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Nollywood filmmaker, Chico Ejiro, dies on Christmas day

by Dec 25, 2020Uncategorized

 Chico Ejiro (born Chico Maziakpono in Isoko, Delta, Nigeria) was a Nigerian movie director, screenwriter, and producer. Little is known about Ejiro other than he originally studied agriculture, and he was drawn into video production because Nigerians would not buy blank video cassettes.

His enormous body of work was typical of the second generation that started in the 1990s when cheap video-production equipment became available in the country. He owned a production company called Grand Touch Pictures, which is based in Lagos.

Nicknamed Mr. Prolific, he directed over 80 movies within a 5-year period—each one shot in as little as three days. They feature story lines relevant to Nigerians The exact number of movies he has worked on as either director, producer, or both is unknown, but it ranges in the hundreds as of 2007.

He was profiled in an article in The New York Times, dated May 26, 2002 (“When There’s Too Much of a Not-Very-Good Thing” by Matt Steinglass), and in an article from the international version of Time Magazine dated May 26, 2002 (“Hollywood, Who Really Needs It?” by Stephan Faris).

He died in the early hours of today December 25, from a seizure. He only just concluded directing his new movie on Christmas Eve.

Ejiro was married to Joy Ejiro and they have four children. He has two brothers: Zeb Ejiro, the best-known of the new Nigerian cinema auteurs outside of the country, and Peter Red Ejiro, also a movie producer.

Ejiro was featured in the 2007 documentary Welcome to Nollywood, which followed him as he made Family Affair 1 and Family Affair 2.

Sad news for the Nollywood industry this Christmas. R.I.P Mr. Prolific.

His remains have been deposited at the morgue.

For many years, he held the record of the Nollywood director with the highest number of released movies. 

He is married to Joy Ejiro and they have four children.

May his soul rest in peace, Amen.

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