Ngo Okafor


Ngoli Onyeka Okafor is an American-born Nigerian actor, former boxer and model who is the internet's most downloaded black male model.

Early life and education

Okafor was born in Framingham, Massachusetts while his father was completing his PhD at Harvard University. His family returned to Nigeria shortly before Okafor's second birthday. Okafor grew up in Enugu State. He suffered from respiratory illnesses, such as asthma and pneumonia, and read Charles Dickens to pass the time while convalescing at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital. After completing his secondary school education in Enugu, he proceeded to the University of Connecticut in 1994, where he studied Computer Science.

Career

Upon graduation, Okafor worked for the Connecticut Department of Transportation, and as a model and actor. He was featured on the covers of Fortune, Vogue, W, ESPN Magazine and The Source. In 2005, at the age of 31, Okafor began boxing at Kingsway Boxing. He won two back-to-back Golden Gloves Championships in 2008 and 2009. In 2010, Okafor founded Iconoclast Fitness, a training gym in the Flatiron District of Manhattan.

Filmography

Films

Phat Girlz as Gentleman in ClubJeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life as SebastianA Dog Named Gary as RobTrue Story as Ibrahim

TV series

One Life to Live as Coby CatesSix Degrees as GregKings as Prison GuardCollegeHumor Originals The Six as ChuckLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit as Trainer Wyatt