Nollywood actresses Rachael Okonkwo and Eucharia Anunobi have joined the growing list of Nigerian actors who have taken up political appointments, with the two stars recently appointed to different roles in the Enugu State Government.
Their appointments, announced on September 21, 2026, came months after another Nollywood star, Mercy Johnson-Okojie, was appointed by the Edo State Government.
While Okonkwo and Anunobi are the latest actresses to take up government roles this year, other stars have also moved from entertainment into public service in recent years.
Here is a look at the latest appointments and some of the Nollywood stars who have taken similar paths.
Rachael Okonkwo takes on creative industry role in Enugu
Rachael Okonkwo, popularly known as Nkoli Nwa Nsukka, is the latest Nollywood star to take up a government appointment. On September 21, 2026, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah approved her appointment as Senior Special Assistant on Film and Creative Industry Development.
The appointment was part of a wider list of aides approved by the governor, with the appointments taking effect immediately. Okonkwo, who hails from Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State, is best known for her lead role in the Nkoli Nwa Nsukka film series. Her new portfolio places her directly in an area closely connected to her career in Nollywood, with responsibility for film and the wider creative industry.
Eucharia Anunobi gets women mobilisation role
Veteran actress Eucharia Anunobi was appointed alongside Okonkwo in the same Enugu announcement.
Anunobi was named Special Assistant on Women Mobilisation for the Enugu-North Zone. The actress became a familiar face in Nollywood in the 1990s and has appeared in more than 90 films during her career. She later became an evangelist, adding another chapter to her career outside acting.
Unlike Okonkwo’s role, Anunobi’s new appointment is focused on women mobilisation rather than the entertainment industry. The two appointments therefore give the actresses different responsibilities within the same state administration.
Mercy Johnson-Okojie returned to government in 2026
Months before Okonkwo and Anunobi’s appointments, Mercy Johnson-Okojie also returned to government service. On February 19, 2026, Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo appointed the actress Special Adviser on Public Engagement and Advocacy.
According to the governor’s office, the role was created to strengthen communication between the government and citizens and improve public engagement with government policies and programmes.
The appointment statement described Johnson-Okojie as an accomplished actress, producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist, adding that she would use her public influence and grassroots connection in the new role.
The 2026 appointment was not Johnson-Okojie’s first experience in government. In March 2017, she was appointed Senior Special Assistant on Entertainment, Arts and Culture by former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello. Her latest appointment therefore marked a return to government after several years in the entertainment industry.
Other Nollywood stars who have taken political appointments
Rachael Okonkwo, Eucharia Anunobi and Mercy Johnson are not the first Nollywood stars to move into government.
Over the years, several actors have taken up appointments at state and federal levels, with some receiving portfolios directly linked to entertainment and culture.
Eniola Badmus
In May 2024, actress Eniola Badmus confirmed her appointment as Special Assistant on Social Events and Public Hearing to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.
The appointment letter had surfaced earlier in May, but Badmus publicly confirmed the position on May 27. Expressing her gratitude to Abbas, she described the appointment as “a significant milestone” in her career and said it was an opportunity to contribute to their shared goals.
Laide Bakare
In February 2024, Yoruba actress and filmmaker Laide Bakare was appointed Senior Special Assistant to Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke on Entertainment, Art, Culture and Tourism.
Bakare announced the appointment on Instagram, thanking the governor for what she called the “trust and opportunity to serve.” She also described the appointment as the beginning of her political career, writing: “It’s actually a new dawn for me starting my political career from here.”
Anto Lecky
Former Big Brother Naija housemate and actress Anto Lecky also entered government service in 2025. Edo Governor Monday Okpebholo appointed her Senior Special Assistant on Tourism and Creative Economy, with the appointment taking effect from June 23, 2025.
Her role focused on tourism and the creative economy, areas that include the promotion of Edo’s cultural heritage and creative sectors. The appointment letter stated: “The Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has approved your appointment as Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Tourism and Creative Economy with effect from June 23, 2025.”
Sani Musa Danja
The move into public service has also extended to Kannywood.Actor Sani Musa Danja was appointed an adviser on Youth and Sports by the Kano State Government in 2024.
His appointment added another film personality to the list of entertainers who have taken up government responsibilities outside the traditional entertainment space.
Kenneth Okonkwo’s 2026 role is different
Another Nollywood actor who took on a prominent political role in 2026 is Kenneth Okonkwo, but his appointment falls into a different category.
In July 2026, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar appointed Okonkwo as spokesperson for his 2027 presidential campaign. The appointment letter, which Okonkwo shared publicly, said the role followed Atiku’s emergence as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Unlike Rachael Okonkwo, Eucharia Anunobi and Mercy Johnson-Okojie, however, Kenneth Okonkwo was not appointed to a government office. His position is connected to a political campaign.
From Nollywood to public service
The latest appointments of Rachael Okonkwo and Eucharia Anunobi bring the number of prominent Nollywood names taking on government roles in 2026 to three when Mercy Johnson-Okojie’s February appointment is included.
Their portfolios also show the different ways entertainers can become involved in public service. Okonkwo’s role is directly connected to film and creative industry development, while Anunobi’s focuses on women mobilisation. Johnson-Okojie’s appointment, meanwhile, centres on public engagement and advocacy.
For some of the earlier appointees, entertainment and culture have also remained central to their government portfolios, as seen in the roles held by Laide Bakare and Anto Lecky.
As Rachael Okonkwo and Eucharia Anunobi begin their new roles in Enugu, they become the latest Nollywood names to add government service to careers that began on movie sets.
