Banky W, born Olubankole Wellington, is a Nigerian singer, actor, and politician whose crossover from R&B stardom into Nollywood produced one of the highest-grossing films in the industry’s history.

Born on March 27, 1981, in New York City to Nigerian parents of Yoruba descent, he moved back to Lagos with his family at age five and completed his primary and secondary education in Nigeria before returning to the United States to study Industrial Engineering. He first built his name as a musician, becoming known as the King of African R&B and co-founding the record label Empire Mates Entertainment.

Wellington made his major Nollywood debut in 2016, starring as Dozie Onwuka, the groom, in The Wedding Party, directed by Kemi Adetiba. The romantic comedy became Nigeria’s highest-grossing film at the time, earning ₦453 million at the box office, with Wellington’s chemistry with co-star Adesua Etomi drawing particular praise from audiences and critics.

He reprised the role in 2017’s The Wedding Party 2: Destination Dubai, which broke its predecessor’s box office record, before going on to star in Up North (2018) and Sugar Rush (2019), further building his Nollywood filmography while continuing to explore work behind the camera in directing and producing.

Wellington married his Wedding Party co-star Adesua Etomi in a series of ceremonies in November 2017, a union that drew significant media attention across Nigeria. Beyond entertainment, he entered politics, running for the Eti-Osa Federal Constituency seat in Lagos State in both the 2019 and 2023 general elections, while continuing to run the I Am Capable Foundation, supporting education for disadvantaged children.