Ikechukwu Onunaku: Biography, Age, Wife, Brother, Movies, Songs

October 14, 2024 Off By Tim White

Ikechukwu Onunaku (born 13 October 1974) is a Nigerian actor, rapper, and singer. He is best known in the early 2000s for his album Son of the Soil.

Table of Contents

As an actor, Ikechukwu, professionally known as Killz, has appeared in film productions. He played Sola Akinyemi in the 2016 Nigerian romantic comedy-drama The Wedding Party.

Ikechukwu Onunaku
Ikechukwu Onunaku is well-known for the smash hit My Name is Ikechukwu.
Name:	Ikechukwu Onunaku
Born:	13 October 1974 (age 50 years old)
Place of birth:	Manassas, Virginia, United States
Nationality:	Nigerian
Education:	King’s College
Occupation:	Actor, rapper, singer
Years active:	2006-date
Genre:	Hip-Hop/Rap, Afrobeats
Spouse:	Ella (m. 2021-2024)
Relative:	Uzikwendu Onunaku (brother)

Early life

Ikechukwu Onunaku was born on 13 October 1974 to Nigerian parents in Manassas, Virginia. He grew up in Lagos State, Nigeria, and returned to the United States after completing secondary school.

Onunaku attended King’s College, a boys-only secondary school in Lagos State.

Career

After staying in the United States for over ten years, Ikechukwu returned to Nigeria to release his album Son of the Soil in 2006. His first album featured many tracks, including the hit My Name is Ikechukwu.

Following the success of his debut album, Son of the Soil, Ikechukwu dropped other projects, including Life and Times of Killz Volume 1. He featured record producer Don Jazzy, singer D’banj, and singer Wande Coal.

His single ‘My name is Ikechukwu’ became an anthem topping recognized music charts in Nigeria. The song climbed to Number 1 in the East for 21 weeks while maintaining the same position in Lagos and Abuja for six and five weeks, respectively.

Ikechukwu won best video in the 2008 MTV MAMAS and Channel O Best Male. He emerged as the winner of Channel O’s Best Male West Africa in 2009.

Ikechukwu did not slow down in releasing songs loved by music lovers in Nigeria. His third album, The Alliance Reconstructed, housed hit tracks such as Critical and Now is the Time.

By 2014, Ikechukwu had dropped three studio albums used under Storm Records.

Known for his Hip-Hop/Rap and Afrobeats music genre, Ikechukwu added to his music credit with singles like Bu Lie Oto, Balabala, B.A.D.A., and Carry Me.

Ikechukwu is no stranger to the big screen, making his debut in a short feature directed by Walter Taylaur, The Wages, in 2013.

Playing Rogers in The Wages revealed his acting talent to the world, and more opportunities came flying in. The same year, he landed another acting role as Mo in a Ndani production, Gidi Up.

With a role in Gidi Up, Ikechukwu established himself in the Nollywood industry. In 2015, he played Nino in the Nigerian caper comedy film Gbomo Gbomo Express, which starred legends such as Ramsey Nouah.

His acting profession continued to garner more success and more roles on his plate. He played Sola Akinyemi in the romantic comedy-drama The Wedding Party (2016) and The Wedding Party 2: Destination Dubai (2017).

The former Mohits Records rapper returned to doing music in 2019, releasing the single Nnukwu Azu. Another acting opportunity came knocking the same year, with him appearing in at least seven movie productions.

In 2019, Ikechukwu bagged roles in When Love Comes Calling, Powder Dry, The Relationship, By All Means, Òlòtūré, Men Money and Marriage, and Your Excellency.

After two years, Ikechukwu played Leo in TNC Africa’s 2021 production, The Little Black Book Season 2.

Personal Life

Ikechukwu Onunaku married his model wife, Ella in Lagos State, Nigeria. The duo held a star-studded wedding in May 2021. He announced that he was in a relationship in September 2020 and then announced his proposal in November 2020.

After three years of marriage, Ikechukwu confirmed their separation in February 2024. He debunked cheating allegations circulating, stating that their marriage ended due to irreconcilable differences.

In 2022, Ikechukwu called for justice following the death of his ex-wife’s cousin, Obinna Obiefuleh. The young boy, schooling in Imo State, was found dead, “beaten up and bruised” at the school’s boarding house.

Ikechukwu used to be engaged to model Sarah Ofili. He has a younger brother, Uzikwendu Onunaku, who is also an artist, a fitness coach, and the owner of a celebrity fitness center, Uzi’s Burnout.

Ikechukwu and his brother Uzikwendu were trending on social media with a video of them slapping each other in July 2018.

The rapper alleged that operatives of the Special Anti Robbery Squad attacked him at the Lekki Phase 1 area of Lagos State in 2019. They forced him out of the Uber he was in, bundled him into their Hilux van, and drove him to Lagos Island.