Nollywood lost one of its most recognizable and beloved faces today. Alexx Ekubo, one of Nollywood’s most recognizable faces, died on May 12, 2026, after a prolonged battle with cancer. He was 40 years old. His passing has sent shockwaves through the Nigerian entertainment industry and among fans who had watched him grow from a promising newcomer into a fixture of Nigerian popular culture.
This article covers the full life and legacy of Alexx Ekubo: his biography, family background, career, his relationship with Fancy Acholonu and the reports of a private marriage, his health battle, and the tributes pouring in from the industry he dedicated his life to.
Who Was Alexx Ekubo?
Alexx Ekubo-Okwaraeke was born on April 10, 1986. He hailed from Arochukwu in Abia State, southeastern Nigeria. He studied law at the University of Calabar. He attended Federal Government College, Daura, in Katsina State.
He was a man of considerable range, legally trained, physically striking, creatively gifted, and socially conscious. Before Nollywood claimed him fully, he pursued a law degree at the University of Calabar, a background that gave him discipline and articulateness that showed clearly in his interviews and public communication.
His full name, Alexx Ekubo-Okwaraeke, reflects his Abia State Igbo heritage. He grew up in a Nigeria, where Nollywood was becoming a continental force, and he positioned himself to grow with it.
Alexx Ekubo’s Career: From Model to Nollywood Star
Before cameras found him on a film set, they found him on a runway. Ekubo built an early career as a model, establishing himself as one of Nigeria’s most photographed and best-dressed young men before transitioning into acting.
He was known for his distinctive fashion presence and was frequently featured on best-dressed lists across Africa.
His Nollywood career produced a body of work that spanned romantic comedies, dramas, and ensemble productions. He is known for films such as Weekend Getaway, The Bling Lagosians, and A Sunday Affair. These titles represent different registers of his screen ability, from lighthearted romantic comedies to the ensemble drama of The Bling Lagosians, one of Nollywood’s more ambitious and stylistically polished productions.
He also built a significant television presence and became known as a consistent performer who brought both charisma and craft to his roles. His good looks were frequently noted, but those who worked with him consistently pointed to his work ethic and genuine care for his craft as what set him apart.
Beyond acting, he maintained a private lifestyle and often used his platform to advocate for social causes and youth empowerment. He was active in communities that cared about mental health, young people’s futures, and civic engagement in ways that gave his public profile a depth beyond his film credits.
Alexx Ekubo’s Relationship With Fancy Acholonu
For millions of people who follow Nigerian celebrity culture, Alexx Ekubo and Fancy Acholonu were one of the most exciting couples of 2021. Their engagement announcement, complete with a romantic proposal and stunning photography, was one of the most shared celebrity moments of that year.
Alexx was previously engaged to model Fancy Acholonu in May 2021, with a wedding planned for November 2021. The engagement was called off by Acholonu in August 2021.
The breakup, which came just months after the engagement, was unexpected and very public. Fancy Acholonu announced it through social media, and her statement was direct and final. The Nigerian entertainment community responded with a mixture of shock, sympathy, and the inevitable flood of speculation.
Alexx handled the public dissolution of his engagement with quiet dignity. He did not launch counter-narratives or engage in social media warfare. His public statements were measured, and his pain, when it showed, felt genuine rather than performed.
In December 2022, Fancy Acholonu issued a public apology for the breakup. Alexx acknowledged the apology, but they did not publicly reconcile.
His response to her apology was brief and gracious. “I appreciate your apology,” he said publicly, and then he moved on. That response said a great deal about who he was.
Did Alexx Ekubo Have a Wife?
Following his broken engagement, Alexx Ekubo kept his personal life extremely private. His social media in the period after the Fancy Acholonu chapter was carefully curated to focus on his work and values rather than his romantic life.
Reports that began circulating in 2025 suggested that Alexx had quietly married a woman named Anuli in December 2024. According to these reports, the wedding was private and intentionally kept away from public attention, which had made his previous engagement so painful when it unraveled. The woman identified as Anuli was described in online reports as an executive director at a petroleum services company.
Alexx never publicly confirmed this marriage. His last social media post was made on December 30, 2024, shortly after reports of the alleged private wedding began circulating, and he did not return to social media after that point.
His last known social media post was made in December 2024, leading to months of speculation about his health and well-being.
Given that he was privately battling kidney cancer during this entire period and passed away in May 2026, the picture of his final months is one of a man who chose deep privacy at a time of profound personal trial. Whether the December 2024 marriage reports are accurate remains unconfirmed by the family as of the time of writing.
No children have been publicly confirmed for Alexx Ekubo.
Alexx Ekubo’s Death: What Happened?
Alexx Ekubo passed away on May 12, 2026, at the age of 40, after battling kidney cancer.
The actor reportedly passed away on Tuesday afternoon after spending hours on medical life support. He had been rushed to a Lagos hospital on Monday before his condition deteriorated fatally.
Alexx Ekubo’s absence from the public eye had raised concerns among fans and colleagues, as he had stayed away from social media for an extended period. His last social media post was made in December 2024.
