John Okafor (Mr Ibu) Biography And Net Worth - Austine Media (2024)

John Okafor popularly known as Mr. Ibu is a hilarious Nollywood comic actor, master of ceremony, comedian and a television personality known for his funny role in movies. He is referred to as the funniest actor in Nollywood. He was born on 17th October 1961 in Enugu coal city of Enugu State in the south eastern part of Nigeria. He is currently 62 years old. He was born and raised in Enugu where he completed both his primary and secondary school education and obtained both his First School Leaving Certificate and West African Senior School Certificate.

He has been regarded as one of the highest paid comic actors in Nigeria. He is always known for playing funny roles in comedy movies. He has been in the industry for over 21 years. He always plays the role of a funny man whose lifestyle causes laughter in several Nollywood movies and he feature only on comedy movies.

John Okafor is very gifted, skillful, creative and talented in acting and interpretation of movie roles. He knows how to interpret his roles very well and can fit in any character given to him by movie directors and producers in Nigeria.

Life was very terrible for John Okafor while growing up because he was raise in a poor family. According to him, he had a rough and terrible childhood because he came from a very poor family background. His family is among the Poorest in Enugu State. He once worked as a firewood seller, a hair dresser and a meat butcher to feed his family. He started acting right from his secondary school days, but never knew he can make people laugh. According to him, he couldn’t further his education because they was no one to sponsor him or cater for his school fees.

John Okafor joined the Nigerian movie industry popularly known as Nollywood in 1998 and started first as a Continuity because back then movie directors and producers have not recognized his talent in acting. However, few months later he started appearing in movies and television soap opera. He was given minor and supporting roles to act and he was able to deliver his role very well. According to him, he had to travel all the way from Enugu to Surulere in Lagos to attend movie auditions and many times he was rejected and denied movie role because he is not as handsome as other guys in the audition ground and most directors prefer to cast handsome guys in their movies.

John Okafor, after completing his primary and secondary school education couldn’t further his education to tertiary level because they was no money and nobody was able to sponsor him. Frustrated with life in Enugu, John Okafor decided to relocate from Enugu to Lagos to focus full time in acting.

John Okafor lived with his closest friend in a single room called face me I face you in a ghetto area in Lagos State, Nigeria. According to him, he had to trek all the way from his house to Ajao Estate, Festac Town and Surulere in Lagos State for movie Auditions and rehearsals on a daily basis. Few months later he was chased out of the house by his friend who accused him of so many things. He left the house and had nowhere to go to.

He slept in uncompleted building, under bridge, motor park and nearly committed suicide because he was tired of life. Luckily for him, he met with a Nollywood movie producer whom he knew back then in Enugu and the producer accommodated him in his house in Lagos and gave him a major role that skyrocket him to mainstream success.

John Okafor came to limelight in 2004 after featuring in the Nollywood blockbuster comic movie “Mr. Ibu” which gave him the popular nick name Mr. Ibu. In the movie he starred alongside with Osita Iheme popularly known as Pawpaw and played the role of a hilarious father who teamed up with his hilarious son (Osita Iheme) and together both father and son strives to make a living. The movie was very funny and was regarded as the best comedy movie in Nigeria. In 2005, his role in the movie (Mr. Ibu) earned him the award for Best Comic Actor in Nigeria at the Africa Movie Academy Awards.

John Okafor currently has an estimated net worth of over $5 million, making him one of the richest and most influential comic actor in Nigeria. In 2005, he won the Best Comic Actor in Nigeria at the Nigerian Entertainment Awards. In 2007, he won the Best Comic Actor in Nigeria at the Africa Movie Academy Awards and Best Actor in a Comedy at the Africa Magic Viewer Choice Awards. John Okafor is currently married with lovely children.

In 2014, John Okafor signed an endorsem*nt deal with MerryBet worth over millions of naira, after which he signed another endorsem*nt deal with GOTV worth over millions of naira. In 2011, he was awarded a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) being the highest honor and award giving a celebrity in Nigeria who has contributed immensely to the economy growth and development of the country through entertainment. John Okafor is considered to be one of the most sought-after actors in Nigeria. He is indeed an interesting character to watch out for in the Nigerian movie industry popularly known as Nollywood.

John Okafor has acted in more than 300 Nollywood movies which include Mr. Ibu, Police Recruit, 9 Wives, Ibu in Prison, Keziah, Mr Ibu in London, Soldier Ant and many more. He is very hilarious and regarded as the best and most funniest comic actor in Nigeria. His humorous acting is often characterized by stupidity, hilarious imbecility and a sharp disconnection from reality. John Okafor has been regarded as one of the richest actors in Nigeria by many ranking media in the internet. His amazing acting skill has attracted him to a lot of producers and directors in Nigeria who always search for him whenever they have a project for comedy movie. He is the best comic actor in Nigeria.

John Okafor in the cause of his acting career has won several awards. In 2008, he won the award for Best Actor in a Leading Role at the Africa Movie Academy Award. In 2009, he won the award for Best Comic Actor in Nigeria at the Africa Movie Academy Awards. In 2010, he won the award for Best Actor in a Comedy at the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards. In 2011, he was awarded a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) being the highest honor and award giving a celebrity who has contributed immensely to the economy growth of the country.

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