TRENDING: Meet Uzor Arukwe’s beautiful family (PHOTOS)

Nollywood actor Uzor Arukwe has recently found himself in the spotlight, thanks to his viral role in the romantic drama ‘Love in Every Word’ by actress Omoni Oboli.

In the film, he portrays Obiora, a wealthy and devoted Igbo man who has captivated audiences.

Though some criticised his portrayal for reinforcing negative Igbo men stereotypes, his chemistry with BamBam won fans over, sparking admiration and crushes. His strong presence and physique have only added to the buzz.

But while many have been swooning over Uzor’s role and talent in the ‘Love in Every Word’ movie that held the week down, a surprising revelation recently emerged: he is married.

On Saturday, viral throwback photos of the actor with his wife began circulating online, shocking many fans who had assumed he was single.

Some social media users expressed their disappointment, humorously lamenting the discovery with expressions like “Heartbreak news for y’all: Uzor Arukwe has been taken for years!”

Marriage, family

The actor, who gained more spotlight in his ‘Sugar Rush’ (2019) role, is married to Barbara Boyd-Arukwe. Although details of their wedding date are scarce online, the photo date stamp on their pages shows that the couple has been together for nearly 10 years.

His wife is the Head of Human Resources at a fitness and sports brand in Lagos, Nigeria. The couple have two daughters, who appear to be under ten, though they have chosen to keep their children’s identities private.

Although Ms Boyd-Arukwe is relatively private online, PREMIUM TIMES checks on the duo’s page show that Uzor and his wife have been together since 2016, with old photos of them and their children surfacing online.

Her social media presence revealed her Facebook bio: “God 1st, Blessed, Superwoman, Wife, Mother, Business Woman.” Her LinkedIn profile also lists her as the Chief Operating Officer at Sports World Nigeria, and she has a retail and human resource management background.

Private life

Ms Boyd-Arukwe, who is light-skinned and tall, has maintained a relatively low profile despite her husband’s rising fame.

Checks on her husband’s personal Facebook page show that he rarely posts about his wife and children. In a digital space where there are pressures to flaunt your family amid fame, Uzor has deliberately kept his family away from the public eye.

However, Uzor’s profile does list family members, including his wife, Barbara, as well as relatives like Ebuka Arukwe (brother), Alvan Chimere Okechukwu (cousin), and Chiedozie Ojinnaka (cousin).

In an interview with Chude Jideonwo, he explained this decision. “It was a deliberate act because I wanted to keep my family away from my work. I felt they wouldn’t be able to live normal lives if I brought them into the public eye, and I didn’t want that for them.”

Before Nollywood, the 41-year-old actor revealed he had worked at Etisalat Nigeria but was fired in 2012. After a year of unemployment, he turned to acting, earning as little as ₦2,000 per role.

Uzor’s breakthrough came in 2017 as Inspector Sam in ‘Sergeant Tutu’, but ‘Sugar Rush’ made him a Nollywood star. His filmography includes ‘Code Wilo’ (2019), ‘Smash’ (2020), ‘Size 12’ (2020), and ‘Yours Regardless’ (2021).

His versatility has earned him multiple award nominations, including at the AMVCA and BON Awards.