Veteran Nollywood actress Grace Ama is mourning the loss of her father, Chief Ogbonnaya Azu Ama, who passed away just ten minutes after their final phone conversation on Thursday evening. The actress described the heartbreaking sequence of events in an interview with the Nigerian Tribune on July 10.
Father's Final Request
According to Grace Ama, her father called her that evening with one simple request: he wanted her to pray for him. The actress said she did not hesitate. The two prayed together over the phone, and before they hung up, Chief Ama responded with a quiet 'Amen.'
'We spoke exactly on Thursday evening, and I prayed for him, and he said, 'Amen,'' she recalled.
A Goodbye She Never Saw Coming
Grace Ama said she was still sitting with the warmth of that conversation when her phone rang again. The time was 7:11 p.m., and the voice on the other end brought news she was not prepared for. 'And by 7:11 p.m., I was told he had gone,' she said. The actress described the experience as one of the most devastating moments of her life.
Her father, she said, had always been her most loyal supporter, the one person who consistently cheered her on throughout her career in the Nigerian film industry. Grace Ama lamented having no one left to call her 'Nollywood First Lady' like her father always did when he was alive. 'My only first love and cheerleader has gone to be with his Creator. No one to call me Nollywood First Lady anymore,' she said.
Chief Ogbonnaya Azu Ama's Legacy
Chief Ogbonnaya Azu Ama held the traditional title of Ezi Okwu Bu Mdu (Truth Is Life) I of Ebunwana Edda. He celebrated his 80th birthday in December last year, a milestone his daughter now holds close as she navigates her grief. For Grace, the final prayer they shared over the phone has become both a source of comfort and heartache, a moment she says she will carry with her for the rest of her life.
Other Celebrity Losses
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Nollywood actress Faithia Williams lost her mother just hours after celebrating her own 55th birthday on February 5, 2026. A video shared by Regina Chukwu on her Instagram page captured the heartbreaking moment Faithia Williams received the news, breaking down in tears as her colleagues tried to console her. Fans and her colleagues in the Nigerian movie industry praised her deep love for her mother, while Regina Chukwu encouraged her to stay strong and offered prayers for the late woman's soul.
