Osita Iheme

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==Early life==

==Early life==

===Birth and education===

Iheme was born on 20 February, 1982 in [[Abia State]] although a native of [[Mbaitoli]], [[Imo State]] to a family of five with parents, Herbert and Augustina Iheme. He had his MBA from the [[Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu]] (IMT). After his education, he began acting in 1998 where he acted initially in a featured role.

Iheme was born on 20 February, 1982 in [[Abia State]] although a native of [[Mbaitoli]], [[Imo State]] to a family of five with parents, Herbert and Augustina Iheme. He had his MBA from the [[Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu]] (IMT). After his education, he began acting in 1998 where he acted initially in a featured role.

== Career ==

==Career==

[[File:Aki and Paw Paw.jpg|thumb|right|[[Chinedu Ikedieze|Aki]] and Paw Paw]]

[[File:Aki and Paw Paw.jpg|thumb|right|Iheme and [[Chinedu Ikedieze]]]]

In his career, Osita Iheme was often [[Typecasting|typecast]] in the role of a child, a pattern that followed him well into adulthood. In 2002, he rose to fame when he starred together with [[Chinedu Ikedieze]] in the comedy film ''[[Aki na Ukwa]]'' in which he played the role of Pawpaw. In this role, Osita Iheme played a mischievous child.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Osita Iheme, Biography |url=https://mobile.ghanaweb.com/person/Osita-Iheme-4846 |access-date=2022-07-19 |website=mobile.ghanaweb.com}}</ref>

Iheme was often [[Typecasting|typecast]] in the role of a child in various films. He rose to prominence after starring as Pawpaw with [[Chinedu Ikedieze]] in ''[[Aki na Ukwa]]'' (2002). He became the ambassador of [[TAJBank]] in 2023.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://leadership.ng/tajbank-unveils-iheme-daso-as-brand-ambassadors-3-others-as-influencers/|title=TAJBank Unveils Iheme, Daso As Brand Ambassadors, 3 Others As Influencers|last=Adegwu|first=John|date=5 May 2023|accessdate=2 April 2024|website=Leadership News}}</ref>

He is the New Generation Ambassador for Rotary International District 9110 and the author of the book ''INSPIRED 101''. Osita Iheme has starred in over a hundred movies.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://thisisafrica.me/arts-and-culture/osita-iheme-meme-used-by-fenty-beauty-50-cent-a-win-for-nollywood/|title=Is Osita Iheme's meme used by Fenty Beauty and 50 Cent a win for Nollywood?|date=10 July 2019|website=This is africa|language=en-US|access-date=16 November 2019|archive-date=13 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201013145632/https://thisisafrica.me/arts-and-culture/osita-iheme-meme-used-by-fenty-beauty-50-cent-a-win-for-nollywood//|url-status=live}}</ref> Like his on-screen partner [[Chinedu Ikedieze]], Iheme has a small physique, making him different from other actors in the [[Nollywood|Nigerian movie industry]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Chinedu Ikedieze writes to Osita Iheme as he turns 38|url=https://oyogist.com/2020/02/chinedu-ikedieze-writes-to-osita-iheme-as-he-turns-38/|date=21 February 2020|website=OYO Gist|language=en-US|access-date=9 May 2020|archive-date=13 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201013143217/https://oyogist.com/2020/02/chinedu-ikedieze-writes-to-osita-iheme-as-he-turns-38//|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Read why actor and Chinedu Ikedieze are friendship goals!|url=https://www.pulse.ng/entertainment/celebrities/osita-iheme-read-why-actor-and-chinedu-ikedieze-are-friendship-goals/5phtk3f|date=3 October 2018|website=Pulse Nigeria|language=en-US|access-date=9 May 2020|archive-date=13 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201013145617/https://www.pulse.ng/entertainment/celebrities/osita-iheme-read-why-actor-and-chinedu-ikedieze-are-friendship-goals/5phtk3f/|url-status=live}}</ref>

He has evolved in his career from a comedic actor to a multifaceted established actor.<ref name="sun1">{{cite news|url=http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/showtime/2005/may/06/showtime-06-05-2005-001.htm|title=.DYNAMITES. That's what we are|last=Cornel-Best|first=Onyekaba|date=6 May 2005|newspaper=Daily Sun|access-date=5 September 2010|location=Lagos, Nigeria|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050510225149/http://sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/showtime/2005/may/06/showtime-06-05-2005-001.htm|archive-date=10 May 2005}}</ref>

==Legacy and influence==

Both Chinedu and Osita have been maintaining onscreen and offscreen chemistry which is widely praised by the Nollywood fraternity.

To reward his contribution towards comedy genre movies [[Cinema of Nigeria|Nigerian Film Industry]], in 2011 he was awarded the Nigerian National Honor of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) by President [[Goodluck Jonathan]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=In Pictures: Jonathan Decorates Dangote, Others at National Awards in Abuja|url=https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2011/11/15/in-pictures-jonathan-decorates-dangote-others-at-national-awards-in-abuja/|date=15 November 2011|website=PM News Nigeria|language=en-US|access-date=30 October 2020|archive-date=2 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102193019/https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2011/11/15/in-pictures-jonathan-decorates-dangote-others-at-national-awards-in-abuja/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2007, he was given the lifetime Achievement award by AMAA (African movie Academy Awards).

