Lagos does not cry easily. On the evening of June 10, 2026, it did.
Despite heavy rainfall across the city, hundreds packed The Monarch Event Centre in Lekki dressed entirely in white. They came for Alexx Ekubo. The 40-year-old Nollywood actor died on May 11, 2026, at Evercare Hospital in Lekki after a battle with advanced metastatic kidney cancer. His service of songs lasted hours. His funeral procession to Arochukwu, Abia State, where he will be buried on June 18, begins this week.
Nigeria lost one of its most versatile screen talents. Nollywood lost a brother.
Who Alexx Ekubo Was
Born on April 10, 1986, in Arochukwu, Abia State, Alexx Ikenna Ekubo-Okwaraeke built his career from a first runner-up finish at the 2010 Mr Nigeria contest into one of the most recognisable faces in Nollywood. He graduated from the University of Calabar. His charisma translated naturally from the pageant stage to the camera.
He starred in multiple Nollywood productions and became known for his range across drama, romance, and comedy. In 2020, the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards recognised him as one of the Most Influential People of African Descent under 40 for his entertainment and social development contributions. He maintained a private personal life. Many fans only learned he was married when the family made the announcement following his death.
The Service of Songs That Moved Nigeria
Former Minister of Education Oby Ezekwesili attended. Funke Akindele, Ini Edo, Nancy Isime, Toke Makinwa, Mercy Chinwo, AY Makun, Ruth Kadiri, IK Ogbonna, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, and dozens more filled the venue. Pastors Ituah Ighodalo and Jerry Eze ministered alongside gospel artists Peterson Okopi, Moses Bliss, Ebuka Songs, and the Laud Urban Choir.
The atmosphere combined grief and worship in the specific way Nigerians handle loss. Not silent sadness but loud, singing, praying, remembering grief. Colleagues took turns describing a man who showed up fully on set, treated crew with dignity, and loved his family without performing that love publicly.
What Colleagues Said About Him
The tributes described a consistent character across different contexts. On set, he prepared thoroughly and respected the crew. Off set, he invested in friendships quietly and consistently. Several colleagues noted that he fought his illness privately without seeking public sympathy, which made news of his death more shocking.
He had kept his health struggle largely away from social media. He appeared at public events during his illness without broadcasting the battle behind them. Nigeria discovered his diagnosis and his death almost simultaneously. That disclosure by his family after the fact deepened the sense of loss for fans who felt they had not been given time to pray for him.
The Final Journey to Abia State
A wake-keep is scheduled for June 17 in Abia State. The burial follows on June 18, 2026, in his hometown of Arochukwu. The Ekubo family has asked for privacy and dignity throughout the burial proceedings. Nigeria will travel with him. Not literally but in the way this country carries its losses, through conversation, social media, prayer, and the specific Nigerian refusal to let someone extraordinary pass without proper acknowledgment.
Alexx Ekubo was 40 years old. He deserved more time
Ryan Brooks covers Nigerian and global entertainment for TheViralArena.com, from Afrobeats chart-toppers and Nollywood headlines to sports and pop culture moments that move the internet. If it is trending, Kola is already writing about it.
Ryan Brooks
Ryan Brooks covers Nigerian and global entertainment for TheViralArena.com, from Afrobeats chart-toppers and Nollywood headlines to sports and pop culture moments that move the internet. If it is trending, Kola is already writing about it.
