- Name: Tonto Charity Dikeh
- Occupation: Actress and Entrepreneurs
- Source of Wealth: Acting, business
- Nationality: Nigerian
Tonto Dikeh is a popular multi-award winning actress from Nigeria. She is a serial entrepreneur, singer, motivational speaker, and philanthropist.
The mother of one is the CEO of the Tonto Dikeh Foundation.
Background
Miss Tonto Charity Dikeh was born to the family of Mr. Sunny Dikeh and Mrs. Veronica Dikeh on the 9th of June 1985. Tonto is the third child of five kids.
She is often mistaken to be of Igbo origin, but Tonto is from Ikwerre descent, Obio akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria. Tonto was only three years old when she lost her mum, so she and her siblings were raised by her stepmother.
She grew up with her family in Port Harcourt and studied for a BSc in petrochemical engineering from the prestigious Rivers State University of Science and Technology.
Now divorced, the actress got married to media personality Oladunni Churchill in August of 2015. The couple has a son, King Andre Omodayo Churchill, and they got divorced in 2017.
Tonto Dikeh Career
Tonto Charity Dikeh’s appearance in the Nigerian entertainment industry was a shocker for everyone when she started in 2006 after she won the reality TV show – The Next Movie Star in 2005. Before that time, she worked as a car dealer in Port Harcourt.
At some point, it was rumored that she was the child of Nollywood actress Patience Ozokwor after Amaco Investments in a music video featuring her and Ozokwor.
Though she had a highly criticized musical career, It was after that video that Tonto released her debut music singles Hi and Itz Ova. Both songs were not exactly what we expected, but shortly after that, the Nigerian Kokomo master, a famous singer – D’Banj signed the actress to his record label – DB Records.
While we expected better songs from the actress, little or nothing was forthcoming, so She left DB records in March 2015 as she decided to try her hands on other business ventures.
All currently Endorsements Of Tonto Dikeh
- Zikel Cosmetics was the first makeup brand to sign an N100 million deal with King Tonto Dikeh (as she calls herself on Instagram) as an ambassador of their famous makeup brand in Africa on May 23rd, 2019.
- She is a well-known ambassador of Amstel Malt.
- Tonto is an ambassador to fragrance brand Sapphire Scents.
- She is a brand ambassador for the Sub Sahara Africa’s largest Chinese Restaurant – Silk Road Restaurant.
The Tonto Dikeh Foundation
King Tonto Dikeh established her NGO – The Tonto Dikeh Foundation two decades ago in the year 2000. According to the actress who hasn’t been posting much about the foundation lately.
She started the foundation as a result of her passion for enhancing the standard of living of the underprivileged and displaced children, women, girls, and youths in Africa, no matter their religious, political, and cultural background.
The foundation also works hard to continually put together sensitization programs and symposiums to discuss pressing issues related to women, rape, climate change, empowerment, and child right.
So far, the Tonto Dikeh foundation has assisted 6983 Nigerians with both scholarships and healthcare provision. Kudos to the mother of one for being a mother to that many people and going further to get involved with gender advocacy.
Popular Tonto Dikeh’s Quotes
Tonto was known to be highly spiritual and continuously speaking in tongues on her Instagram page, before the scandal involving the head of her Christian denomination. She also has a few famous quotes which have are fans are caught using once in a while.
Her quotes include:
“Nothing happens until the pain of remaining the same outweighs the pain of change.”
“Being happy never goes out of style.”
“Feed the body that works the money…”
“Nobody watches you harder than the one who can’t stand to see you succeed.”
“Happiness isn’t a state of mind. It’s the mind!!!”
Awards And Recognitions
- Nominated for BON Awards – 2012
- Future Awards Nominee for Actor of the year – 2012
- Afro Hollywood Awards nominated her for Best Actress (English language film) category – 2012
- Best Actress of the Year at ELOY Awards – 2013
- Best Actress Award by Peace Ambassador Awards – 2016
- Nominee at the City People Movie Award for Best Actress of the Year (English) – 2014
- Nominee for the South-South Progressive awards – 2016
- Nominated for the GAB Special Recognition Awards in The Arts category – 2016
- Nominated for Her Network Woman of the Year (HNWOTY) Awards – 2018
- Humanitarian ambassador of the year nominee at the Starz Awards – 2017
- Social Media honors the Tonto Dike Foundation with the Social Good Awards – 2019
- Award of Excellence for Female Activist of the Year by QOEN – 2019
- J-KRUE Awards nominated Tonto Dikeh Foundation for the Humanitarian Foundation of the Year – 2019
Tonto Dikeh’s
According to rumors, Tonto Dikeh is presently worth $1million.
Tonto Dikeh is one of the few Nigerian actresses who have found a way to develop a thick skin in the movie industry. She has been highly criticized because of her friendship with IDRIS Odunade, AKA Bobrisky, who is Nigeria’s most popular crossdresser and the actress’s best friend.
Shots were also fired at her for keeping silent during the scandal surrounding her church. She has not allowed critics to stop her from being herself and living her dreams.
As a serial entrepreneur, the actress has done well is setting the pace of others to follow as she effortlessly combined being a single mom to an adorable son, an entrepreneur, an actress, and a fashion Icon.
