Francis Duru Dies: Man Who Was at Hospital With Actor Days before His Death Shares What He Told Him

• Elder Henry Shield visited the ailing Nollywood star twice after a direct call from Duru's wife about his condition
• Shield's emotional Facebook tribute, shared the day after Duru's passing, drew an outpouring of condolences online
• Francis Duru passed away on October 22, 2026, aged 57, following a brief illness that shocked Nigeria's film community

In the final days of veteran Nollywood actor Francis Duru's life, a close friend sat beside his hospital bed and urged him to hold on.

That friend, Elder Henry Shield, has now shared the details of those visits publicly, prompting an emotional response from thousands across social media.

Shield disclosed in a Facebook post on October 23, 2026, that he had visited Duru at the National Hospital on two separate occasions after the actor's wife reached out to him personally to share the gravity of the situation.

"Was at your bedside twice a few days ago at the National Hospital when your darling wife called me and told me what was going on," he wrote.

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"Encouraged you to stay strong and pull through for us. Apparently, God had other plans."

Addressing Duru as his "dear elder brother," Shield closed his tribute with a line in Igbo: "Ko di ngbe anyi ga afu ozo," which translates to "Till we meet again."

Francis Duru, a filmmaker and actor whose career spanned several decades in the Nigerian film industry, died on October 22, 2026.

He was 57 years old. His family announced his passing the following morning through a statement on his verified Instagram account. He had been battling a brief illness.

News of his death reverberated across Nigeria's entertainment world. President Bola Tinubu was among the prominent figures who mourned the loss, with colleagues from across the creative industry describing Duru's passing as a profound blow to Nigerian cinema.

Reactions to Shields's disclosure about Francis Duru

Shield's tribute quickly attracted responses from those who knew and admired both men.

Eli Dangana wrote:

"May God comfort you sir."

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Hannatu Yohanna added:

"May the LORD comfort you and the entire family. Rest in peace, legend 🙏🏽."

Samuel Emeka offered:

"My heartfelt condolences to the family."

Daniel Aniefiok wrote simply:

"Rest in peace legend."

Source: YEN.com.gh