Sam Loco Efe is one of the most prominent comic actor in Nigeria. He has been in the Nigeria movie industry popularly known as Nollywood for over two decades. He is always known for featuring in comedy movies. So therefore, in this article I will be sharing with you 10 real facts about Nollywood legendary comic actor late Sam Loco Efe that you probably didn’t know.
- Sam Loco Efe is a fallen hero and a legendary Nollywood comic actor, television personality and a comedian. He always features in comedy movies and always known for his use of heavy grammatical word. He has been regarded as one of the best comic actors in Nigeria and also one of the best performing actor of all time. He is always known for playing the role of a father, grandfather and uncle in several Nollywood comedy movies. He has been in the industry for over 2 decades and regarded as one of the pioneer of the Nigerian movie industry popularly known as Nollywood.
- He was born on 25th December 1945 in Enugu coal city of Enugu State in the south eastern part of Nigeria and died on 7th August 2011 at the age of 65 years old on a movie location, in his hotel room in Owerri, Imo State in the south eastern part of Nigeria. His father is of Benin ancestry who worked in Eastern Nigeria and his mother was a petty trader who sold bean cakes. He spent considerable part of his childhood in the town of Abakaliki the capital city of Ebonyi State in the south eastern part of Nigeria.
- Sam Loco Efe is originally from Benin City, Edo State in the south southern part of Nigeria but was born and bred in Enugu and Abakaliki respectively both in the south eastern part of Nigeria. He lost his father at a very tender age and had to struggle to help his mother in her trade in order to earn income for the family. His first experience with acting was at his primary school when a theatre group came to stage a play called “The Doctor”. In elementary school, he played the role of Julius Caesar in a Shakespearean play which earned him a scholarship.
- Sam Loco Efe completed both his primary and secondary school education in Abakaliki and Enugu respectively and obtained both his First School Leaving Certificate and West African Senior School Certificate. After completing his primary and secondary school education, Sam Loco Efe joined a traveling theatre group and played soccer earning himself the title of Moniker Locomotive. Sam Loco Efe took part as a soldier for Biafra, who fought during the Nigeria Civil War that took place from 1967-1970.
- After the Nigerian civil war ended, in 1972, Sam Loco Efe later traveled to Lagos to seek for better career opportunities and to explore a career in football. He applied for a job in Michelin Tyres and got his first job in 1972. He applied for the position without knowing how to drive. Sam Loco Efe worked for Michelin for many years where he was selling tyres in Lagos, Ijebu Ode and Abeokuta respectively both in the south western part of Nigeria. He soon left Michelin to work for Dunlop Tyres as a Senior Sales Representative in the Tyres and Allied products division.
- While working for Dunlop in Benin City, Edo State in the south southern part of Nigeria, Sam Loco Efe was casted for an NTA drama series titled “The Gods are not to Blame” by Ola Rotimi. In 1977, he left his sales job to pursue a career in acting. He joined the Nigerian movie industry popularly known as Nollywood professional in 1992. He auditioned and got the lead role in a movie titled “Langbodo”
- Sam Loco Efe is very gifted, skillful, creative and talented in acting and interpretation of movie roles. He knows how to interpret his role very well and can fit in any character given to him by movie directors and producers in Nigeria. He has acted in more than 300 Nollywood movies. Some of the movies he has acted include Tom and Jerry, Final World Cup, My Love, Ukwa, Osuofia in London, Atinga, and many more.
- Sam Loco Efe usually acts in comedy movies and has been described as a legend in comedy genre. He is very funny, intelligent and creative. Sam Loco Efe has been regarded as one of the best and most outstanding comic actor in Nigeria. He has won several awards which include Best Comic Actor in Nigeria at the Africa Movie Academy Awards, Most Promising Actor in Nigeria at the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards and Best Actor in a Comedy at the City People Entertainment Awards.
- Sam Loco Efe is a legend in Nollywood and his work can never be forgotten. Sam Loco Efe is one of the most talented, most gifted and most hilarious comic actor in the Nigerian who uses grammatical words and vocabulary in his diction and communications while acting in movies. Unfortunately, on 7th August 2011, Sam Loco Efe died at the age of 65 years old on a movie location, in his hotel room in Owerri, Imo State in the south eastern part of Nigeria. The cause of his death is due to high blood pressure because he was addicted to smoking. It was alleged that he slumped and died in his hotel room in Owerri, Imo State in the south eastern part of Nigeria. His legacy can never be forgotten.
- Sam Loco Efe before his death has an estimated net worth of over $400,000 making him one o the richest and most influential comic actor in Nigeria. In 2009, he was awarded a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) being the highest honor and award giving to a celebrity who has contributed immensely to the economy growth and development of the country through entertainment. Sam Loco Efe is also considered to be one of the most sought-after actors in Nigeria and also one of the best performing comic actors in Nigeria until his painful death. May his soul rest in peace.
