Five films that shaped Nigerian actor Francis Duru’s career
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Businessday
This article looks back at five notable films in Nigerian actor Francis Duru’s career, including Rattlesnake, released in 1995. It presents no new facts following the previously published announcement of his death at the age of 57.
Francis Duru established himself in Nollywood with the role of Ahanna in Rattlesnake, Amaka Igwe’s thriller released in 1995. The film tells the story of a young man’s descent into crime after a family tragedy and helped make the character one of the defining roles of the home-video era, according to Businessday.
His filmography also includes Blood Money, released in 1997, a thriller about the dangerous pursuit of wealth through occult means, as well as Home in Exile, released in 2010. The films illustrate different periods of Nigerian cinema, from productions during the rise of home video to more recent works, while Duru also acted in dramas and commercial comedies, according to Businessday.
The retrospective follows the announcement of Francis Duru’s death on 23 October 2026, at the age of 57. It comes after tributes to Nigerian actor Francis Duru and the announcement of his death at Abuja’s National Hospital.
