Omeche Oko: Idoma girl rewriting the Nollywood script with grit and grace

Omeche Oko is not your average Nollywood star. Born in Benue State and raised in the conflict-ridden streets of Jos, Plateau State, she is boldly rewriting the narrative for actresses from Nigeria’s north.

In a motion picture industry that often overlooks talents from regions outside Lagos and the South, Omeche has risen through the rubble of explosions, gunfire and rejection to carve a name for herself on screen, without compromising her values.Born into a large family 11, Omeche’s childhood was far from ordinary.

“We usually woke up to the sound of gunshots. I even learnt to make local explosives,” she once recalled in an interview with Punch.

Growing up in a region plagued by religious and ethnic crises, her early memories are littered with scenes of bombings, panic in market squares, and the harrowing trauma of survival. Yet, amid the chaos, she discovered her escape: performance.

As a young girl, Omeche was the entertainer in the family estate, organizing mock shows and borrowing her mother’s wrappers for impromptu plays.

Her love for acting blossomed in secondary school at Baptist High School, Jos, where she defied her shy personality to audition before the entire school and earn a spot on the elite drama team.

She later earned a degree in Zoology from the University of Jos, but her heart was never in science.

It was during her time in university that the seed of professional acting was sown. A friend casually told her, “You know people get paid for this, right?” That revelation shocked her. “I had zero idea that acting could be a career,” she admitted. “I thought people on TV were just doing it for fun.”

After NYSC in Abuja, she packed her dreams and moved to Lagos, the city of auditions, rejections and relentless hope.

But Lagos wasn’t immediately kind. Omeche faced the harsh realities of the industry, countless rejections, pressure to compromise her values for roles, and financial instability. She briefly left acting to try her hand at business, but it didn’t go well. “I failed woefully in business,” she confessed with a laugh, “so I went back to auditioning, still unwilling to compromise.”

Her big break came when she was cast in My Siblings and I, a Funke Akindele TV series. One role led to another, and a make-up artist recommended her for a more prominent film. That film turned out to be Until You, on Uduak Isong TV, the project that catapulted her into the limelight. “I usually gained about 200 followers per month. But after Until You, I got 30,000 in a short time,” she said, still amazed.

Today, Omeche is one of the few Northern-born actresses redefining what it means to come from the north and still conquer Nollywood. Her success didn’t come through connections or shortcuts, but through raw talent, grit, and integrity.

She fondly credits women for lifting her career. “It was women that put me in the limelight, Funke Akindele, Uduak Isong, and even the female fans who rooted for me,” she said. “And I’ll never take that for granted.”

She describes herself as a “vibe” and her fans agree. From sharing screen moments with Bimbo Ademoye and Maurice Sam to appearing on Tinsel, Africa Magic’s longest-running drama series, Omeche is proving she belongs at the top.

As a proud Idoma daughter, she carries her roots boldly while becoming a symbol of possibility for young girls growing up in Nigeria’s north.

Filmography: 

Almsot 25

7 days in Love

Love in His Eyes

Chief for Hire

Counting on Love

Beyond the Limit

Ambitious Wife

The Safe House

Circle of Love

Worst Decision.. etc.