Obituary of Chico Ejiro: The Prolific Filmmaker Who Birthed A Nollywood Era

Nollywood has grown to become the second-largest film industry, in terms of the number of movies. The Nigerian Entertainment and Media industry – principally driven by the film and music industries- is expected to be worth $10.5 billion by 2023, according to PwC’s Entertainment & Media Outlook report released in October 2019.

Gainmore Zanamwe, the Senior Manager, Intra-African Trade Initiative, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) declared at the 47th Annual General Meeting of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria in 2019, that Nollywood, generates between $500 million and $1 billion yearly in revenue. That is how lucrative the film industry, decades in the making, has become. And Ejiro is one of those who built it.

Chico Ejiro was born Chico Maziakpono in Isoko, Delta State into a family of five. He got a diploma in Agriculture from Obafemi Awolowo University and finished his degree in Agriculture, at the Federal University of Agriculture, Umudike.

It was in 1987 when he decided to go into Nollywood. We can say filmmaking ran in his blood because his brothers: Peter Red Ejiro and Zeb Ejiro are also movie producers. Chico had begun training with his boss at the time, Opa Willams, when he met his wife, Joy, during a film show at the University of Lagos in 1994. Joy was a student at the Department English. Four years later, they got married and had four children – three boys and one girl in their 22-year marriage.

Chico Ejiro and his wife Joy, at their traditional wedding. Designer: Kume Akpubi

Chico Ejiro passed away on December 25, 2020, a shocking start to a day meant for celebration with family. He died of a seizure at home in the early hours of December 25. Joy, whom we could not reach, made a public send forth of her husband the next day. She was with Chico when he passed and expressed how much she would miss her best friend.

“This is a rude shock! We had a lot of plans for Christmas, we spoke a lot about how the day will go, we were recounting how God has been good to us this year and how grateful we are to be alive, I never knew it was going to be my last midnight gist with you. You died in my hands Chico, you left me so confused and devastated.

In all, I thank God for allowing me to spend the last 26yrs with you. You were a selfless man who was a wonderful husband and a great father. I’m consoled by the beautiful life you lived and the impact you made in the movie industry and all that crossed your path. You will forever be in our hearts. Till we meet again my Baby Boy, I will have plenty of gist for you my best friend.”

Chico Ejiro with his daughter, Ruke and his son, Kome. Designer: Kume Akpubi

His daughter, Ruke Ejiro, who is a chef and vlogger, also shared her final farewell on her Instagram to confirm her father’s death.

“I’ve been a daddy’s girl for 20 years. The only competition I had was my mum. He never told me no; maybe because I would always bribe him with food all the time 😂. Everyone knows my dad as a filmmaker. I knew him as a chef, a magician, a comedian, a farmer (every house we owned had a little farm at the back), a musician (his voice was quite terrible but I managed it as he would sing along to Classic FM blues) and a pilot (he took me to school every morning till I got to university and he’d always act like his car was a plane). His vibe was so contagious; he was a happy man.

I refuse to use those three words they say when people die because I couldn’t have imagined this. Before I could even have time to process it, the whole world already knew. I wish you could’ve at least seen me, graduate; it was just a few months away. But this life is unfair and with that, I have come to the final stage of grief – ACCEPTANCE. I love you, daddy, I’d always be a daddy’s girl.”

The story of Nollywood cannot be complete without Chico Ejiro who was dubbed ‘Mr Prolific’, a sobriquet created and made popular by Azuh Arinze, renowned journalist and founder of Yes! International Magazine.

He followed in the footsteps of his elder brother Zeb Ejiro, who was already a famous television producer. But the younger Ejiro was a goal getter, and his passion reflected in his movies and his interaction with others.

“For Chico, nothing was impossible, especially as far as movie-making was concerned”, Azuh Arinze told Netng, “Chico was a generous soul, kind-hearted, easygoing, industrious and never allowed any disagreement to linger unnecessarily. He was simply put, a man of peace and also a simple man by nature.”

The story of Nollywood cannot be complete without Chico Ejiro who
was dubbed ‘Mr Prolific’. Designer: Kume Akpubi

Chico Ejiro was famous for being a friend to everyone, it is said that no one in Nollywood hadn’t met, talked or laughed with the filmmaker. He was also known for the speed of his productions – he made movies in as little as three days. He owned a production company called Grand Touch Pictures in Surulere, Lagos. You could close work on a weekday and over the weekend, Chico would have made another blockbuster. Sounds impossible yeah?

