Another tragedy has just befallen Nollywood – one of those that made it what it is today, Chico Ejiro, is dead, YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine can confirm.
He reportedly died in the early hours of Christmas day (Friday, December 25, 2020). An unabashed workaholic, with dozens of popular movies like Silent Night, Blood Money and Night Bus To Lagos, to his credit, he succumbed to what is believed to be cardiac arrest hours ago. According to what we were told, he was ‘gisting’ outside with his wife and children, but retired after some time time to his room. Not long after, he let out a loud scream, which made his son, Kome to rush inside. He met his father holding his chest, called on the mother who also rushed in. And thus began the battle. Calls were also made to his friends and brother, Zeb who also joined the ‘rescue mission’. Eventually, he was moved to the General Hospital, on Broad Street, Lagos, where he was certified dead and his remains deposited in their morgue.
Nicknamed Mr. Prolific by Azuh Arinze, now Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine, he had been ill, a reliable source had informed us. But having recovered appreciably had returned to a movie set in Lagos. ‘It was there that he suffered a relapse. Unfortunately, while being rushed to the hospital, he breathed his last’, said a source.
In his mid 50s, Chico John Meziakpono Ejiro hailed from Isoko in Delta State. Born in Equatorial Guinea, he’s the immediate younger brother of one of the biggest players in the industry, Zeb Ejiro, who incidentally lured him into filmmaking. Their eldest brother, Peter Red Ejiro also moonlighted briefly with Nollywood, as the producer of Strange Woman, before returning to their hometown where he currently runs a film school.
Happily married to the love of his life, the ever industrious Joy Chico Ejiro, they are blessed with four children.
One of his closest friends and erstwhile business partner, Mike Nliam, when contacted, only exclaimed that ‘a good man is gone!’ And couldn’t say more.
But as would be expected, tributes have been pouring in for him, just like Nollywood, a sector where he once ruled and reigned, with his production outfit, Grand Touch Pictures, has been suffused in serious mourning.
More details coming…