Veteran Nigerian actor Diewait Ikpechukwu has died at the age of 71 following a prolonged illness.
Ikpechukwu reportedly died on Thursday, November 5, 2026, with his death confirmed by the National President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Abubakar Sanusi Yakubu.
Gatekeepers News reports that Yakubu confirmed the actor’s death on Saturday, November 7, although details surrounding his illness and the circumstances of his passing were not immediately disclosed.
Yakubu also paid tribute to the deceased in an Instagram post, describing him as another legend whose departure would be felt by the entertainment industry.
Before venturing into acting, Ikpechukwu had a background in football. He played as a right winger in the 1970s and reportedly received an invitation to the Green Eagles, Nigeria’s former national football team.
He also played for Blue Diamonds of Nsukka and Kaduna Rocks before moving into football management and radio broadcasting, where he worked as a sports commentator.
The actor began his journey into television through the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) production of Second Chance.
He made his feature film debut in 1998, portraying a traditional ruler in Evil Men, alongside veteran actors Pete Edochie, Alex Usifo and Liz Benson.
His acting career spanned more than 25 years, during which he became known for portraying traditional rulers, elders and other authoritative characters.
Some of his notable film appearances include Royal Palace (2005), The Guilty (2006), Across the River (2006), Python King (2007) and Ìjé Love (2022).
Beyond acting, Ikpechukwu served as the pioneer chairman of the Actors Guild of Nigeria’s Enugu State chapter, where he supported and mentored emerging talents.
He studied at Kaduna State Polytechnic, where he obtained a Higher National Diploma in Marketing, and also worked with the defunct Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL), retiring as a senior manager.
He is survived by his wife, Gloria, children and grandchildren. Funeral arrangements had not been announced as of the time of filing this report.
His death marks another loss to Nollywood, particularly among veteran performers whose contributions helped shape the Nigerian film industry.
