Alex Usifo Biography
Alex Usifo Omiagbo is one of Nollywood’s enduring veterans, a performer whose commanding presence and distinctive baritone voice helped shape Nigerian screen storytelling long before the industry earned its global name. For more than four decades, he has delivered memorable roles that range from complex villains to authoritative figures, earning respect across generations of viewers and colleagues alike.
Early Life and Background
Born on 16 April 1953 in Lagos, he hails from Edo State, with family roots in the Esan area. His father, Barnabas Omiagbo, worked with the Central Bank of Nigeria and rose to a managerial position, while his mother was Patricia Anobi Omiagbo. The family moved often because of the father’s postings. After early years in Lagos, they settled in Ibadan, where young Alex received his primary education. The Nigerian Civil War later took the family to Edo State, and he completed secondary school at St. John Bosco’s Grammar School in Ubiaja.
After secondary school, he began working early. He joined NTA Benin, then known as Midwest Television, and spent about five years there. He was part of the crew that covered FESTAC ’77. In 1978, he entered SS Peter and Paul Major Seminary in Bodija, Ibadan, intending to train for the Catholic priesthood. He left in 1981 after gaining admission to the University of Lagos for a diploma in mass communication. He later earned a degree in English with second class upper division from Ambrose Alli University, a master’s from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, and in 2016 a PhD in Information Resources Management from Babcock University. At Babcock he even served as president of the outgoing postgraduate students.
Before acting fully took hold, he auditioned at Radio Nigeria Lagos, Voice of Nigeria, and NTA Ilorin. He made the shortlists but was not selected, largely due to the quota system of the time. A period of unemployment followed. At the invitation of a friend, he attended a Deeper Life crusade and later spoke of receiving a clear sense that he should look inward. That moment helped redirect his path.
Career Journey
His acting career began in 1984 with a major role in the television film The Return of the Native, produced by Ray Yusuf for NTA Ilorin. He soon took lead parts in Natas and Two People on LTV 8 under Baba Babs Fashina. Between 1984 and 1987 he appeared regularly on NTA Victoria Island in the weekly series At Your Service and in productions such as Echoes of Life and Turning Wheel. He also performed on stage, including in Awero directed by Lari Williams and Ola Rotimi’s Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again, both staged at the National Theatre.
The breakthrough arrived in 1988. Zeb Ejiro cast him as the villain Talaab Abass in the NTA Network soap opera Ripples. At a time when soap operas were still rare on Nigerian television, the series drew large audiences. Viewers rushed home to watch. With his deep voice, intense gaze, and deliberate delivery, he turned Talaab Abass into a character people loved to hate. The role made him a household name well before the home video boom that defined Nollywood.
He continued working steadily through the rise of the video film era and into the present day. Over the years he has appeared in well over a hundred productions, often playing strong, authoritative, or antagonistic figures. He has also worked behind the camera as a producer and director, and earlier ran a modelling agency that later became Silver and Gold Productions. He remains a member of the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria, the Directors’ Guild of Nigeria, and the Association of Movie Producers.
Notable Works and Achievements
Among the titles that stand out are Silent Night (1996), End of the Wicked (1999), where he played Beelzebub, Desperadoes, My Love, Dangerous Sisters, Okoro the Prince, Enakhe (the long running series in which he portrayed Osasere ‘Epa’ Iwinosa), Love and Justice (2022), and The Black Book (2023), in which he appeared as General Isa alongside Richard Mofe-Damijo and Sam Dede. He has also featured in various Super Story and other television dramas.
Recognition has followed. He received the Best Actor award in the African Collaboration category at the RLG Ghana Movie Awards in 2012, Best Actor for Ripples at the Legends of Nollywood Awards, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Nollywood Christian Fellowship the same year. Other honours include awards from the Niger Delta Awards, Bells University, and the Nigerian Film Corporation.
Personal Life
In 1993 he married Princess Usifo. The couple has four children: Sarah, Isaac, David, and Osedebame. They marked their 30th wedding anniversary in 2023. Beyond the screen, he has maintained a strong interest in education and personal development, completing his doctoral studies well into his sixties while still active in the industry. He is known among colleagues for a quiet discipline and a commitment to continuous growth.
Closing Thought
What stays with many who have followed his work is the consistency. From the early days of limited television drama through the explosion of Nollywood and into the streaming era, Alex Usifo has remained a steady presence. His voice, his screen authority, and his willingness to keep learning offer a quiet example of how longevity is built in an industry that often moves quickly. For younger actors and for audiences who still remember the first time they saw Talaab Abass, that steadiness continues to matter.
Quick Facts
Real name: Alexander Usifo Omiagbo
Date of birth: 16 April 1953
State of origin: Edo State
Occupation: Actor, producer, director
Years active: 1984–present
