Nollywood stars, Governor Soludo, and Obi Cubana joined hundreds in Arochukwu, Abia State, to give Alexx Ekubo, who died at 40, a final farewell.
There are moments that remind you how deeply one person can touch an entire industry, and an entire nation. Thursday, June 19, 2026, was one of those moments.
The quiet town of Arochukwu in Abia State became the centre of Nigeria’s collective grief as family, friends, fans, and some of the biggest names in Nollywood gathered to lay beloved actor Alexx Ekubo to rest. He was just 40 years old. He died on May 11, 2026, after a painful battle with advanced metastatic kidney cancer, and the weight of that loss was written all over the faces of everyone who made the journey to say goodbye.
Arochukwu was not the same on Thursday.
The roads filled up. Vehicles lined streets that are normally calm. People who had never met Alexx personally felt the pull to be there, because that is what he did, he made people feel close to him even through a screen.
Videos circulating on social media captured the scale of the turnout. The ceremony was held at Mary Slessor School in Amanagwu Village before he was finally laid to rest at the family compound, surrounded by the soil of the hometown that raised him.
The entertainment industry did not send a representative. It showed up in full.
Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo and businessman Obi Cubana were among the prominent figures who made the trip.
From Nollywood came Stan Nze, Bimbo Ademoye, IK Ogbonna, Ini Edo, Nancy Isime, Omoni Oboli, Kate Henshaw, and Mbong Amata, a roll call of some of the industry’s most recognisable faces.
That was not all. Annie Idibia, Ayo Makun, Tacha, Frederick Leonard, Chike, Blessing Sunday, Dayo Musa, E-money, KCee, Yomi Casual, Shawn Faqua, and more also travelled to Arochukwu to pay their final respects. His close friend IK Ogbonna, visibly among the grieving, was a reminder that behind the stardom was a man who built genuine, lasting friendships.
Before the burial, Alexx’s sister Treasure Ekubo posted a tribute on social media that left no eye dry.
Don't MIss This Gist
She described searching for him in the crowd, even knowing he was gone. She spoke of him as her best friend, her guardian, her “bobo,” and said she would give anything to have him back. She ended by calling him her guardian angel, promising to love him until her very last breath.
It was the kind of grief that does not perform. It simply pours out.
The Man Behind the Legacy
Born Alex Ekubo-Okwaraeke, he first caught the public’s attention as first runner-up at the 2010 Mr Nigeria competition. He then built a film career that earned him a place in the hearts of audiences across Nigeria, appearing in “Weekend Getaway,” “The Bling Lagosians,” “A Sunday Affair,” and “Omo Ghetto: The Saga,” among others.
He had also been open about his health journey in his final months, a vulnerability that only deepened the connection fans felt with him.
The farewell given to Alexx Ekubo was not just a burial, it was a testimony. A testimony to the kind of human being he was, the friendships he kept, and the joy he brought to Nollywood and beyond.
