Nollywood Actor Odira Nwobu Dies in South Africa After Reported Medical Complications

Popular Nollywood actor and comedian Joseph Oronnro, widely known as Odira Nwobu, has died while on vacation in South Africa. The news of his sudden passing on Sunday, November 24, 2025, has left fans and colleagues in shock, especially as the actor was active on social media just hours before his death.

According to early reports, Nwobu is believed to have died in his sleep after suffering complications linked to high blood pressure shortly after returning from a night out. What began as online speculation was later confirmed by his close friend, Comedian Koboko, who announced the tragic news in a Facebook post. Koboko revealed he had spoken to Nwobu via video call only two days earlier.

A clip shared on the Untouchable Comedy page also showed Nwobu interacting cheerfully with Untouchable during his time in South Africa, with the timestamp indicating it was posted just 17 hours before news of his demise surfaced.

A separate video shared by Awuzie Franklin on Facebook appears to show the actor lying motionless on a bed as a voice calls out to him, further fueling widespread grief across social media.

In June 2025, Nwobu survived a serious car accident in Nigeria. A viral video from the scene captured bystanders rescuing victims from a severely mangled vehicle, including the actor’s car, which was crushed beyond recognition.

Tributes continue to pour in from fans and colleagues as the Nollywood community mourns the loss of the beloved actor.