Lota Chukwu is one of the young Nigerian actresses we have come to love in such a short time since she started her career. She has proven that there is more to her than a pretty face and a charming smile.
In 2014, she featured in the hit TV series ‘Jenifa’s Diary,’ playing the character ‘Kiki,’ a name many of us now call her by. Since then, Lota’s face is one we have become familiar with and even now ascribe to a young Nigerian woman doing well for herself.
While we know that there are many sides to this young lady who describes herself as ‘weird,’ here are 11 things you probably still don’t know about her
1. Lota Chukwu is the last of four kids
Lota was born on November 29, 1989, in Enugu. She is her parents’ last child, and she grew up with her three siblings in Benin City, Edo State.
2. Lota has a degree from the University of Benin
She has a degree in agricultural economics and extension services from this institution.
3. Lota named herself ‘Elixir.’
Although her full name is Ugwu Lotachukwu Jacinta Obianuju Amelia, Lota christened herself Elixir because she is a big fan of mythologies.
4. The greatest human influence in her life is her mom.
Lota says her mom is the greatest human influence in her life. According to her, “My mom is the greatest human influence in my life. And she’s nothing like Prof. Dora Akunyili or the like; she’s just her, and that’s all I want to be. She taught me consciously and unconsciously just about every way I live my life.
5. Lota refers to her 4 dogs as ‘her kids’ and her 2004 Toyota car named Andre as her boyfriend
Some time ago, there was a rumour that Lota had four kids, but that had been a result of a misunderstanding when the actress wrote that she was actually a single mom of four kids. She later clarified that the ‘kids’ were actually her dogs.
6. Before venturing into acting, Lota used to be a model
Lota Chukwu was a model and participated in the 2011 edition of Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, representing Yobe State. She started her acting career in 2011 in a movie titled Studio 113, while her first solo lead was in the movie Fine Girl in 2015, but she became popular after appearing on Jenifa’s Diary while playing the character Kiki.
Chukwu was featured as the lead character in Reminisce’s Ponmile video and Aramide’s Why So Serious video.
She has also starred in movies and TV series like Falling (2015), Fine Girl (2015), The Arbitration (2016), The Royal Hibiscus Hotel (2017), Ajoche (2018), Dognapped (2018), One Wish (2019), Unplugged, When Life Happens (2020), One Bad Turn (2022), and Kali (2024).
7. The quickest way to Lota’s heart is to respect her opinion
Apparently, the easiest means of warming your way to Lota’s heart is to respect her opinion. Lota claims that she doesn’t see the world from the general point of view, so you will need to respect that to be friends with this star.
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8. Lota is not scared of death
According to a post on her blog, Lota wrote, “I know what my future holds, and it doesn’t scare me. I won’t say I see my future, but I’ve always known how it would turn out. I guess that’s my gift. So I know I won’t live till old age. Maybe 35/40 tops, and I’ve accepted that. So love me while you can. But then again, maybe the world will end before y’all can get a chance to eat my funeral rice.”
9. Lota’s greatest fear is settling into marriage
She believes that getting married to your one true love is the only type of marriage worth getting into.
10. Lota loves to cook, and she has her own cooking show
In 2017, she announced the takeoff of her food show “Lota’s Takes,” a cooking and lifestyle show that shows Lota in her element as a food and nature lover. The show has featured several Nigerian celebrities, including Adekunle Gold, Tosin Ajibade, Aramide (musician), and MC Galaxy.
11. Over the years, Lota has been nominated for a couple of awards, proving that her work is being recognized.
In 2017, she was nominated for the City People Entertainment Awards “Best New Actress of the Year (English)” category.
In 2018, she won the ELOY Award for “Best Actress in a TV Series” for her role in the Africa Magic series AJoche.
12. She produced a documentary on mental health
Lota Chukwu released a documentary film on mental health titled “I’m Not Fine” in August 2022.
I’m Not Fine depicts the mental health struggles of adults in Nigeria, with six individuals telling their life stories and detailing their struggles with mental health, especially about issues like depression and attempted suicide.