Nollywood actress, Destiny Etiko is definitely one of the most successful new school movie stars and she is popular for her dramatic, comedy and romantic roles in the Nigerian film industry. Etiko is unarguably one of the most stunning, talented and hard-working screen goddesses in Nigeria right now, but there is more to her than most movie lovers know. See Facts You Didn’t Know About Nollywood Diva, Destiny Etiko.
1. She Is Not Just An Actress:
Most people believe Destiny Etiko’s talents are restricted to acting alone, but that is simply not true. This beautiful celebrity is not just a bundle of talent in front of the cameras, she is a beast off it too. For those who do not know, the actress is also a scriptwriter, television personality, and producer.
Etiko hails from Udi, a small town in Enugu State in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria, and she is more than gifted in a lot of things, especially in her acting profession and precise interpretation of any movie role given to her. She is so talented that movie producers and directors haven’t stopped singing her praises anytime they get to work with her.
2. She Is A Product Of Hard Work And Patience:
Destiny Etiko is surely one of the most sought-after actresses in the Nigerian movie industry right now and we expect that trend to continue for a while. It is not a surprise to most Nollywood fans because she is an example of a woman who made her dreams come true thanks to patience, genuine talent and hard work.
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Etiko was born on August 12, 1989, and she has 3 brothers and a sister. Her father who played a huge role in her life was named John Anonde Etiko, but he passed away on 15 May 2020 and was buried on 22 May 2020. According to the screen goddess, things were not far from rosy for her family when they were growing up and she even lived in a building with a leaking roof alongside her siblings for many years.
Fast forward till now though, Destiny Etiko overcame all these challenges to make a name for herself and her family against all odds.
3. Her Mother Was Also An Actress:
If you are not aware, Destiny Etiko’s mother was also a movie star. She once said her mother actually sacrificed her career to focus on her husband and family. After Etiko made her mark in the industry and became rich and famous, she decided to buy her mother a house to reward her for the genuine motherly love and attention she showed her kids over the years.
Destiny gifted her mum the house on her birthday and even added a Toyota spider to make it an unforgettable day for her. However, unlike her mother who gave up her dream in favour of her family, Etiko has said she wants to finally settle down with a man who would understand her profession and adjust to the life that comes with it.
4. She Is Educated:
Destiny Etiko actually finished both her primary and secondary school education in the beautiful Enugu State. She got both her First School Leaving Certificate and West African Senior School Certificate in the state and she even engaged in school drama, stage play and performing arts while growing up in Enugu.
In 2011, the movie star registered with the Actors Guild of Nigeria to become a bonafide member of Nollywood, and a year later, she graduated from the university with a Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre Arts from Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, Anambra State.
After wrapping up her tertiary education, Destiny Etiko was enrolled into the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in 2014 and she completed her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in 2015.
5. She Worked Her Way Up:
After Destiny registered with the Actors Guild of Nigeria as a professional actress, she began to attend movie auditions and was eventually casted in a few movies. The actress started out with small roles but later grew into big characters that made her the superstar she is today.
According to her, however, it has not been a very easy experience because she once had to combine her acting career with her schooling, but her focus and drive made everything work out for her good in the end.
Destiny added that she has also been a victim of sexual harassment by male movie producers at some point in her Nollywood career, but even that could not derail her success and progress in the Nigerian film industry.
6. She Has Won Multiple Awards:
Just like any upcoming actress, Destiny Etiko fought really hard for stardom with constant dedication and hard work. She played the role of Ekemma alongside Pete Edochie, Patience Ozokwor, Uche Odoputa, Cynthia Okereke, Ernest Obi, Yul Edochie and Eve Esin in the Nollywood blockbuster movie “Idemili,” a tragic true-life story that was directed by Ernest Obi.
Her role in that star-studded movie gave her more fame than she expected and it contributed to her being the public figure she is today. The movie also earned her an award for Most Promising Actress in Nigeria at the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards and things have looked up since then.
