Okon Lagos (Real Name: Ime Bishop Umoh, Born on: August 30, 1983; Age: 40 years old) is a Nigerian actor and comedian. He is best known for winning the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards for ‘Best Actor In Comedy’.
The phenomenal actor, Okon Lagos, has made an incredible impact in both the Nigerian film industry and on the international stage. The life of this 40-year-old actor has been a series of successes and incredible achievements rising from humble beginnings to becoming an award-winning actor whose body of work continues to inspire, encourage, and entertain his fans around the world. Here is a detailed look into the Nollywood star’s life and career.
Summary of Okon Lagos’s Biography
- Full Name: Ime Bishop Umoh
- Nickname: Okon Lagos
- Gender: Male
- Date of Birth: 30 August 1983
- Okon’s Age: 40 years old
- Ethnicity: Ibibio
- Nationality: Nigerian
- Zodiac Sign: Virgo
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
- Religion: Christianity
- Marital Status: Married
- Okon’s Wife: Idara Bishop
- Okon’s Children: 2
- Okon’s Net Worth: $450,000
- Famous for: Okon Lagos
- Okon’s Instagram: @okonlagos
- Twitter: @okoncomedy
Okon Lagos Originally Hails From Akwa Ibom, SouthSouth Nigeria
Ime Bishop is of Ibibio descent and hails from Nsit Ibom in the state of Akwa Ibom in the southern region of Nigeria. He was born into a humble family with nine siblings. Ime grew up in a small, close-knit community and was surrounded by large and loving family members. Unfortunately, further information about her family has not been revealed. However, the comedian revealed that his mother had passed away on the 18th of December 2021.
Okon attended both primary and secondary school in his hometown and graduated with excellent grades. While at school he exhibited funny characters and was also a member of his school’s drama group.
Okon Lagos has a Degree in Philosophy
Ime is one of the many actors who, after completing their education, decided to pursue a career in acting rather than the field in which they had majored in school. He attended the University of Uyo for his studies and majored in philosophy. After four years of intense study, Ime was given a Bachelor of Science degree in Philosophy.
Nevertheless, since he graduated from the university, he hasn’t had the opportunity to put his philosophy certificate to use in a formal capacity but there is no doubt that he utilizes the knowledge in his life and acting career.
How Okon Lagos Began his Career as an Entertainer
As a child, the works of legendary Nigerian actors like Pete Edochie, J.T. Tom West, and Olu Jacobs were a big source of inspiration for Ime Bishop Umoh. Ime was a bright, determined, and hardworking student and had an early start in his acting career. At a young age, he was already exhibiting the talent and energy that would one day make him a successful actor.
Ime started his career as an actor while he was still a youngster, and he has since acted in more than one hundred films. Uyai, a film directed by Emem Isong and released in 2008, introduced the actor to the public. But it was his portrayal of the funny character Okon in films like Okon Lagos and Okon Goes to School that propelled him to the status of a well-known comedy actor in the public eye. However, his role in Udeme Mmi earned his first award for Best Actor in the Supporting Role category.
The humorous actor has been in a variety of films, including Silent Scandals, Ayamma, Bursting Out, Jump and Pass, and The Boss is Mine. At one time, Ime cited Mr. Bean, Nkem Owoh, and Mr. Ibu as his inspirations.
!n 2019, Okon also featured in a blockbuster movie Jasmine, alongside a breed of other sensational Nollywood casts such as Nancy Isime, Deyemi Okanlawon, Stan Nze, Bernadette Obi, Becky Odungide, Uduak Akpabio, and Fon Peter. Apparently, the movie serves as an eye-opener to those things that ordinarily are overlooked in social interactions but are of the essence to a “mutually beneficial relationship”. The movie, among other things, further brought Okon to the limelight.
Okon Lagos Movies
Ime has starred in a host of blockbuster Nollywood movies, some of which are:
- Uyai
- Edikan
- Silent Scandals
- The Head Office
- Vulcanizer
- Okon Lagos
- Udeme Mmi
- Okon Goes to School
- Sak Sio
- Jump and Pass
- The Place
- The Champion
- Okon the Driver
- Okon on the Run
- Okon and Jennifer
- Udo Facebook
- The Boss is Mine
- Lost in London
- She is
- Unroyal
Okon Lagos Awards
For his immense contribution to the entertainment industry, Okon Lagos has won a number of notable awards. Among them include:
- Nigerian Teen Choice Award for Choice Comic Actor,
- City People Movie Award for Comic Actor of the Year (English)
- Best of Nollywood Awards for Best Actor in Supporting Role and Best Comedy of the year
- Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards for Best Actor In Comedy
Okon’s Political Appointments and Endorsements
In the year 2016, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, appointed Okon Lagos as his Special Assistant on Ethical and Social Reorientation in his administration. The comedic actor acknowledged the appointment on his Instagram page, where he also extended his gratitude to the governor of Akwa Ibom for considering him suitable for the position.
“Yeah, that is true… I have been appointed to the position of Special Assistant to the Governor of Akwa Ibom State on Ethical and Social Reorientation. Please accept our thanks, Governor Udom Emmanuel. Lord, thank you more than anything else!” He said. He is also a brand ambassador for top company brands like Globacom Nigeria.
The Comic has Faced Backlash for his Views on Sexual Assault
Anybody who is in the public eye runs the risk of falling into controversy and Okon Lagos is a good example. Back in 2019, he was attempting to give his view on a complicated rape case that included some police officers and sex workers in Abuja, but he ended up being caught in the middle of the issue instead.
Ime stunned everyone when he released a video on his Instagram page in which he seemed to have sympathy for the police officers who were accused of raping several women in Abuja. In the video, Ime could be heard expressing his support for the police officers.
The comic actor tried to make a distinction between a woman who is raped and suffers a loss of dignity and a woman who is engaged in prostitution and is victimized by a sexual predator. He basically saw nothing wrong in the latter but this declaration was met with backlash from a significant number of Nigerians, many of whom criticized him for his remarks.
Has Okon Lagos Retired from Acting?
The last time Ime was seen in a major movie was back in 2020, which led to his fans asking about the whereabouts of their favorite actor. Although the actor is yet to speak on the reasons behind his scarcity on the TV screens, we are able to find out that the actor is still very much active both as a comedian and as an actor.
Currently, he is often seen as one of the characters in the famous TV comedy series My Flatmate. The situational comedy produced by fellow comedian Basketmouth, has Okon playing the role of Ubong.
Ime is Married and Blessed with Two Beautiful Kids
Okon Lagos’ wife is Idara Umoh. Okon Lagos first met Idara back in 2012, a year before they would eventually get married. They met at a wedding in early 2012, where Idara was on bridesmaid duty and Ime was a wedding guest. Idara caught Ime’s eyes the very moment she got into the wedding arena. Although she was in a relationship at the time, it didn’t cause the actor to back out.
Ime was determined to have her, and his efforts were crowned when Idara came out of her previous relationship. Being a catch himself, he asked her out, and she accepted. The couple dated for ten months before walking down the aisle together in 2013.
Ime and Idara are happily married and have shown no signs of having issues in their marriage. The couple is blessed with two beautiful daughters. Their first fruit, Juanita Imeabasi Umoh, was born in 2014. Their second child and current baby of the house, Zoe Umoh, was born in November 2017.