By Banji Ayoola
Nigeria’s most prolific movie producer and director, having an excellent record of 85 movies in his career spanning thirty years, Chico Ejiro, has passed on.
He died about 2 am early this morning just as the world was awakening to Christmas, marking the memorable day Jesus Christ, the Son of God was born in a stable in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago.
The movie wizard, according to Channels Television, reportedly died of a seizure shortly after he was said to have concluded directing his new movie on Christmas Eve.
His remains have been reportedly been deposited at the morgue.
Born Chico Maziakpono in Isoko, Delta State, Ejiro is a movie director, screenwriter, and producer.
Prior to his death, he held the record of the Nollywood director with the highest number of released movies. He says he has produced and directed over 85 movies in his career in the span of three decades.
Ejiro who studied Agriculture in school was drawn into video production because Nigerians would not buy blank video cassettes.
The filmmaker is the younger brother of veteran filmmaker, Zeb Ejiro. He is married to Joy Ejiro and they have four children.
Also, The Guardian reported a source saying that Ejiro was ill about five weeks ago and taken to a hospital in Surulere where he was placed on admission. But he was discharged after a week
“From what he said, he had high blood pressure that led to some heart complications and disease. He was recuperating and got better. He even started a production that he was shooting about four days ago but he was not fully involved,” the source added.
The source added that Ejiro was just the supervising director of the new film he was working on. “Although he kept saying that he had not gotten back to his full health; he was still very weak. We were shocked about his death because he was even talking to some of his friends till late last night. I learnt he died about 2am this morning,” the source said.
Zik Zulu, a colleague and close friend also confirmed the producer’s death to the Punch: “Yes, it is true, Chico Ejiro is dead.”
Also, the President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Emeka Rollas, confirmed the filmmaker’s death, the PUNCH reported.
“I just learnt of his death. The news of his death is so devastating. I do not know the cause of his death; I am still calling around to get the proper information and I am waiting for his association ― The Association of Movie Producers ― to make a statement,” Rollas said.
Ejiro is known to have produced many works some of the last of which include Night Bus to Lagos. He is a director and producer, known for Computer Girls (2003), Polygamy 2: The Final Clash (2002) and Ashanti (2003).
Former Senator, Ben Murray-Bruce, has mourned the death.
Ben Bruce, in a tweet on his handle on Friday, expressed sadness over the death of Ejiro, asking God to grant his soul peaceful rest.
“I mourn the death of Nollywood legend and filmmaker, Chico Ejiro.
“My condolences to his family, the Nollywood family and all the loved ones he left behind.
“May his soul rest in peace,” Ben Bruce tweeted.
Ejiro, the younger brother to another filmmaker, Zeb Ejiro, produced movies like Silent Night, Blood Money, Deadly Affair, among several other notable movies.
