‘Basi and Company’ actor Zulu Adigwe is dead

Zulu Adigwe, the ace Nigerian actor who gained fame for his role in the 1986 sitcom ‘Basi and Company‘, has passed away.

Abubakar Yakubu, national secretary of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), confirmed Adigwe’s demise to TheCable Lifestyle on Wednesday.

Yakubu revealed that the film star passed away on Tuesday. He added that his family has not disclosed the cause of death.

“Yes, we received the news that he died yesterday. His family is yet to provide information about the cause of death,” he said.

Adigwe spent his formative years in Enugu state. He later relocated to Austria, where he completed his primary and secondary education.

His interest in acting started at the age of seven. He made his earliest television appearance in ‘Basi and Company’ where he played the lead character, Mr. B.

The ace actor also performed the theme song for the series, and an album titled ‘Mr. B Makes His Millions’ was released under Polygram Nigeria in 1990.

Adigwe was renowned for his paternal and royal roles in Nollywood movies. He featured in numerous films, including ‘Living Abroad’, ‘Checkmate’, ’45 Minutes’, and ‘City of Kings’.

In 2019, the actor also played Pascal Nworie in the Nollywood blockbuster ‘Living in Bondage: Breaking Free’.

Watch a snippet from ‘Basi and Company’ below:

Adigwe’s demise comes a few weeks after Junior Pope, the Nigerian actor, died alongside four other crew members in a boat mishap in River Niger, Asaba, Delta state.

The actor and crew members were said to be journeying to a movie location when the incident occurred.

Since January 2024, Nollywood has lost more than eight actors including Mr Ibu, Amaechi Muonagor and Sisi Quadri.

Others who lost their lives include Olofa Ina, Adejumoke Aderounmu, Saratu Gidado, and Ethel Ekpe.