Nollywood actor Francis Duru dies at 57

Veteran Nollywood actor Francis Duru died at 57 after a brief illness, his family announced in a statement posted Friday on his Instagram account. He was widely known for playing Ahanna in Amaka Igwe’s 1995 film Rattlesnake and began his acting career in 1989, appearing in films including Blood Money, Stigma and Mboputa. Duru won Best Actor in a Leading Role (Igbo) at the 2020 Best of Nollywood Awards and served as interim president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria in 2010. Born in Cameroon to Nigerian parents from Imo State, he is survived by his wife, Adokiye, and their children.