The late Onyeka Onwenu was not just a musical icon but also a celebrated actress.
She featured in at least five major movies that defined her acting skills.
Here are five movies that defined her career:
1. God Calling (2018) – In this religious drama, Onwenu stars as Mama Francis, a wife and mother struggling with family dynamics and resentment towards her son’s decision to marry into a wealthy family.
2. Widow’s Cot (2005) – Onwenu won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her powerful performance in this family drama, which addresses the cultural practice of leaving widows destitute after their husband’s death.
3. Obara’m (2022) – Onwenu plays Nwakaego in this thrilling musical film, which tells a story of love, life, and death, as an up-and-coming musician confronts her true self and past mistakes after her estranged father’s death.
4. Lion Heart (2018) – Onwenu plays Abigail Obiagu, the mother of the lead character, in this film that confronts sexism and family dynamics, as a young woman navigates her path to success in a male-dominated industry.
5. Half of a Yellow Sun (2013) – Onwenu plays Mama, Odenigbo’s disapproving mother, in this historical war film set in colonial Nigeria, exploring themes of love, family, and political chaos.