Tonto Dikeh, also known as Tonto Dike (born June 9, 1985) is a Nigerian actress from Rivers State

Rivers State

Rivers State is one of the 36 states of Nigeria. Its capital is Port Harcourt. It is bounded on the South by the Atlantic Ocean, to the North by Imo, Abia and Anambra States, to the East by Akwa Ibom State and to the West by Bayelsa and Delta states...

 and is of the Ikwerre tribe. Dikeh, from a family of seven, lost her mother at the age of three.

In 2005 she competed against other contestants on a reality TV show called The Next Movie Star; she was the first runner up. Dikeh's appearance on the show was as a means of getting closer to the "big time", she says, and her start in the Nigerian movie industry

Cinema of Nigeria

The cinema of Nigeria grew quickly in the 1990s and 2000s to become the second largest film industry in the world in terms of number of annual film productions, placing it ahead of the United States and behind the Indian film industry...

 came soon after. Nollywood, as it is colloquially known, is second only to the Indian film industry

Cinema of India

The cinema of India consists of films produced across India, which includes the cinematic culture of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. Indian films came to be followed throughout South Asia and...

 in number of movies produced each year.

Dikeh says that after her second movie Holy Cross, more movie directors and producers were willing to cast her, and she has appeared in scores of movies since. Sexual content in Dikeh's roles, particularly in 'Dirty Secret' has led to criticism by some Nigerians, represented in Nollywood by actor Charles Okafor.

Dikeh confirms she is in a relationship and is very happy. In January 2011 she took part in a charity fashion show in Lagos

Lagos

Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...

 with Banky W.

Banky W.

Olubankole Wellington , known under the stage name Banky W, is an American Nigerian R&B artist.-Early life and career beginnings:...

, Omotola Jalade Ekeinde

Omotola Jalade Ekeinde

Omotola Jalade Ekeinde is a Nollywood actress. She is married to Capt. Matthew Ekeinde and has 4 children. Apart from being one of the most successful Nollywood actresses, she is also a singer and is involved in extensive charity work in her home country of Nigeria.- Career :Her first role in a...

and others.

Selected Filmography

• Tea or Coffee (2006)
• Pounds and Dollars (2006)
• Missing Rib (2007)
• Final Hour (2007)
• Divine Grace (2007)
• 7 Graves (2007)

• Crisis in Paradise (2007)
• Insecurity (2007)
• Away Match (2007)
• Games Fools Play (2007)
• The Plain Truth (2008)
• Love my Way (2008)

• Before the Fall (2008)
• Total Love (2008)
• Strength to Strength (2008)
• Missing Child (2009)
• Native Son (2009)
• Dangerous Beauty (2009)
• My Fantasy (2010)

• Dirty Secret (2010)
• Last Mission
• Secret Mission
• Rush Hour
• Fatal Mistake
• Family Disgrace
• Miss Maradonna
• Mortal Desire

External links