A video of the late veteran actor Emmanuel France describing the wealth of Nigeria in the 1940s has emerged.

Nigerian-born actor in an interview on MyNigeria.com who passed on last week in the video said Nigeria was a multi-million dollar country with natural resources that could sustain it.

France has been a fan favorite since he began his acting career decades ago.

"Nigeria was a multi-million dollar country with products. Name them, groundnuts. Nigeria was the greatest producer of groundnuts later UAC brought the factory and later Nigeria became the greatest producer of groundnut oil."

"Nigeria was the greatest producer of palm oil, Nigeria was the greatest producer of beany seeds, Nigeria was the greatest producer of timber, Nigeria was the greatest producer of hide and skin so Nigeria was very rich. Then all of a sudden, Nigeria discovered oil," he said.

The news of his demise was announced by Nigerian filmmaker, Olufemi Ogedengbe via his Instagram page on Monday, September 16, 2024.

Recalling their time working together, Ogedengbe described the deceased as a legend.

“Rest in peace to one of Nollywood’s legends, Uncle Emmanuel France. One of the actors I took to Tanzania in 2006. We shot three movies together: She Is My Sister, The Director and Cross My Sin R.I.P,” he wrote.

The cause of his death remains unknown.

France, whose professional career started in Ghana featured in dozens of Nollywood films such as "Cross My Sin", "She Is My Sister", "The Director", "Narrow Escape", "Witches", "Silent Night", "Exile", and so on.