Bruno Iwuoha: Actor’s actor bows out finally

The new of his death on April 10, 2021, shook Nollywood. His fans and colleagues knew he had a prolonged battle with diabetes, but didn’t know the notable Nollywood actor, Bruno Obinna Iwuoha, would bow to the disease, even after a news website had hinted that he was responding to treatment.

Aged 68 and survived by a wife and six children, the remains of the award-winning actor was committed to mother earth this Thursday in his hometown Umunumo Umuanunu in Ehime Mbano Local Council of Imo State.

In a condolence message, President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) Ejezie Emeka Rollas commiserated with the immediate family members, friends and fans and prayed, “God would comfort them at this moment of grief.”

Rollas described Iwuoha as a “dependable actor and committed practitioner who will be surely missed.” A gifted actor who acts with credulity and mien, Iwuoha hit the right note and became a household name when he interpreted delightfully, the role of a catholic priest in the award winning flick Sins of the Flesh, which starred Africa’s best Chioma Chukwuka Akpotha in a lead role. It was his deep and inimitable interpretation of the role that got the jury of the African Movie Academy Award (AMAA) to unanimously declare him the best supporting actor in a leading role.

For Bruno Iwuoha, that award, which he received personally at the 2007 edition of the AMAA held in Yenegoa, Bayelsa State capital, was confirmation of a dream fulfilled. Right from when he joined in a little over two decades ago, Bruno had always wished that in no time he would emerge a constant visitor in most homes. And true to expectation, that confirmation came and it came in no time.

Though Uncle Bruno, as younger colleagues roundly call him, confessed that he grew up with a healthy appetite for acting, he never imagined that acting would become something of a full time job for him. Until he passed on this April, his life story took a different dimension. Not only did the grey haired actor cut a swath among the industry’s recognisable faces, he was roundly regarded as one of the good men of the movie because of the streak of successes he recorded as an actor.

But Iwuoha didn’t walk into acting just for the fun of it. The last time he spoke to this reporter, Uncle B as he is also called, revealed that he had a flair for acting and was at a time head of his school dramatic and literary society. It was there that he first strut his acting stuff.

But he didn’t continue after school. Young Iwuoha wasn’t convinced then that acting would put food on his table. So, he made up his mind to do some buying and selling, as well as supplies. Later, he got a steady supply job and became a registered contractor with the National Fertilizer Company.

But even as he bought and sold for profit, something inside of him yearned for some acting on stage and screen. The voice became clearer as days pass. But Iwuoha would not be distracted or so he thought. He continued trading until he bowed to what he said was the ‘superior pressure’ of the voice within.’

“It was the day that I returned from one of my business trips that I met a letter inviting me for an audition; that was how it started,” Iwuoha recalled.

Indeed, it took that decision to honour the audition invitation for Iwuoha’s music chair to turn full circle. That day turned out the last day that the actor with a distinctive feature-grey hair bought and sold any commodity. He took to full time acting and confessed then that he is likely not to consider quitting motion picture practice for any other job because of the gains that has come with his involvement in motion picture practice as an actor.

An easy-going personality, Iwuoha’s first take in the movie industry was as a supporting actor in Lost Kingdom written by Ekenna Igwe and directed by Ndubuisi Oko. From Lost Kingdom, he marched on as producers sought him out each time they wanted a steady and reliable actor who will throw himself to a role once he gets one. Unlike his peers who played same role in every movie, Iwuoha versatility showed when he moved easily from one role to another. If he was not playing a chief in one, he would be playing a devious and or good father or uncle in another and or a priest in yet another. He was soon to be named an all rounder.

An actor of vast credit, Iwuoha has so far grossed over 150 movie credits. In his movie pouch are movies such as The Only Hope, Town in Danger, True Love, No One But You, Heavy Rain, Trouble Makers, Little Angel, Executive Connection, The Councillor, Divided Kingdom, Occultic Battle and Circle of Love.

In all, Iwouha who has a liking for African attires and white suit picked about five movies among them Lost Kingdom and Sins of the Flesh as his most memorable.

An acting Uncle to a number young actors, Iwuoha had mentioned that his career ambition was to continue to be deeply involved in movie production as long as age can permit him. He adds that he would also want to move beyond acting, into production so as to be able to leave something behind for his children afterwards.

“One is not getting younger,” he noted, adding, “so that is why one is thinking of putting something down for the children because it is appointed that someday all of us will go and meet our ancestors. So, I hope to produce my own works and do more work as an actor and possibly do some work outside the country,” he wished.