Hollywood Actor Forest Whitaker Traces Ancestry to Igbo

<SUNBIGHT>~U.S~Nkwo~5th February,2022.

Forest Whitaker in his chieftaincy regalia

AMERICAN Actor, Forest Whitaker who has traced his ancestral roots to old Eastern Nigeria and received the traditional chieftaincy title of Nwannedinamba of Nkwerre (meaning “Brother in a Foreign Land”.

He said; “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 and Africa my root”.

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

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

He has also won the Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, British Academy Film Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.■

[Courtesy: UmunnaTV]