- Nollywood, Nigeria's dynamic movie industry, is location to a wealthiness of talented actresses who proceed to captivate audiences, adjacent arsenic they property gracefully
- Some of these singular women person been acting for implicit 5 decades, consistently delivering performances that showcase their exceptional skills
- In this article, Legit.ng highlights a fewer of Nollywood’s oldest surviving actresses who person remained progressive successful the industry, delighting fans with their talents
Some iconic Nollywood stars from the aureate epoch are inactive precise overmuch active, surviving vibrant lives, and making occasional prima appearances successful films. Many of them are successful their seventies oregon beyond, portion others are soon to scope this milestone.
In this article, Legit.ng highlights immoderate of the oldest surviving actresses who proceed to bless the Nigerian movie manufacture with their timeless endowment and contributions.

Source: Instagram
1.Iya Osogbo, who started acting connected stage
Nollywood histrion successful the Yoruba genre, Grace Oyin Adejobi, is 1 of the oldest actresses the movie manufacture has today. She was calved connected August 23, 1929, successful Osogbo.
Her begetter was from Osogbo, portion her parent was from Offa successful Kwara State. The seasoned actress' begetter was a bricklayer, portion her parent sold thenar vino and coagulated pap, popularly known arsenic ‘eko’ successful Yoruba oregon ‘agidi’ successful Igbo.
Iya Osogbo began her acting vocation done her husband, Chief Oyin Adejobi, who had a play troupe known arsenic the Adejobi Musical Party.
She was progressive successful the troupe and served arsenic a trailblazer for women joining signifier plays.
In an interview, Iya Osogbo reminisced astir her acting career. She noted that acting, though not initially a profession, brought her large joyousness and fulfillment. For her, acting painted a representation of beingness lived to the fullest. She acted for over six decades in the movie industry.
Despite turning 93 successful 2023, Iya Osogbo inactive lukewarm hearts with her elemental but interesting lifestyle.
2.Mama Rainbow: Actress, MC, prophetess
Veteran Nollywood actress, Idowu Philips, professionally known arsenic Mama Rainbow, was calved successful October 1942 successful Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.
Before afloat committing to acting, Mama Rainbow worked arsenic a healthcare practitioner in wide hospitals successful Nigeria and featured successful a fewer theatre plays.
She decided to prosecute acting aft the decease of her husband, Augustine Ayanfemi Phillips, who had worked intimately with Hubert Ogunde.
As a effect of her acting prowess, Mama Rainbow won the Industry Merit Award astatine the 2024 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards. Mama Rainbow turned 82 successful 2024 and penned a heartfelt missive to God about her beingness and experiences.
Despite her age, fans proceed to respect her for her large physique and charming looks. She remains progressive successful the movie manufacture and precocious featured successful Femi Adebayo’s movie Seven Doors. Additionally, she is simply a prophetess and maestro of ceremonies.
3. Iya Awero's progressive years successful acting
Veteran histrion Lanre Hassan is different legendary fig whose contributions to Nollywood cannot beryllium overlooked.
Born successful October 1950, Lanre marked her 73rd day successful 2023. The actress, whose meme has appeared successful galore comic videos, began her acting vocation arsenic a teen with Ojo Ladipo’s group, the Young Stars Concert Party, which aboriginal became the Ojo Ladipo Theatre Group.
Lanre Hassan has appeared successful galore films and was inactive actively going to movie locations until 2022. Although she took a interruption owed to aged age, the talented histrion continues to support younger stars successful the industry.
She precocious voiced her opinion connected the statement implicit who founded Nollywood and attended the premiere of Femi Adebayo’s Seven Doors successful 2024.
4 Taiwo Ajai-Lycett: Actress, journalist, cosmetologist
Veteran histrion Taiwo Ajai-Lycett wears galore hats. In summation to being an accomplished actress, she is simply a trained cosmetologist, having studied astatine the Christine Shaw School of Beauty Science successful London.
She is besides a writer and tv presenter. Born successful February 1941, her acting vocation began successful 1966 with Wole Soyinka’s Lion and the Jewel, which was staged astatine the Royal Court Theatre successful London.

Source: Instagram
Taiwo Ajai-Lycett received her ceremonial grooming arsenic an histrion astatine the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
She has appeared successful galore movies and tv series, some successful Nigeria and abroad, including Tinsel, Olobiri, the British sitcom Some Mothers Do 'Av 'Em with Frank Spencer, and the Nigerian bid Winds Against My Soul.
4. Olajumoke Ray Eyiwunmi, Muka Ray’s mother
Olajumoke Ray Eyiwunmi, amended known arsenic Mama Ray, is the matriarch of the Ray family, which is known for its important contributions to Yoruba theatre.
Her husband, the precocious Eyinwunmi Ray, who passed distant successful 1989, was an histrion and 1 of the pioneers of Yoruba theatre successful the 1970s.
Mama Ray started acting aft marrying her histrion hubby and spent implicit 55 years successful the manufacture earlier taking a break. She was calved successful 1950.
5. Iya 2D: From signifier plays to film
Veteran Yoruba histrion Asunmo Mistura, popularly known arsenic Iya 2D, was calved in 1942. She began her acting vocation successful signifier theatre successful 1959 and was trained by Ishow Pepper and Duro Ladipo.
After her training, she joined the Oshinlalu Cultural Party astatine Agree Adodo earlier aboriginal joining Ojo Oladipo's theatre group.
Iya 2D was portion of the archetypal Yoruba movie successful Nigeria, Ajayi Ogun, wherever she played the relation of Ojo Oladipo’s wife, Honorable Odun Abayomi’s wife.
Despite her aged age, Iya 2D has continued to bask bully wellness and inactive thrill her fans with comic moments online.
6. Patience Ozokwo: Actress, singer, manner designer
Patience Ozokwo, amended known arsenic Mama G, was calved successful September 1958 successful Enugu State. She is renowned for playing villainous roles and portraying mothers successful Nollywood films.
Mama G started her vocation arsenic an announcer astatine Radio Nigeria earlier transitioning into acting. She has appeared successful galore films and has been progressive in the industry for 46 years and counting.
7. Margaret Bandele Olayinka, aka Iya Gbonkan
Veteran histrion Margaret Olayinka, fondly called Iya Gbonkan, was calved successful September 1958.
She began her acting vocation decades ago, but it was successful the 1970s, aft starring successful Yemi Elebu'bon, a tv bid by Ifa Olokun, that she gained wide recognition.
Known for her eerie facial expressions successful roles arsenic a mean witch, Iya Gbonkan became a household name. She is besides celebrated for her relation successful Yekinni Ajileye's Koto Orun.
8.Tola Oladokun: Former cloth merchant
Veteran histrion Tola Oladokun, amended known arsenic Mama Jenůfa oregon Iya Sulia, was calved successful 1959 successful Oyo State. Before pursuing acting, she was a cloth merchant.
She developed an involvement successful acting successful 1983 and joined the precocious histrion Deji Aderemi, besides known arsenic Olofa Ina, successful Ibadan, Oyo State.
Patience Ozokwo speaks connected crushed actors beg
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that seasoned actress, Patience Ozokwo was truthful acrophobic astir what was happening successful the movie manufacture that she had to code immoderate issues.
In a video online, she stated the crushed histrion beg whenever they autumn sick.
The histrion added that erstwhile an histrion becomes sick, specified a idiosyncratic volition negociate with the money disposable till helium exhausts it. Fans were capable to crushed with her arsenic they applauded her and advised her colleagues.
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Source: Legit.ng