Akin lewis (Real name: Akintola Akin Lewis, Born on April 7, 1957, Age: 67 years old) is a Nigerian actor, director, and producer best known for his role in the 1980 sitcom, Why Worry.
Akin is notably one of the Nollywood veterans who are still very much active in the industry with over four decades-long career success. While he may not be listed among the richest actors in the industry, there is no doubt that the legend has earned handsome rewards for his effort in the growth of the Nigerian film industry. He is not just an entertainer but also a mentor to the younger generation. Here are facts about Akin Lewis that may interest you.
Summary of Akin Lewis’ Biography
- Full name: Akintola Akin Lewis
- Nickname: Akin
- Gender: Male
- Date of Birth: April 7, 1957
- Akin Lewis’s Age: 67 years old
- Ethnicity: Yoruba
- Nationality: Nigerian
- State of Origin: Oyo State
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
- Religion: Christianity
- Occupation: Actor, Producer, Director
- Marital Status: Married
- Akin Lewis’s Net Worth: $1 million
- Famous for: Why Worry, Tinsel
- Akin Lewis’s Instagram: @akinlewis_official
Otumba Akin Lewis is an Indigene of Oyo State in Southwestern Nigeria
Akin was born on April 7, 1957, in the ancient city of Ibadan in Oyo State, southwestern Nigeria. He was born to his parents who were civil servants. He also has brothers and sisters who are obviously not as popular as he is in the movie market but are doing quite well in their various fields.
Akin’s father was an engineer, working with the Nigerian Railway Corporation where he rose to the level of a Senior Civil Servant in the federal civil service. Not much is known about his mother but the actor describes her as a typical Nigerian housewife who obeyed and respected her husband.
As a child, Akin travelled a lot with his parents. His father’s job saw them travelling from one city in Nigeria to another. This exposed young Akin to learning different languages and cultures and meeting people. He spent much of his early years in the northern city of Zaria in Kaduna State, where he started his primary education but the 1966 Nigerian civil war led to their return to the west where he repeated primary six before starting his secondary education.
For his tertiary education, he moved to Ile Ife in Osun State where he gained admission to the University of Ife, which is now known as Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU). After completing his four-year course in Theatre Arts (Acting and Directing), he graduated with a first class. Following his interest in acting Akin was offered a scholarship to study drama at the Master’s level, at a university in Sophia, Bulgaria.
Akin Started Acting at the Age of 16
With so much interest in acting, Akin started exploring his acting skills quite early. Back in his secondary school years, he was a member of his school’s drama group where he played a lot of Shakespearean characters. After high school, his passion for acting led him into joining a drama group that was led by a renowned Nigerian writer and dramatist, Professor Bode Sowande in 1973.
Learning under the tutelage of the famous dramatist was indeed an eye opener for Young Akin who, though at his father’s disapproval, decided to take on acting as his full-time career. Putting all he has learnt under Sowande, Soyinka, and during his scholarship year in Sophia, Bulgaria, Young Akin was ready to make his mark in the Nigerian movie industry.
He eventually landed a role in a popular 1980s comedy Why Worry (The Adventures of S.K Adio the Barber). The popular sitcom which aired on NTA Ibadan had the veteran earning 24 kobo for the role. Despite not being paid that much for his role in the TV series, his top-notch acting skills earned him his very first award as best actor in 1982.
The success and popularity of “Why Worry (The Adventures of S.K Adio the Barber)” became the stepping stone Akin Lewis was keen on making it in his career, at least to make his father proud. He received more movie roles until he earned a spot in the hall of fame with his feature in Tade Ogidan’s 2005 movie Madam Dearest. He has featured in Tinsel, a Nigerian soap opera that began airing in August 2008 and Heroes and Zeroes, a 2010 Nigerian film written and directed by Niji Akanni.
In 2013, he acted alongside Joke Silva, Nedu of Wazobia FM, Paul Adams, Shaffi Akinrimisi, Michael Odiachi, and Inna Eriza in a staged play titled “Mad King of Ijudiya.” Now 51 years into his career as an actor, Akin has added to his long list of acting roles some work behind the scenes. He is in fact not just one of the best trained and experienced actors in Nollywood but also among the best you could get behind the scene.
