Francis Duru, the Nollywood actor who became a household name as the young Ahanna in Rattlesnake, has died aged 57.
His family announced his death on Friday 23 October, in a statement posted early that morning on his verified Instagram account. “We, the family of Francis Duru, regret to announce his passing following a brief illness,” it said. “We appreciate your prayers, love, and understanding. May his soul rest in perfect peace. Amen.”
Tributes from the President and the industry
In a statement dated 23 October and signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), President Bola Tinubu expressed “deep sorrow” over the actor’s death and extended condolences to his family, colleagues, fans and the film industry. The statement described the loss as “a painful moment for Nollywood and the nation’s creative community” and said Duru’s contributions would remain part of the industry’s history.
The Actors Guild of Nigeria’s national president, Abubakar Sanusi Yakubu, wrote on Instagram: “Another great thespian gone….Rest in peace Francis Duru!!”
The National Film and Video Censors Board described him as “a trained thespian whose career personified the pinnacle of discipline, artistry, and professional integrity”, according to Vanguard.
Fellow actor Kanayo O. Kanayo called him “one of the most flexible, prolific performers Nigeria ever produced”, Channels Television reported. Kate Henshaw wrote on Instagram: “Like a flame gone out, so are our lives when it all ends,” Punch reported.
Early life and training
Duru was born on 27 July 1969 in Cameroon to Nigerian parents from Imo State, and went to primary and secondary school there, according to Punch and Vanguard. He later studied Theatre Arts at the University of Port Harcourt.
A career across three decades
He made his screen debut in 1989 in Missing Mark, directed by the late Ndubuisi Oko. His breakthrough came in 1995, when he played the young Ahanna in Amaka Igwe’s Rattlesnake, one of the defining films of Nollywood’s home-video era.
His other films, according to Punch, include Blood Money (1997), Forces of Nature (2006), Personal Assignment (2006), Home in Exile (2010) and Stigma (2013). He reached newer audiences as Inspector Jack in Merry Men: The Real Yoruba Demons (2018) and as Pere in Blood Vessel (2023) on Netflix.
In 2020, he won Best Actor in a Leading Role (Igbo) at the Best of Nollywood Awards for Mboputa.
Beyond the screen
Duru was named a United Nations Ambassador of Peace in 2007 for his positive influence on young people, Vanguard and Premium Times reported. He also served as interim chairman of the Actors Guild of Nigeria’s Abuja chapter, Vanguard reported in 2010.
Duru was known as a mentor as well. Israel Audu, Director of the Kaduna International Film Festival, said that “with or without money, Francis would always find a way to make his journey to Kaduna to mentor emerging talent”, Punch reported. The Nigerian Film Corporation called him “a thespian with a difference”, Vanguard reported.
Survived by
Duru married Adokiye in 2003, after they met as students at the University of Port Harcourt. He is survived by his wife and their children.
For many Nigerians who grew up watching Rattlesnake, his death marks the loss of a familiar face from the early years of Nollywood, and of an actor who gave his time to mentoring younger talent.