Stephanie Okereke

Stephanie Okereke Linus (born as Stephanie Onyekachi Okereke; 2 October 1982) is a Nigerian actress, film director and model. She has received several awards and nominations for her work as an actress, including the 2003 Reel Award for Best Actress, the 2006 Afro Hollywood Award for Best Actress, and three nominations for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2005, 2009 and 2010. She was also the runner up for the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria beauty pageant of 2002. In 2011, she was honoured by the Nigerian government with a national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic, MFR. Stephanie is also a scriptwriter, a Producer and a Director.

Early life and education Stephanie Okereke was born in Ngor Okpala, Imo State. She is the sixth child of Mary and Chima Okereke's eight children. She completed her primary and secondary education in Delta State. She studied at the University of Calabar in Cross River State, where she graduated with a degree in English and Literary Studies.

Career While she was still a teenager in the year 1997, she starred in two Nollywood movies; Compromise 2 and Waterloo. During the 2002 Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria beauty pageant, Okereke reached 3rd place. in which she served as director, scriptwriter, producer and actress. The film received an Africa Movie Academy Award nomination for Best Screenplay in 2009.

In March 2017 she was appointed as a Regional Ambassador for the UNFPA, and she held this position until 2020.

In March 2021, as part of her campaign against gender-based violence on the female folk, the actress released two short movies (which she produced) titled The Student and Bad Police.

In 2024 she was awarded the Lennox K. Black International Prize for Excellence in Medicine by Thomas Jefferson University.

Personal life In April 2005, on her way to the Africa Movie Academy Awards held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Okereke was involved in a serious car accident that left her with burns all over and a broken leg.

In April 2012, Okereke married Linus Idahosa in Paris, France at a private wedding ceremony that was attended by members of her family and scores of Nollywood actresses and actors. Their first son Maxwell Enosata Linus was born in October 2015. They welcomed their second son in May 2022, seven years after their first son.

Okereke and her husband celebrated their 13th Anniversary on 19 April 2024.

Awards and nominations

Filmography