7. She Has Featured In More Than 130 Nollywood Movies:
When it comes to the number of Nollywood movies Destiny Etiko has acted in, it is a lot. A few of them include Idemili, Airline Babes, Black Xmas, After Wawa, More Trouble, School Trouble, Enuma, Fear of a Woman (2016), 3 Days to Wed (2016), The Storm (2016) and Evil Seekers (2017).
Her more recent projects are The Return of Ezendiala (2019), Barren Kingdom (2019), Pains of the Orphan (2019), Clap of Royalty (2019, The Hidden Sin (2019), Family Yoke (2019), King’s Word (2019), Sound of Evil (2019), My Private Part (2019) as Stella, Power of Royalty (2019), Sunset of Love (2019), London Prince (2019), Woman of Power (2019), Living in Poverty (2020), Hour of Victory (2020), Wrong turn (2021) and Widows money (2022).
Destiny Etiko’s consistency has made her one of the most talented and highest-paid actresses in Nigeria, and she has vowed to keep giving her all for any movie project she is called to feature in.
8. She Acts Igbo Movies Too:
If you are not aware, Destiny is not just making waves with English movies, she is also having the right impact with Igbo movies as well. She has actually carved a niche for herself in the entertainment industry that she interprets her roles in Igbo movies superbly as well.
It is really the least we expect from an actress who has rubbed minds with Igbo Nollywood legends like Ernest Obi, Cynthia Okereke, Pete Edochie, Patience Ozokwor, Nkem Owoh, Chinwetalu Agu, Ngozi Ezeonu, John Okafor, Yul Edochie, Zubby Michael and Tonto Dikeh.
9. She Is Highly Recognized:
It is common knowledge that Destiny Etiko is gifted when it comes to completely own a character in a movie, and this has led to her recognition as one of the best and richest actresses Nollywood has produced in recent times.
Recognized awards like Most Promising Actress in Nigeria at the City People Entertainment Awards, Best New Actress at the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards, Best Actress in a Supporting Role at the Golden Icon Movie Academy Awards, Best Actress in Nigeria at the Best of Nollywood Awards, go a long way in backing up our point that she is a moving force in the Nigerian movie industry.
9. She Is Single:
Destiny Etiko is currently single and has never been married before. She has strived so hard to keep her relationship and personal life hidden from Nigerians and social media, and no one actually knows if she has a man.
Some unconfirmed reports have said that she is currently in a romantic relationship with Nollywood actor, Zubby Michael, but both parties are yet to confirm that they are dating, even if they are always spotted together at different clubs, events and social gatherings.
The rumours might not be completely untrue though since they are mostly seen sharing passionate kisses outside the camera, leaving fans suspicious from time to time.
10. She Loves Luxury:
Destiny Etiko is a luxury woman who has invested some of her wealth in very expensive houses in Enugu where she resides. On her 32nd birthday last year, she actually flaunted her newly acquired mansion which dazzled most of her fans.
Months later, Destiny flaunted photos of her second and third completed mansions, alongside car collections that include 4matic Benz, Toyota Venza, a 2021 customized Land Cruiser Prado Jeep and a Lexus Jeep worth that is worth more than 10 million naira.
11. She Is Worth Over $750,000:
Reports have said that Etiko is worth more than $750,000, making her one of the richest and most influential actresses in the country right now. On social media, she currently has over 4.1 million followers on both Instagram and Facebook, making her highly influential online as well.
This makes it less shocking that Etiko is also a social media influencer, a YouTuber, a movie producer, brand ambassador who models different kinds of clothes and pieces of jewellery from time to time.
Destiny is also highly endorsed by different brands and she works with several construction companies consistently.
12. She Believes In Giving Back:
Destiny Etiko is also known for visiting schools, widows and poverty-stricken individuals in different parts of the country to give back to the nation that made her. It is indeed in her nature to show love to the helpless and make the needy smile, and there is no doubt that her benevolent gestures have contributed to her rising fame.