Those months of silence, from December 2024 to May 2026, were months of private battle with a disease that ultimately took his life at only 40 years old.
Alex was rumored to be suffering from serious health issues in May 2025 after months of social media disappearance. But he faced his illness without public announcement, without social media updates, and without seeking sympathy or fundraising. That choice, to face death as privately as he had faced the collapse of his public engagement, was entirely consistent with who he was.
The Tributes: How Nollywood is Mourning
The tributes have been immediate and deeply felt.
Actress Funke Akindele wrote on her Instagram story: “Hmmmmmm. Rest in peace, Alex. I tried to reach out to see you one more time, but I guess you knew best. May your kind soul rest in peace, Alex. ‘Ore mi,’ like you fondly called me, I will always remember and cherish the good times we shared together. Rest in Peace, Alex.”
Actor Godwin Nnadiekwe described the loss: “Nollywood has lost a rare soul. I’m struggling to find the words. This news has truly broken me. This wasn’t the plan, Alex Ekubo. To think you already prepared your will—it is a heartbreak I cannot quite describe. Rest well, my friend.”
That detail, that Alexx had already prepared his will, suggests that he knew what was coming and had made his arrangements. It is the kind of quiet, dignified preparation that his entire response to his illness reflected.
Filmmaker Sam Olatunji was among the first to share emotional tributes confirming the news, and within hours of the first reports breaking, social media was flooded with memories, photographs, and expressions of grief from fans, colleagues, and celebrities across the continent.
Alexx Ekubo’s Legacy
Alexx Ekubo was 40 years old. He had a Nollywood career that spanned over a decade of consistent, quality work. He was one of Nigeria’s most recognizable faces in the diaspora and across Africa. He was photographed at every major industry event. He built a social media following that genuinely loved him, not for his fame but for his warmth.
He handled one of the most public heartbreaks in recent Nigerian celebrity history with grace. He battled a terminal illness in silence without burdening his audience with his pain. He prepared his will, tied up his affairs, and let go on his own terms.
The image of Alexx Ekubo that his colleagues and fans will carry forward is not one defined by his breakup or his diagnosis. It is defined by The Bling Lagosians, Weekend Getaway, and Sunday Affair. By the best-dressed lists and the social media moments and the advocacy work for young people. By the “Ore mi” that Funke Akindele will no longer get to say to her face.
Nollywood has lost a rare soul. Nigeria has lost a good man. And those who knew him, even from behind a screen, have lost something that is genuinely difficult to replace.
Quick Facts at a Glance
- Full Name: Alexx Ekubo-Okwaraeke
- Date of Birth: April 10, 1986
- Date of Death: May 12, 2026
- Age at Death: 40 years old
- State of Origin: Arochukwu, Abia State, Nigeria
- Education: Federal Government College, Daura; University of Calabar (Law)
- Occupation: Actor, model, social advocate
- Known For: The Bling Lagosians, Weekend Getaway, A Sunday Affair
- Ex-Fiancée: Fancy Acholonu (engaged May 2021, called off August 2021)
- Alleged Wife: Anuli (reported private marriage December 2024, unconfirmed)
- Children: None publicly confirmed
- Cause of Death: Kidney cancer
- Last Social Media Post: December 30, 2024
Conclusion: Alexx Ekubo
The question that brought many people to this article was about Alexx Ekubo’s wife. The answer, as of today, is incomplete in the saddest way possible. Reports of a private marriage to a woman named Anuli in December 2024 circulated but were never confirmed by Alexx himself. No children have been publicly confirmed. What is confirmed, devastating, and final is that Alexx Ekubo passed away on May 12, 2026, after a private battle with kidney cancer.
He was 40 years old. He was one of Nollywood’s finest. And by all accounts of those who knew and loved him, he was a genuinely good human being who made the world around him better in ways that went far beyond his filmography.
Rest well, Alex.
FAQs About Alexx Ekubo
Who was Alexx Ekubo? Alexx Ekubo-Okwaraeke was a Nigerian actor and model from Arochukwu, Abia State. He was one of Nollywood’s most recognized and admired performers, known for films including The Bling Lagosians, Weekend Getaway, and A Sunday Affair. He died on May 12, 2026, at the age of 40.
Did Alexx Ekubo have a wife? Reports circulated in 2025 that he had privately married a woman named Anuli in December 2024. He never publicly confirmed this marriage. Given that he was privately battling kidney cancer during this period and passed away in May 2026, the full picture of his final personal chapter remains incomplete.
Who was Alexx Ekubo engaged to? He was engaged to Nigerian-American model Fancy Acholonu in May 2021. The engagement was called off by Acholonu in August 2021. In December 2022, Fancy issued a public apology, which Alexx acknowledged graciously, but the two did not reconcile publicly.
How did Alexx Ekubo die? Alexx Ekubo died from kidney cancer on May 12, 2026, at a Lagos hospital. He had been on life support before passing. He had kept his illness entirely private, with his last social media post dating to December 30, 2023, almost five months before his death.
How old was Alexx Ekubo when he died? He was 40 years old. He was born on April 10, 1986.
Did Alexx Ekubo have children? No children have been publicly confirmed for Alexx Ekubo.