One of the biggest movies he’s produced is titled Oko-Iyawo (The Groom). The movie which is a comedy flick premiered on May 8, 2022, and it featured the veteran himself.
Akin Lewis Filmography
Movies
- The Vacation
- Wild Wolf
- Mind Bending
- Were Alaso
- Inquest
- Dream on Monkey Mountains
- The Night Before
- Wedlock of the Gods
- Return from the Dead
- Love Is War
- King of Boys
- A Soldier’s Love,
- Moliere
- Apere
- Alantakun
- Palace
- Koko Close
- Why Worry (The Adventures of S.K Adio the Barber),
- Madam Dearest,
- Hotel Majestic,
- Heroes and Zeroes
- Silver Lining
- Your Excellency (2019)
- Love Is War (2019)
- Up North (2019)
- The New Patriots (2020)
- Soft Work 2020
- City Hustlers
- Midnight Thunder
TV Soaps
- The Benjamins
- Two Sides of a Coin
- Footprints
- Spider
- Borokini
Akin Lewis Awards and Nominations
For his great talent in the movie industry, winning laurels was inevitable. In September 2021, the Ibadan-born veteran receive a Fellow of Theatre Arts Award from the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners. Throughout his career, he has been nominated or won the following awards.
- Best Overall Student at the University of Ife – 1979
- A TV station honoured him with a Best Actor Award – 1982
- The Audio Visual Awards (TAVA) for Best Actor – 2010
- Award of Excellence by the Community Development Committee (CDC) – 2017
- City People Movie Award for Yoruba Movie Personality of the Year (Male) – 2018
Akin Lewis is Currently Married to His Third Wife
Akin Lewis may be quite a genius when it comes to acting and wanting that has to do with filmmaking. However, this cannot be said about his love life. Being in failed marriages, the actor also sees himself as one who is experienced in the field as well.
Though not willing to unveil detail about his first two wives, including who they are, and when and how they got married, the thespian has gone on to reveal the reasons behind the failure of his past two relationships. The actor said his first two wives left because they were greedy and selfish, and didn’t understand their roles as wives. Lewis stressed that he did his best to patch things up with his first wife because he didn’t want to stay single for too long. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out and he had no choice but to move on.
Meanwhile, in a recent post, the thespian revealed that he got hooked up for the third time to avoid being promiscuous. Akin is yet to reveal details about his third wife but he appears to be proud of his present relationship. He revealed that he met her in a friend’s office and after some months of dating, he knew he would marry her because she was committed to their relationship, unlike his previous women who took him for granted.
He is Blessed With Beautiful Children
Despite being in failed marriages, Otumba Akin Lewis has his home blessed with children but as one who prefers to keep matters of his private life away from the public eye, he has successfully kept every information about his children to himself.
While it is believed that some of his children are well-grown up, none of them seems to be in their father’s career line. However, we believe that they are doing great in their various fields.
Has Akin Lewis Retired from Acting?
Nollywood Veteran Akin Lewis is still very much active in the movie industry. The actor, currently among the oldest with 51 years of acting experience, seems not ready to lay down his crown yet. As one of the best bilingual actors in the industry, Akin has continued to appear in both English and Yoruba films.
Some of his latest movies include Criss-Cross, May 29, Asogba, “The Rise of Igbinogun”, and of course, his very-own movie Oko-Iyawo (The Groom).
Are Akin Lewis and Dejumo Lewis Related?
Akin Lewis and Dejumo Lewis are both famous Nigerian actors known for their long career in the Nigerian movie industry. However, deeper than being in the same career line, the two share family relation. Dejumo is said to be Akin’s cousin.
He was born in 1943 and is currently 81 years of age which means he is older than Akin with over ten years. While Akin may have attained much fame than his cousin in the Nigerian movie industry, Dejumo appears to be much older in the industry than he is, having been active since 1964.