Ace-actor and comedian, Nkem Owoh popularly called Osuofia has a way of  paying homage to a  dear  colleague or a friend whether dead or alive.

Nkem Owoh

The actor proved this much last weekend, when he mounted the stage to pay his last respect to his departed friend and older colleague, Sam Loco Efe. The event was a night of cultural exposition, held as part of activities that marked the late actor’s final journey home. It took place at the Oba  Akenzua II Cultural Centre, in Benin.

Mid-way into the event, and precisely after a dozen of local comedians, musicians  and cultural dancers respectively mounted scintillating performances, Osuofia took the floor and quickly recreated the image of the departed actor on stage.

As soon as he mounted the stage, shouts of “Osuofia” rent the air. The comedian actor, dramatically  moved from one end of the expansive stage to the other end, dancing and enchanting in a manner  that invoked the spirit of the screen icon. He was later joined on stage by other Nollywood stars in attendance.

They were Ibinabo Fiberesima, Chinwe Owoh, Ofiafulu Mbaka, Patience Ozorkwor. Older actors who were present at the event were not left out either. Osuofia and Sam Loco, undoubtedly were like kindred spirits. His performance that night literarily brought Sam Loco back  to life.

After Osuofia’s display, Mbaka, who led the Enugu state chapter of the Actors Guild of Nigeria(AGN) took the floor shortly and conveyed Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State’s  heartfelt condolence to the  children of Sam Loco.

He later handed a parcel containing half a million naira to the family as the governor’s widow’s might. In his words, “Governor Chime is keen to immortalise Sam Loco like his Edo State contemporary by naming a street after him in Enugu.””