Stars You Didn't Know Were Nigerian For Nigerian Independence Day
Stars You May Not Have Known Were Nigerian In Honor Of Nigerian Independence Day
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October 1 marks Nigerian Independence Day, and outside of listening to some Afrobeats and getting some Star beer to commemorate the occasion, we thought it would be fun to check out all of the familiar faces who you may not have realized were repping the country. From artists to YouTube personalities, actors and actresses, here are 14 famous folks who would agree that Naija no dey carry last on this day of independence.
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Damson Idris
The Snowfall star is the son of Nigerian parents and was born in southeast London.
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Sam Adegoke
We here at MN are fans of the CW’s Dynasty, which Samuel Adegoke is on. The actor was born in Lagos, but raised in Minnesota.
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Jackie Aina
The beauty guru, known for her YouTube videos, is the daughter of an African-American mom and a Nigerian (Yoruba) father.
Source: Derrick Salters/WENN.com / WENN
Kehinde Wiley
The famed painter, known for his portrait of President Barack Obama for the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, like Jackie, is the son of an African-American mother and Nigerian (Yoruba) father.
Source: Adriana M. Barraza/WENN.com / WENN
Megalyn Echikunwoke
The actress (Night School) and girlfriend of comedian Chris Rock, is the daughter of a Nigerian father (Igbo) and an English, Irish and German mother.
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Carmen Ejogo
The British actress, of Sparkle fame, is the daughter of a Scottish mother and Nigerian father.
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Anthony Joshua
The parents of the British former unified world heavyweight champion are both Nigerian (Yoruba).
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Chiké Okonkwo
The English actor, who you might remember from playing Lee on Being Mary Jane, is a Nigerian brought up in Kingston upon Thames.
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Yetide Badaki
The actress from the Starz hit American Gods was born in Ibadan, Nigeria and went back and forth from there to England and eventually, to America.
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Deborah Ayorinde
The Girls Trip actress is a first generation British Nigerian (Yoruba) who grew up in London.
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Hannah John-Kamen
The actress, who has been on Game of Thrones, Ready Player One and Ant-Man and the Wasp, is the daughter of a Nigerian father and Norwegian mother.
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Obba Babatundé
Previously known as Donald Cohen, the Life and How High actor raised in Jamaica, Queens learned through his ancestry that his people were Nigerian and chose to professionally adopt the Yoruba name Obba Babatunde.
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Ashley Madekwe
The Umbrella Academy and Revenge actress, who is English, is the daughter of both a Nigerian and Swiss father and English mother.
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Rockmond Dunbar
The former Soul Food, Prison Break and 9-1-1 actor also traced his ancestry back to the Yoruba people of Nigeria. During a trip there, he was given the name Omobowale.
