The Nigerian movie industry is mourning the loss of legendary actor Emmanuel France who passed away at the age of 84.
The sad news was confirmed by filmmaker Olufemi Ogedengbe, who paid tribute to the late actor on his Instagram page.
Ogedengbe described France as a legend and reminisced about their collaboration on three film projects in Tanzania back in 2006.
The movies they worked on together included Cross My Sin, She is My Sister and The Director.
Born in Kano State, France joined the Nigerian movie industry in the 1980s and gained popularity for his portrayal of Witch Doctor roles in Nollywood films.
He was also known for his catchphrase ‘Tufancha,’ which became iconic in the classic Nollywood film Suicide Mission.
France’s other movie credits include Oganigwe, Narrow Escape, Witches, Silent Night, Exile, and Silent Night. His contribution to the Nigerian film industry will always be remembered.
Although there was some confusion about his nationality, France clarified in a 2011 interview with Modern Ghana that he considered himself a ‘Gold Coastian,’ as his grandparents hailed from the Gold Coast (now Ghana).
He was born in Nigeria and held a Nigerian passport but had a deep connection to Ghana, where he began his professional career.
France started writing scripts while studying at the School of Journalism in Accra, Ghana.
He wrote his first script, a stage play called “Mission of John the Baptist,” in 1967 for the Catholic Church. He joined the Ghana Film Corporation in 1969 and went on to shoot his first film, “The Market Day,” that same year.
During his time in Ghana, France also produced a documentary on road safety titled “No Time to Die” and a film sponsored by the Ghana Fishing Industry that took him to Angola in 1974.
