By Tosin Ajirire
A screen goddess in every ramification, Mercy Johnson-Okojie stands tall among leading Nollywood personalities in Nigeria.
Born in Lagos on August 28, 1984, this screen goddess is of Kogi State origin. Being the 4th child in a family of seven, she began her primary education in Calabar, Cross River State; but finished at Navy Primary School, Lagos.
With her naval officer dad, Mercy headed to Port Harcourt, River State where she enrolled for her secondary education. Thereafter, she auditioned and got a role in The Maid, and then went ahead to act in other flicks like Hustlers, Baby Oku in America, and War in the Palace.
Mercy Johnson’s big break came in 2009 when she won an award for Best Supporting Actress at the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) for her role in Life to Remember, and Best Actress award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA) for her performance in the comedy movie, Dumebi the Dirty Girl. Prior to this, the thespian was listed as Google’s most searched Nigerian celebrity for two consecutive years, 2011 and 2012.
With The Legend of Inikpi, a 2020 epic drama film directed by Frank Rajah Arase, Mercy Johnson-Okojie made her debut as a producer. Aside starring in the movie, she has also featured in numerous others, including Passport released in September 2022 in which she played a lead role.
In recognition of the actor cum film producer’s contribution to the development of Nollywood, the Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, in 2017, appointed her as Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Entertainment, Arts and Culture.
Having acted in more than 100 movies, the ebony beauty and ambassador for many brands, continues to amaze her numerous fans with a proof that it is possible to balance career and family, being a family woman with children.