Okechukwu Anthony Onyegbule, better known as Okey Bakassi, was born on October 3, 1969, and is a prominent Nigerian comedian and actor hailing from Imo State.
He received the esteemed “Best Actor in a Leading Role (Igbo)” award at the Best of Nollywood Awards in 2014 for his performance in the film Onye Ozi.
FACTS ABOUT OKEY BAKASSI
- FULL NAME: Okechukwu Anthony Onyegbule
- DATE OF BIRTH: October 3, 1969
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Mbaise, Imo State, Nigerian
- NATIONALITY: Nigerian
- SPOUSE: Ezinne Onyegbule
- OCCUPATIONs: Actor, Comedian
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION
Originally from Mbaise in Imo State, Okey completed his primary education at Alvan Ikoku Demonstration School in Owerri, where he earned his First School Leaving Certificate.
He then attended Federal Government College in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he obtained his West African Senior School Certificate.
Okey pursued higher education at Rivers State University of Science and Technology, graduating in 1992 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Engineering, after which he fulfilled his one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) obligation in Lagos State.
CAREER
His acting career began when he met Zeb Ejiro, a popular movie producer and director.
Okey made his television debut in the series “Fortunes,” portraying “Nick,” one of the Johnson family’s bodyguards.
After eleven episodes of “Fortunes,” he shifted his focus entirely to Nollywood.
Leveraging his skills in acting and comedy, Okey smoothly transitioned into the entertainment industry, performing on numerous international comedy stages and appearing in various Nollywood films.
In 2014, he received the Best Actor in a Leading Role (Igbo) award at the Best of Nollywood Awards for his role in the film “Onye Ozi.”
Okey Bakassi has firmly established himself in Nigeria’s comedy scene, gaining recognition as a master of stand-up comedy.
In 1995, he teamed up with Opa Williams and Reginald Ebere to enhance the stand-up comedy landscape by launching “Night of a Thousand Laughs,” a widely acclaimed comedy show that entertained audiences throughout Nigeria.
Currently, Okey hosts the comedy program “It’s Okay with Okey” on Lagos Talks 91.3fm, sharing the spotlight with fellow comedians such as Acapella, Senator Comedian, and Dan de Humorous.
He also presents “The Other News” on Channels TV. In April 2018, Okey marked 25 years in the comedy industry.
PERSONAL LIFE
He is married to Ezinne, and they have been together for over a decade, raising three children—one son and two daughters.
The family lives in Canada, where Ezinne completed her education and is now employed.