Nollywood actress, Tope Osoba dies at 40 after cancer battle

Tope Osoba, the Nollywood actress who had been battling breast cancer, has died at the age of 40.

Her colleague, Foluke Daramola, announced the news on Wednesday via her Instagram page.

In November 2024, Osoba had publicly appealed for financial assistance after undergoing her first breast cancer surgery. Daramola had earlier shared details of her condition, noting that while the actress had completed an initial procedure, she required a second surgery to remove remaining cancerous particles, estimated to cost about ₦12 million.

A video shared at the time showed Osoba during a hospital examination, with efforts also made to seek support from Bolaji Amusan, president of the Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN).

In an interview with BBC News Yoruba, Osoba recounted discovering a lump in her breast during a routine self-examination. She said the lump was initially dismissed by a doctor as a condition related to her childbearing stage.

However, she persisted with further tests, which later confirmed it was cancerous. Reflecting on the diagnosis, she described it as “one of the worst days of my life.”

More details are expected to emerge.