American Famous Hollywood Actor, FOREST WHITAKER traces Ancestral Roots to Nigeria    … receives traditional chieftaincy title of Nwannedinamba of Nkwerre, meaning ‘A Brother in a Foreign Land’

*Had a DNA test which confirmed his mother had Akan ancestry, father was of Igbo descent, feels great whenever he plays Black role in movies as that reminds of his rich African heritage

*UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation vows to train Nollywood film producers, actors on how to create bloc-buster movies, studied Acting at the University of Southern California  

*Won Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, British Academy Film Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards

* “I am proud of my Nigerian Igboland lineage. I have Nigerian blood flowing in my veins. I am from Nkwerre community in Imo State, which is why I visit Nigeria three times every year. Nigeria is my home, Africa is my root”-WHITAKER 

*BY GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU/AMERICAN Senior Investigative Editor

HE’S a highly celebrated American actor, born in Texas but had a strong ancestral lineage to the Igbo people of Nkwerre community in Imo State, Nigeria. FOREST STEVEN WHITAKER feels elated whenever he plays a Black role in Hollywood movies as that gives him nostalgic feelings of his rich African roots through his paternal side. Having traced his ancestral heritage, he was given a chieftaincy title of ‘Nwannedinamba of Nkwerre’, meaning ‘A Brother in a Foreign Land’ and named a ‘chief’ in Imo State.   

Earlier, Whitaker had a DNA test which confirmed his mother had Akan ancestry, and father was of Igbo descent. He feels great whenever he plays Black role in movies as that reminds of his rich African heritage. 

Whitaker, an American actor, producer, director, and activist, is the recipient of such accolades as an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a British Academy Film Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Born on July 15, 1961, in Longview, Texas. He is the son of Laura Francis (née Smith), a special education teacher who put herself through college and earned two master’s degrees while raising her children, and Forest E. Whitaker Jr., an insurance salesman. 

When Whitaker was in elementary school, his family moved to Carson, California. This actor who has featured in over 100 movies vow to help Nigerian Nollywood producers in ensuring film created meet international standards. UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation vows to train Nollywood film  actors on how to create bloc-buster movies.

He reportedly said recently: “I am proud of my Nigerian Igboland lineage. I have Nigerian blood flowing in my veins. I am from Nkwerre community in Imo State, which is why I visit Nigeria three times every year. Nigeria is my home, Africa is my root”

Whitaker has two younger brothers, Kenn and Damon, and an older sister, Deborah. His first role as an actor was the lead in Dylan Thomas’s play Under Milk Wood. 

Whitaker attended Palisades Charter High School, where he played on the football team and sang in the choir, graduating in 1979. He entered California State Polytechnic University, Pomona on a football scholarship, but a back injury made him change his major to music (singing). He toured England with the Cal Poly Chamber Singers in 1980. While still at Cal Poly, he briefly changed his major to drama. He later transferred to the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California, USC, to study opera as a tenor and was subsequently accepted into the university’s Drama Conservatory. He graduated from USC with a BFA in acting in 1982. He was pursuing a degree in “The Core of Conflict: Studies in Peace and Reconciliation” at New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study in 2004. 

Whitaker later took a post-graduate course at Drama Studio London.

CERTAINLY, Good journalism costs a lot of money. Without doubt, only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government. We are ready to hold every corrupt government accountable to the citizens. To continually enjoy free access to the best investigative journalism in Nigeria, we are requesting of you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavor.

By contributing to NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all without fear or favor.

Your donation is voluntary — please decide how much and how often you want to give. For offline donation, email: letters@nigeriastandardnewspaper.com or call +2348037128048 (Nigeria) or +16825834890 (United States of America)

[pff-paystack id=