Ace Actor, Sam Loco, Dies At 66

A veteran Nollywood actor, Sam Loko Efe, is dead. Aged 66, the versatile actor was on location in his hotel room in Owerri, Imo State when he died.

Sam Loco’s death came on the heels of the passing on of another accomplished entertainer, Christy Essien-Igokwe, (the Lady of Songs) on June 30. The entertainment industry is still mourning her.

The ace actor was one of the lead characters in Hotel De Jordan series in 1970 with the stage name of ‘Picado Suberu.’

Nollywood watchers had said that the development was another great loss to the Nigerian booming film and entertainment industry. Sam Loco had been in the entertainment industry for more than three decades, and he was one of the few comedians that did equally well in almost all other aspects of the entertainment industry.

Reacting to his death, a renowned popular Nollywood producer Osaretin Ogbemudia, stated that he got the information from a colleague in the industry.

He said: “The death of Uncle Sam Loco came to me as a shock. It was an actor, Ada Ameh, who called me, crying on the phone that Uncle Sam had died. I called the chairman of Abuja Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Onwurah Agility, who confirmed the unfortunate incident. He also told me that Uncle Sam died in his hotel room, saying that the president of the guild, Segun Arinze, was aware of his demise.

“It is another great loss to me and the entire members of Love Heart Media Productions Ltd. It was two days ago we agreed to send a script to him and Olu Jacobs for our next Benin film.”

But efforts to get reaction from Arinze, and some Nollywood pundits proved abortive as their numbers were not going through.

Sam Loco, who spoke Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa fluently, was not from any of these tribes, but hailed from Benin in Edo State.

Sam had performed on stage and television for over 47 years, but has been in the movies for about 35 years.

The popular actor cum comedian was said to have had a long spell of alcohol and tobacco abuse. He reportedly quit the two vices after he collapsed in March 2009.

Nigeria would surely miss this popular Nollywood actor and comedian whose career helped jumpstart the Nollywood movie industry. He would be remembered with some of the movies he acted. They include Ukwa, Heart of Stone, Husband My Foot, Marcus ‘D’ Millionaire, Osuofia and the Wise Men, No Shaking 2, Nwa Teacher 2 Pipiro, The Tom & Jerry, Long John 2, My Love, Oil Village, King of Money, Radicals, Deadly Affair, Owo Blow and The Genesis.
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