Akinife:

Hollywood actor. He was born on October 1, 1962,
in Lagos State to Nigerian parents from Abeokuta,
Ogun State.
He has featured in several hit movies such as
Hotel Rwandan, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Pirates
of the Caribbean: At World’s End and many TV
series: 24, Lost, Law & Order, Criminal Minds
amongst others.
He has also featured in blockbuster Nollywood
movies like: Last Flight To Abuja, Black November,
Half Of A Yellow Sun.
Hakeem is a brand ambassador for
telecommunications company Etisalat Nigeria.
WALE
US Rapper Wale, real name Olubowale Victor
Akintimehin, was born to Nigerian parents
both from Yoruba tribe, Ogun State, but grew
up in the USA.
Wale, aside being one of the top rappers in the
US, has also become popular in Nigeria.
He has done collaborations with singers like
Wizkid in ‘Nobody But You’, Olamide in ‘Make
Us Proud’. The Maybach Music superstar, Wale,
visited his motherland in December 2013.
Taio Cruz
British singer, Jacob Taio Cruz, real name Adetayo
Ayowale Onile-Ere, is of Nigerian heritage. He was
born on April 23, 1985, in London to a Nigerian
father and a Brazillian mother.
Cruz, who started writing songs when he was 12,
was signed on a US publishing deal at just 18 years
of age.
He began his song-writing career at the age of 19
and has won several awards some of which are:
BRIT Awards, Billboard Music Awards, ASCAP
Awards and American Music Awards.
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
Hollywood actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
was born on August 22, 1967, in Washington,
D.C to Nigerian parents.
Aside being fluent in Yoruba, he is also fluent in
several languages such as: English, Italian and
Swahili.
He has featured in movies like The Bourne
Identity, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Mr. Eko
on Lost, Simon Adebisi on Oz, The Mummy
Returns amongst others.
Adetomiwa Edun
British actor Adetomiwa Edun was born in 1984
to a Nigerian father from the Yoruba tribe and
a half-Ghanaian, half-English mother.
Edun, who moved to the United Kingdom at
the age of 11, has featured in movies like
Slaves, Law & Order: UK, The Hour,
Passengers.
He is popularly known for his role in the TV
series, Merlin, when he played ‘Sir Elyan’ and
he became the second black in 2009 to play
Romeo at the Globe Theatre.
In addition to being fluent in English and
Yoruba, he speaks French.
Richard Ayoade
Richard Ayoade is a British actor born on June
12, 1977, to a Nigerian father and a Norwegian
mother.
The comedian, actor and writer has written
several award-winning stage plays in the UK.
He is also a well-known face on British TV
having starred in the highly popular The IT
Crowd. He made his Hollywood debut in 2012
after starring in the comedy The Watch
alongside Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn and Jonah
Hill.
David Oyelowo
Hollywood actor David Oyelowo was born on
April 1, 1976, in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England,
to Nigerian parents.
He has featured in movies like: The Butler,
Small Island.
In March 2010 he played the part of Keme
Tobodo in the BBC’s drama series ‘Blood and
Oil’ (a film about Niger-Delta area of Nigeria).
Adepero Oduye
American actress Adepero Oduye might not
quickly ring a bell but she featured in hit movie
’12 Years A Slave’ alongside British-Nigerian
actor Chiwetel Ejiofor.
Adepero Oduye is born to Nigerian parents
from Yoruba tribe. She played Alike in Pariah
(2011), TV series, Law & Order amongst others.
She has received several awards, including a
nomination for Independent Spirit Award for
Best Female Lead.
Hope Olaide Wilson
Hollywood actress Hope Olaide Wilson was
born on August 16, 1985, to Nigerian parents
from the Yoruba tribe.
Hope Olaide Wilson, who moved to the United
States in 1996, has featured in Tyler Perry’s
movies ‘I Can Do Bad All By Myself’, ‘After the
Dark and Faith and Dreams’ amongst others.
She is also fluent in English, French, and
Yoruba.
She won the 2009 Diversity Awards Female
‘Nova’ Award Recipient for promising talent.
SOURCES: Naij
Top Stories



