Alex Usifo

Alex Usifo (born 16 April 1953) is a veteran Nigerian actor.^[1]

Alex Usifo Omiagbo
Born	16 April 1953
Nationality	Nigerian
Citizenship	Nigerian
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1984 till present
Notable work	End of the Wicked

Career

Usifo auditioned at different media houses including Radio Nigeria Lagos, Voice of Nigeria, NTA Ilorin etc. He made it to the top list, but was dropped because of ‘Quota System’. He was unemployed for years. On the invitation of his friend/brother Peter Okun, Alex attended a Deeper Life Crusade, where he desperately asked God for a change in his condition, and he got an answer: ‘look inwards’.^[2]

His acting career kicked off in 1984 when he played a major role in the tele-movie The Return of the Native. He took lead roles in Natas and Two People.^[3] He started attending 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, between 1984 and 1987.^[4]

Recognition came in 1988 when he starred in Zeb Ejiro's soap opera, Ripples. Usifo portrayed Talaab Abass. The show broke ground in television because few soap operas existed. Talaab Abass was a villain. Alex interpreted the character with bulging eyes and a baritone voice.^[5]

Usifo made a name for himself long before Nollywood came into existence. He participated in stage plays including Awero. This was staged at the National Theatre, Iganmu. He appeared in Ola Rotimi's Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again! also staged at the National Theatre. He featured in radio and films.^[6]

Recognition

Usifo won awards locally and internationally, including:

• 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; Rotaract Club of Sagamu
• Inspirational Award; United Nations 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.^{[7][8][9][10]}

Filmography

• Silent Night (1996) as Stephen Odame
• Captive (1998)
• Endtime (1999)
• End of the Wicked (1999) as Beelzebub
• Executive Crime (2000) as Vice President
• Desperadoes (2001)
• My Love (2002)
• Lean on Me (2003)
• Dangerous Sisters (2004) as Festus (with Genevieve Nnaji and Dakore Akande)
• Azima (2005)
• Final Point (2006)
• The Guilty (2006) as Odili
• Strong Men at Work (2007) as Tony
• Trumpet of Death (2007) as Ekene
• Who am I? (2007)
• Classical Fraud (with Ufuoma Ejenobor)
• Kiss the Dust (2008) as Peter Uche
• Felicima: One Gift (2009) as Andrew
• Tango with Me (2010) as Uzo's Father
• Lovelorn (2012)
• Okoro the Prince (2013) as Oba Ozuola
• Royal Mission (2015)
• Silence (2016)
• Code Wilo (2019)
• Enakhe (2020)^[11] as Osasere 'Epa' Iwinosa
• Strain (2020) as Grandpa Ezeji
• Where Men Rule (2021) as Okonkwo
• Love & Justice (2022) as Cyril
• The Black Book (with Richard Mofe-Damijo and Sam Dede) (2023) as General Isa
• Home Coming (2023)^[12]