Veteran Nollywood Actor, Lari Williams Is Dead

Veteran Nollywood actor, Lari Williams is dead.

He was 81-years-old.

A statement from his family on Monday said the actor died on Sunday in his home in Ikom, Cross River State.

During his lifetime, Mr Williams earned a prestigious national honour; Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2008.

The deceased was the inaugural president of the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria (AGN) and had a career that spanned over five decades.

He was educated at CMS Grammar School, Lagos. He is the first actor to ever perform on top of Zuma Rock in Abuja FCT, 1,200 feet high, where he performed his late friend, Maman Vatsa’s poem, ‘The bird that sings in the rain.’

Mr Williams studied journalism at the London School of Journalism.

He developed his interest in drama at Morley College, Mountview Theatre School (London) and then the University of Iowa in America.

While in England he set up a group named Calabash Artists.

He returned to Nigeria in 1977 for FESTAC ’77 and decided to remain in Nigeria with his family.

As well as acting in soaps like Village Headmaster, Ripples, Mirror in The Sun he also taught arts at the National Theatre.

Some of Williams’ published works include plays like Black Current, Storm Baby, Kolanut Junction and Heartlines.