In an interview with Guardian, Chico confessed to having lost count of the number of movies he has produced and directed.

“I cannot say precisely now that I have done this number, but I know I have worked on so many movies. But if you insist that I put a figure to it, then think I have done over 100 movies, and that is being careful so that I don’t overstate it.”

But that was what birthed the moniker which Azuh Arinze tells us he created for him.

“He was in a hurry as if he knew that he won’t be here for long, and as such, was able to direct dozens of movies before death beckoned. The history of Nollywood will never, never be complete without a chapter devoted to Mr Prolific, which by the way, I created for him.”

Though a speedster, Chico was also very detailed. It’s with this devotion that Chico made movies like ‘Score To Settle’, ‘Blood Money’, ‘Family Affair 1 & 2’, ‘When Dreams Fall Apart’, ‘Silent Night’, ‘Night Bus To Lagos’ and so many more which earned him accolades. Several of his movies bagged nominations and awards including Silent Night, Outkast, Odum, Evil Men and Treasures.

Chico Ejiro was famous for being a friend to everyone, there’s no one in Nollywood
he hadn’t met. Designer: Kume Akpubi

Through his movies, he brought to limelight several Nollywood stars including Segun Arinze, Sam Dede, Joke Silva, Zack Orji, Alex Osifo, Ejike Asiegbu, Ramsey Nouah, Victoria Inyama and many more. For his contributions to Nollywood, he received a Special Recognition Award at the City People Movie Awards. Filmmaker Opa Williams, who was a close friend and colleague, told us how woven into the fabric of Nollywood Chico was.

“When you look at actors today. Both old and new; I mean old Nollywood, new Nollywood. Chico Ejiro is there. He’s dynamic. Like a bridge. Call the latest movie stars today, Chico gave them their first shot. Call the old ones, Chico gave them their first shot, he sustained them. Call the marketers and people who are directing, he gave them their opportunities. Call the present producers, he gave them a helping hand. Even call the media guys, Chico gave them sustainability in their stories and their work.”

Fidelis Duker, a friend of 31 years, confirms Opa’s views.

“Rita Dominic came back to Nigeria between 1997 or 1998, from the UK where she had relocated to and Chico said ‘No, you can’t go back. You have to stay back in Nigeria, you have talent.’ And before you knew it, Rita was working with Chico back to back. Several jobs they had together. The same thing happened with Jim Iyke. He was the one who gave Jim Iyke his big break, even when other people thought Jim Iyke was not what they wanted as an actor. Do you get the point? Chico used Jim Iyke for all his films and all that.

So Chico made stars: Regina Askia, Liz Benson, Genevieve. He worked with everybody. There was no major actor of the 90s or the early 2000s that Chico did not work with. Ramsey Nouah. At a point, Ramsey was even living with him. At that time they were living together they were very close friends and all that, even using Chico’s camera phone, the one he was using then.”

L-R Filmmaker Chico Ejiro, Actor Ramsey Nouah and Filmmaker Zeb Ejiro.
Designer: Kume Akpubi

Before his death, Chico Ejiro worked on collaborative projects with other filmmakers to improve the business of filmmaking and the industry of Nollywood. In 2008, he alongside Fidelis Duker, Charles Novia and Fred Amata came together to form Project Nollywood and worked on several projects together. In a conversation with Fidelis Duker, he revealed that he and Chico began working towards creating sustainable housing for filmmakers and actors alike.

“Subsequently, looking at our colleagues now, several of us are growing old, why don’t we have real estate where we can even have something like what we have in Hollywood? Where you have a place that all actors and producers can live. So, we came up with an idea for a company called Nollywood Estate Limited, which we registered; me and Chico. That was the foresight we had. Unfortunately for him, we planned to work on that project this year, 2021, before Chico died last year.”

Chico means many things to many people. When Opa Willams described Chico as ‘an elephant who when you look at, you see seven different things’ this writer was initially confused. Now, after speaking to these men who worked with him and related with him over the decades of his life, it is clear how he is just that.

Even though Chico Ejiro is gone, the result of his labour of love; the stories he told through his movies and the talents he nurtured, will continue to resonate with us all. Though he may be gone, his presence is still larger than life and will never be forgotten.