With a high divorce rate in the entertainment industry, celebrity marriages are now regarded by many as never-lasting endeavors. However, a few celebrities have defied the odds and have been enjoying marital bliss since they said: “I do.” One of such celebrities is legendary Nigerian actor Kanayo O. Kanayo. He exchanged marital vows with his beautiful wife in the late ’90s, and the two have been together to date. Never for once have they made the news for having marital issues. Instead, Kanayo O. Kanayo’s family has captured the headlines of many news conduits for good reasons.
Despite keeping his family life private most of the time, the award-winning actor, on a few occasions, does let his fans share in his joy of having a loving family by posting pictures of his children on his social media handles. No doubt, he is a proud father who, over the years, has been reaping from his heavy investments in his kids. Now, let’s have a look at Kanayo’s family life, details of his wife and children, and what they have been up to in recent years.
Kanayo O. Kanayo and Nneka Onyekwere Has Been Married For Over 20 Years
Although it’s not known how Kanayo met his significant other, Nneka Onyekwere, and how long they courted before exchanging vows, it is known that the two began their marital journey in 1999. The traditional and white wedding ceremonies were reportedly colorful and had some celebrities in attendance.
After their wedding, the couple expanded their family and are currently enjoying a loving marital life, thanks to the unending love and support they show to one another. Over the years, Kanayo O. Kanayo and his wife have strived to build and maintain a long-term marital relationship that has lasted for over 21 years. This is a rare milestone for someone who has had a very well-decorated career in the film industry.
Even though the inseparable couple are yet to dish out the secret of their long-lasting marriage as they have chosen to keep their love life private, they must have put in great efforts and sacrifice to achieve what has become a relationship goal for many people.
The Actor’s Wife is a Notoriously Private Individual
The comely better half of the Living In Bondage actor, Nneka Onyekwere, is a private person with no information available in media regarding her family background and professional life. This comes as no surprise as Kanayo O. Kanayo stated that after his marriage to Nneka, he asked the press to avoid stalking his wife, requesting an interview. He cited that, unlike his colleagues that allow their spouses to grant interviews to media houses, he prefers to keep his wife away from the spotlight; thus, she won’t be granting interviews to media outlets.
Consequently, all that is known about Nneka Onyekwere is that she is the matriarch of Kanayo O. Kanayo’s family. On many occasions, Mrs. Onyekwere has shown support to her husband by being present during the celebration of some of his career accomplishments.
For instance, in September 2018, when the actor and film producer was called to the Nigerian bar as Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria after studying Law at the University of Abuja, Nneka and her children graced the ceremony alongside their relatives and friends. Despite staying out of the limelight to avoid certain controversies, her supporting role as a wife and mother is quite visible.
Kanayo O. Kanayo and His Wife Have Four Children
Soon after their nuptials in 1999, Anayo Modestus and Nneka Onyekwere welcomed their first child, a baby girl, christened Uloaku Valerie Onyekwere. Subsequently, they had three sons, namely, Clinton Onyechigoziri, Kosisochukwu Montell, and Einstein Onyekwere. Despite his busy schedule, Kanayo enjoys spending time with his family and cherishes celebrating his kids on their birthdays.
He often enjoins his fans on social media to celebrate and show uncommon love to his children during their birthdays. The proud father has never shied away from showing the general public how much his kids mean to him and would do anything to make them happy. Here’s a look at what they are doing now.
Uloaku Valerie Onyekwere
Uloaku is KOK’s only daughter. She was born on April 8, 2000. Following her high school graduation in 2016, she enrolled at Babcock University, and there, she got a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science. Due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Uloaku Onyekwere had a virtual convocation ceremony on August 20th, 2020. She is currently doing a compulsory one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program.
Judging by KOK’s photo uploads on Instagram, he shares a strong bond with his only daughter, whom he sometimes refers to as “Uloakum.” During her birthday celebration on April 8th, 2021, the veteran actor uploaded a picture of himself and Uloaku and asked his fans to show love to his daughter. Apparently, Kanayo is proud of his investment (as he often calls his kids his investments).
Clinton “Onyeze Mbaise” Onyekwere
Like his mother, there’s little to no information about Kanayo’s first son, Clinton Onyekwere. Born in 2002, he celebrates his birthday every 10th November. In the year 2020, on November 10th, the Professor Johnbull star took to his Instagram handle to celebrate his son, whom he gave the moniker “Onyeze Mbaise.” Clinton is 21 years old and probably, would be in the university.
Kosisochukwu Montell Onyekwere
Based on KOK’s social media posts, his son, Kosisochukwu Onyekwere, is a great football player and often scores in any football match he plays. Like his elder sister, Uloaku, he was born on April 8th, and his birth year is 2004. Kosiso, alongside his sister, was also celebrated by his father on their birthday on April 8th, 2021. Information about the school he’s attending is yet to be made available to the media.
Einstein “Sax” Onyekwere
The last child in Kanayo’s family is Einstein Onyekwere. He has a flair for playing the saxophone and thus, was nicknamed “Sax.” He was born on June 18th, 2008. With the support of his parents, Einstein has been honing his saxophone playing skills by attending intensive saxophone workshops. In the past years, the young lad had been spotted in some events, where he entertained the guests with his saxophone playing talent.
Are Any of KOK’s Children Actors?
Even though Kanayo O. Kanayo has left an indelible mark in the Nigerian film industry with his extraordinary talent, his children are yet to join him to leave a family legacy in Nollywood. His first child is a certified computer scientist, though the probability of her making an acting debut is not totally ruled out. With the rest of KOK’s children yet to choose a career path, it won’t be surprising to see one or two of his kids follow in his footsteps and excel more than him in the acting arena.