Hollywood actor. He was born on October 1, 1962,
in Lagos State to Nigerian parents from Abeokuta,
Ogun State.
He has featured in several hit movies such as
Hotel Rwandan, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Pirates
of the Caribbean: At World’s End and many TV
series: 24, Lost, Law & Order, Criminal Minds
amongst others.
He has also featured in blockbuster Nollywood
movies like: Last Flight To Abuja, Black November,
Half Of A Yellow Sun.
Hakeem is a brand ambassador for
telecommunications company Etisalat Nigeria.
WALE
US Rapper Wale, real name Olubowale Victor
Akintimehin, was born to Nigerian parents
both from Yoruba tribe, Ogun State, but grew
up in the USA.
Wale, aside being one of the top rappers in the
US, has also become popular in Nigeria.
He has done collaborations with singers like
Wizkid in ‘Nobody But You’, Olamide in ‘Make
Us Proud’. The Maybach Music superstar, Wale,
visited his motherland in December 2013.
Taio Cruz
British singer, Jacob Taio Cruz, real name Adetayo
Ayowale Onile-Ere, is of Nigerian heritage. He was
born on April 23, 1985, in London to a Nigerian
father and a Brazillian mother.
Cruz, who started writing songs when he was 12,
was signed on a US publishing deal at just 18 years
of age.
He began his song-writing career at the age of 19
and has won several awards some of which are:
BRIT Awards, Billboard Music Awards, ASCAP
Awards and American Music Awards.
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
Hollywood actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
was born on August 22, 1967, in Washington,
D.C to Nigerian parents.
Aside being fluent in Yoruba, he is also fluent in
several languages such as: English, Italian and
Swahili.
He has featured in movies like The Bourne
Identity, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Mr. Eko
on Lost, Simon Adebisi on Oz, The Mummy
Returns amongst others.
Adetomiwa Edun
British actor Adetomiwa Edun was born in 1984
to a Nigerian father from the Yoruba tribe and
a half-Ghanaian, half-English mother.
Edun, who moved to the United Kingdom at
the age of 11, has featured in movies like
Slaves, Law & Order: UK, The Hour,
Passengers.
He is popularly known for his role in the TV
series, Merlin, when he played ‘Sir Elyan’ and
he became the second black in 2009 to play
Romeo at the Globe Theatre.
In addition to being fluent in English and
Yoruba, he speaks French.
Richard Ayoade
Richard Ayoade is a British actor born on June
12, 1977, to a Nigerian father and a Norwegian
mother.
The comedian, actor and writer has written
several award-winning stage plays in the UK.
He is also a well-known face on British TV
having starred in the highly popular The IT
Crowd. He made his Hollywood debut in 2012
after starring in the comedy The Watch
alongside Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn and Jonah
Hill.
David Oyelowo
Hollywood actor David Oyelowo was born on
April 1, 1976, in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England,
to Nigerian parents.
He has featured in movies like: The Butler,
Small Island.
In March 2010 he played the part of Keme
Tobodo in the BBC’s drama series ‘Blood and
Oil’ (a film about Niger-Delta area of Nigeria).
Adepero Oduye
American actress Adepero Oduye might not
quickly ring a bell but she featured in hit movie
’12 Years A Slave’ alongside British-Nigerian
actor Chiwetel Ejiofor.
Adepero Oduye is born to Nigerian parents
from Yoruba tribe. She played Alike in Pariah
(2011), TV series, Law & Order amongst others.
She has received several awards, including a
nomination for Independent Spirit Award for
Best Female Lead.
Hope Olaide Wilson
Hollywood actress Hope Olaide Wilson was
born on August 16, 1985, to Nigerian parents
from the Yoruba tribe.
Hope Olaide Wilson, who moved to the United
States in 1996, has featured in Tyler Perry’s
movies ‘I Can Do Bad All By Myself’, ‘After the
Dark and Faith and Dreams’ amongst others.
She is also fluent in English, French, and
Yoruba.
She won the 2009 Diversity Awards Female
‘Nova’ Award Recipient for promising talent.
SOURCES: Naij
Top Stories

JEITO: Ahan OP! By their names you shall know them na; Or Who doesn't know that olaide or adebowale are yoruba names