Alex Usifo

Updated on Nov 09, 2023

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Name Alex Usifo

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Alex Usifo is a Nigerian actor.

Alex Usifo Alex Usifo Nollywood is getting bigger but stories are not the

He was born in Lagos on the 16th of April 1953 to a lovely couple - Mr Barnabas and Mrs Patricia Anobi Omiagbo. His father worked with the Central Bank of Nigeria at different branches in the country and rose to a managerial level before retirement. After a few years in Lagos, they moved to the city of Ibadan where Alex had his basic/primary education. Soon after, the wind of the civil war blew him to Edo state where he completed his secondary education at St. John Bosco’s Grammar School, Ubiaja. Following his graduation from High School, he soon became independent and started working at NTA Benin [then Midwest Television]. He was part of the crew that covered FESTAC ’77 for BON [Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria]. After five years of very active service at NTA Benin, he gained admission into SS Peter and Paul Major Seminary, Bodija – Ibadan in 1978 to be trained for the Catholic priesthood. However, in 1981 he left the seminary when he gained admission into the University of Lagos to study mass communication at a diploma level. As a student of UNILAG, life was a big struggle for him; paying his fees, accommodation, books and feeding was quite challenging. Halfway through the course, he packed his things and decided to leave but for some of his course mates, who intervened and stirred up some strength in him encouraging him that he would pull through - which he eventually did. As time went by, an urge grew in him to make an impact with his voice. He began going for auditions at different media houses including Radio Nigeria Lagos, Voice of Nigeria, NTA illorin etc. where he made it at the top list but was finally dropped because of ‘Quota System’. Swimming in the ocean of unemployment for years, it took Alex God’s grace not to get drowned. On the invitation of a friend and brother [Mr Peter Okun], Alex attended a Deeper Life Crusade at the National Stadium where he sincerely and desperately asked God for a change in his condition and he got an answer from God, which was to ‘look inwards’. His acting career kicked off in 1984 when he played a major role in the tele-movie ‘The Return of the Native’, produced by Ray Yusuf for NTA, Illorin. After then, he moved on to take lead roles in ‘Natas’ and ‘Two People’ on LTV 8 produced by Baba Babs Fashina. From there he started going to NTA, Victoria Island to take part in the weekly series ‘At Your Service’. He was part of NTA productions: ‘Echoes of Life’, and ‘Turning Wheel’. All of these took place between 1984 and 1987. Within this period, people began to take notice of him. His rise to fame came in 1988 when he starred in Zeb Ejiro’s Soap opera, an NTA Network programme titled ‘Ripples’. His legendary and iconic character was Talaab Abass. This was his big break. People uncontrollably rushed home to watch the programme. It even broke grounds in Television because there were very few soap operas then and no cable TV/channels also. The character which he played, Talaab Abass was a villain – a character people loved to hate. Alex interpreted the character in ways that made viewers want more – with large bulging eyes and a baritone voice even as he played with words. Alex Usifo, a legend/veteran in the field of acting, goes beyond just Nollywood because he actually made a name for himself long before Nollywood came into existence. He had participated in stage plays like ‘Awero’ written, produced and directed by Larry Williams. This was staged at the National Theatre, Iganmu. He also took part in Ola Rotimi’s ‘Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again!’ also staged at the National Theatre. He also featured in radio plays and photo plays. He has even lost count of the movies he has starred in. In the late 80s/early 90s, Alex Usifo started a Modelling Agency in partnership with Andy Amenechi [DGN] but later went solo as Silver and Gold Productions which became the rave of the moment producing top-notch models including beauty Queens like Sandra Petgrave, Toyin Raji among others. Some big names in the industry actually began their modelling career from ‘SilverModels’. He later went for his degree in English at Ambrose-Ali University and came out with a 2nd-Class upper. Thereafter, he went for his Master’s degree at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology [LAUTECH]. The quest for more knowledge got him into Babcock University, Illishan Remo where he bagged his PhD in Information Resources Management [IRM]. During that period at Babcock, he was elected the president of the outgoing Post-Graduate students in 2016 - the year he graduated. Though Alex wanted to become a catholic priest, he changed his mind and left the seminary. He met his wife, Princess ten years after [1990], and they got married in 1993. They are blessed with four great children – Sarah, Isaac, David and Osedebame. Alex Usifo is a member of AGN [Actors’ Guild of Nigeria], DGN [Directors’ Guild of Nigeria} and recently AMP [Association of Movie Producers] Alex Usifo has won several awards locally and internationally. Some of these awards are: Best Actor - African Collaboration; RLG Ghana Movie Awards 2012 Best Actor – Ripples; Legends of Nollywood Awards AETV London and EHIGLAD Entertainment Presentation Lifetime Achievement Award; Nollywood Christian Fellowship 2012 Excellent Achievement in the Movie Industry; Niger Delta Awards [2009] Outstanding Achievement in Nollywood; Bells University Awards Award for Excellence in Artistic Creativity; Achievers’ Intl. University and Educational Network Peace and Development Award 2013; YELL/Advocacy Magazine & Partnership for Women and Justice Distinguished Award for Excellence; Rotract Club of Sagamu Inspirational Award; United Nation Council of Churches & Ministerial Fellowship Award for Excellence and Exemplary Living; Omega Fire Ministries The Snapshots Award; Covenant Christian Centre Award of Recognition; Calvary Bible Church Bridge Builder Awards; Winners’ Youth Ministry, Badagry Award for Leadership Excellence in Nollywood Movies – El Shaddai Ministries Intl. Nollywood Icons Award – Nigerian Film Corporation.