Popular comedian and actor, Okechukwu Anthony Onyegbule, widely known as Okey Bakassi, has been elected the traditional ruler of Umuihuocha Autonomous Community in Mbaise, Imo State.
The 55-year-old entertainer announced the development on Sunday via his official Instagram handle, where he shared photos of himself adorned in regal traditional attire.
In a heartfelt video shared on his Instastory, Okey Bakassi expressed gratitude to the people of Umuihuocha for bestowing on him the honour of leadership.
“See this beautiful and peaceful community where everyone is family. I remember when I was a kid here, we attended lessons at the Town School, we’ll go to church at Christ the King Catholic Church,” he recalled with nostalgia.
“Our community is developing, we now have a civic center and health center. You can stroll to Eke Umuihuocha and buy food stuff,” he added.
The new traditional ruler, visibly overwhelmed with joy, further thanked his people for the peaceful and united process through which he was chosen.
“My good people of Umuihuocha, thank you for coming together in peace and love to elect me Okechukwu Onyegbule as your leader,” he said.
“Please, my brothers and sisters let’s unite to build a better Umuihuocha. Welcome to the new Umuihuocha,” he declared.
In another post on Instagram, he captioned a picture with: “Next level service to community. Special thanks to the entire Umuihuocha Autonomous Community….a new beginning.”
Okey Bakassi, who hails from the same community, is widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s pioneering stand-up comedians.
His big break in the entertainment industry came in 1993 when he played the role of Nick in the television series Fortune, directed by Zeb Ejiro. He later featured in several films, including Final Decision (1996) and All for Winnie (1998).
In 1995, he started a career in stand-up comedy, featuring on the highly acclaimed show Nite of a Thousand Laughs, produced by Opa Williams and directed by Reginald Ebere, which launched him into national prominence.
His stellar performance in the 2013 film Onye Ozi, directed by Obi Emelonye, earned him the award for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Igbo) at the 2014 Best of Nollywood Awards.
He also starred in the comedy TV show My Flatmates and hosts It’s Okay with Okey on Lagos Talks 91.3 FM as well as The Other News on Channels Television.
