Meet Anwuli Amakom, also known as Anwulika Amakom Ekubo, who has been publicly identified as the wife of late Nollywood actor Alex Ekubo.
The 40-year-old actor died on May 11, 2026, after a battle with kidney cancer.
For weeks after his passing, fans and media outlets assumed Alex died single, based on his public persona as one of Nollywood’s most eligible bachelors.
That changed on June 10, 2026, during his Service of Songs held at the Monarch Event Centre in Lekki, Lagos.
How the marriage was revealed
Pastor Ituah Ighodalo of Trinity House Church led the memorial service. During his tribute, he directly addressed Alex’s widow, saying, “his wife, Anwuli.”
The statement was the first official confirmation of the marriage and immediately shifted the narrative around Alex’s final years.
Video clips from the service went viral within hours. For many fans, it was the first time they saw Anwuli Amakom. She appeared composed and private, consistent with how the couple lived their marriage away from public attention.
Why the relationship was private
According to reports and statements from the Ekubo-Okwaraeke family, Alex and Anwuli married in a private ceremony in December 2024. The wedding was not announced on social media, nor did Alex post any photos with his wife during his lifetime.
Alex’s sister later addressed the secrecy in interviews following the funeral. She explained that the family is “very particular about the man their sister ended up with” and chose to keep the union away from public scrutiny until Alex was ready to share it himself.
The decision to keep the marriage private aligns with Alex’s own comments in past interviews which stemmed from Alex’s 2021 breakup with ex-fiancée Fancy Acholonu.
In interviews that year, Alex said the experience taught him to guard his personal life.
He told Pulse Nigeria he would keep future relationships private because “social media pressure ruined things for me” and that he preferred to date “away from the noise”.
On the #WithChude show, he added, “I won’t put my relationship in the public eye again. The pressure is too much.” He also told reporters at several events that “what’s private is sacred.”
That stance explains why the December 2024 wedding to Anwuli Amakom was held without public announcement and why even close industry colleagues were unaware he had remarried.
Who is Anwuli Amakom?
Anwuli Amakom is a Nigerian business executive of Igbo descent. She serves as Executive Director at NOG Oil and Gas Limited, a company that specializes in petroleum products, Liquefied Petroleum Gas, and energy transportation services.Her professional profile shows over a decade of experience in the oil and gas sector.
Unlike Alex, who lived in the public eye, Anwuli maintained a low digital footprint before June 2026. That privacy has continued since her husband’s death, with no personal social media posts about the loss.
Public reaction and context
The revelation surprised millions of fans who followed Alex’s career from In the Cupboard to Aja. Many had believed he remained single after his 2021 split from Fancy Acholonu. The news added a new layer to public mourning, as fans processed both his death and the fact that he had built a private life they never knew about.
Industry colleagues also expressed surprise. Several actors who attended the Service of Songs said they had no idea Alex was married.
The disclosure sparked conversations online about celebrity privacy, with many praising Alex for protecting his family from public attention.
Wake-keep and burial
Alex’s body was taken to his hometown in Arochukwu, Abia State, for final rites. The wake-keep was held on June 17, 2026, followed by burial on June 18, 2026, according to the family’s funeral program.
During the wake-keep, the Eze Aro of Arochukwu offered prayers for the family. In his remarks, the monarch hinted that Anwuli might be expecting Alex’s child. He prayed that the child would “achieve more than his father.”
The comment drew emotional reactions from mourners and increased public interest in Anwuli’s situation.
As of the burial date, the Ekubo-Okwaraeke family has not officially confirmed the pregnancy. They have asked for privacy as they grieve and make arrangements for Alex’s legacy.
A legacy of privacy
Alex Ekubo was known for his fitness, acting roles, and red-carpet presence.
In death, he is now also known for a different choice: keeping his most personal relationship out of the spotlight.
Anwuli Amakom’s emergence reframes the story of his final years. While fans saw an actor focused on career and fitness, Alex was also building a marriage and family life away from cameras.
The Ekubo-Okwaraeke family continues to receive condolences. For now, Anwuli remains the central figure in Alex’s private legacy, the wife he chose, the marriage he protected, and the secret he took to his grave.
