [http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/features/homevideo/hv131032007.html Vanguard], newspaper website {{Dead link|date=March 2011}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070926220011/http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2007/mar/23/national-23-03-2007-04.htm Sun News], Archive of newspaper article
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927035405/http://www.thenationonlineng.com/dynamicpage.asp?id=14921 The National], Archive of newspaper website
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20071009065537/http://www.francisagu.org/htm/career.htm Archive of Francis Agu Memorial website]
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Category:Nigerian male film actors
Category:Male actors from Lagos
Category:University of Lagos alumni
Category:20th-century Nigerian male actors
Category:Nigerian male stage actors
Category:21st-century Nigerian male actors
Category:Nigerian male television actors
Category:Male actors from Enugu State
Category:Nigerian film directors
Category:Nigerian film producers