Osita Iheme's performance alongside fellow actor and his longtime friend [[Chinedu Ikedieze]] in the 2002 film ''[[Aki na Ukwa]]'' is still widely spoken about and the duo, especially Osita's character, on-screen trending through memes since 2019 on Twitter and other social media platforms.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2 July 2019|title=Why dis Osita Iheme meme dey burst pipo brain?|work=BBC News Pidgin|url=https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/tori-48840118|access-date=9 May 2020|archive-date=13 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201013145636/https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/tori-48840118/|url-status=live}}</ref> This eventually earned him a global fanbase.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Nigerian Film Stars Behind Some of Twitter's Greatest Memes|url=https://www.vulture.com/2019/08/osita-iheme-chinedu-ikedieze-twitter-memes.html|last=Adikwu|first=Marris|date=14 August 2019|website=Vulture|language=en-us|access-date=9 May 2020|archive-date=13 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201013145645/https://www.vulture.com/2019/08/osita-iheme-chinedu-ikedieze-twitter-memes.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Adikwu |first1=Marris |title=The Nigerian Film Stars Behind Some of Twitter's Greatest Memes |url=https://www.vulture.com/2019/08/osita-iheme-chinedu-ikedieze-twitter-memes.html |access-date=13 September 2019 |work=Vulture |date=14 August 2019 |quote=Don’t be fooled by Iheme and Ikedieze’s size — they’re both grown men (Iheme is 37 and Ikedieze is 41). |archive-date=13 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201013145645/https://www.vulture.com/2019/08/osita-iheme-chinedu-ikedieze-twitter-memes.html/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

He revealed in 2018, however, that he had desires and hopes to become a [[politician]] in the near future.<ref>{{Cite web|title=My political ambition is still alive — Osita Iheme|url=https://punchng.com/my-political-ambition-is-still-alive-osita-iheme/|access-date=2021-03-06|website=Punch Newspapers|date=4 March 2018 |language=en-US|archive-date=2019-06-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190615225107/https://punchng.com/my-political-ambition-is-still-alive-osita-iheme/|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Honor ==

==Filmography==

To reward his contribution towards comedy genre movies [[Cinema of Nigeria|Nigerian Film Industry]], in 2011 he was awarded the Nigerian National Honor of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) by President [[Goodluck Jonathan]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=In Pictures: Jonathan Decorates Dangote, Others at National Awards in Abuja|url=https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2011/11/15/in-pictures-jonathan-decorates-dangote-others-at-national-awards-in-abuja/|date=15 November 2011|website=PM News Nigeria|language=en-US|access-date=30 October 2020|archive-date=2 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102193019/https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2011/11/15/in-pictures-jonathan-decorates-dangote-others-at-national-awards-in-abuja/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2007, he was given the lifetime Achievement award by AMAA (African movie Academy Awards).<ref name="newswirengr.com">{{cite web | url=https://newswirengr.com/2022/06/08/osita-iheme-pawpaw-biography-wife-children-movies-awards-cars-and-more/ | title=Osita Iheme (Pawpaw): Biography, Wife, Children, Movies, and More | date=8 June 2022 }}</ref>

== Influence ==

Osita Iheme's performance alongside fellow actor and his longtime friend [[Chinedu Ikedieze]] in the 2002 film ''[[Aki na Ukwa]]'' is still widely spoken about and the duo, especially Osita's character, on-screen trending through memes since 2019 on Twitter and other social media platforms.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2 July 2019|title=Why dis Osita Iheme meme dey burst pipo brain?|work=BBC News Pidgin|url=https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/tori-48840118|access-date=9 May 2020|archive-date=13 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201013145636/https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/tori-48840118/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> This eventually earned him a global fanbase.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Nigerian Film Stars Behind Some of Twitter's Greatest Memes|url=https://www.vulture.com/2019/08/osita-iheme-chinedu-ikedieze-twitter-memes.html|last=Adikwu|first=Marris|date=14 August 2019|website=Vulture|language=en-us|access-date=9 May 2020|archive-date=13 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201013145645/https://www.vulture.com/2019/08/osita-iheme-chinedu-ikedieze-twitter-memes.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Adikwu |first1=Marris |title=The Nigerian Film Stars Behind Some of Twitter's Greatest Memes |url=https://www.vulture.com/2019/08/osita-iheme-chinedu-ikedieze-twitter-memes.html |access-date=13 September 2019 |work=Vulture |date=14 August 2019 |quote=Don’t be fooled by Iheme and Ikedieze’s size — they’re both grown men (Iheme is 37 and Ikedieze is 41). |archive-date=13 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201013145645/https://www.vulture.com/2019/08/osita-iheme-chinedu-ikedieze-twitter-memes.html/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Filmography ==

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==References==

==References==

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== External links ==

== External links ==