Early Life
Raised in Aba, Abia State, Kanayo O. Kanayo attended St. Joseph Primary School and Secondary Technical School in Aba. He pursued higher education at the University of Lagos, earning diplomas in Mass Communication and Law, as well as a degree in Philosophy. Additionally, he holds a master’s degree in Political Science. In 2018, Kanayo earned a law degree from the University of Abuja and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2020.
Career
Kanayo O. Kanayo began his acting career in 1982 with productions at the Nigerian Television Authority. He featured in popular TV series like Things Fall Apart and Checkmate. His first film appearance was in 1992’s Living in Bondage. Since then, he has acted in over 100 films, gaining recognition for his roles, especially as a villain in movies dealing with occult themes. He won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in 2006 for Family Battle and received a nomination in 2008 for his role in Across the Niger. Recent works include Up North and Living in Bondage: Breaking Free.
Kanayo ventured into politics, contesting twice for a seat in Nigeria’s House of Representatives but was unsuccessful both times. In 2013, he was appointed to the board of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism Studies. In 2018, he declared his interest in running for a federal constituency seat under the all Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), but lost the election. By 2022, he announced he would not contest in the 2023 elections, choosing instead to support a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction.
Kanayo has been married to Nneka Onyekwere since 1999. Together, they have four children: Oloaku Valerie, Clinton (also known as Onye Eze Mbaise), Einstein, and Kassochukwa Montell.
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