Eku Edewor was born in London at Portland Hospital, along with her twin sister Kessiana. Her mother, Juliana Edewor, is an interior designer, restaurateur, and art collector from Delta State, while her British father, Hugh Thorley, worked in the food and beverage supply and logistics industries. Eku's parents divorced when she was young, and both remarried. Her late stepfather, Peter Thomas, was a businessman and lawyer from Lagos. On her maternal side, she is the granddaughter of the late billionaire Chief James Edewor, a titled member of the Nigerian chieftaincy system. Eku was raised in both Nigeria and the United Kingdom. She lived in Lagos until the age of 13, attending St. Saviour's School and Grange School for her primary education. She then moved back to the United Kingdom, where she attended the Benenden School for Girls, a boarding school. Eku frequently traveled with her family, spending time in her ancestral village in Delta State during Christmases and summers in America, Europe, and other African countries. For her higher education, Eku attended Warwick University in Coventry, England, where she pursued a degree in English Literature and Theatre Studies. She graduated with honors in 2008. Additionally, in 2009, she completed a three-month course in acting for film at the New York Film Academy.