By Treasure Anneth
The Nigerian film industry has been thrown into mourning following the death of Nollywood actor Chijioke “Cjay” Nwokafor.
Actress Nkechi Blessing confirmed the actor’s death in an emotional post on Instagram on Wednesday, sharing videos and memories of moments they spent together.
Although the cause of death was not disclosed, Blessing said she had cancelled the scheduled release of her movie, Egusi Ogbono, in honour of the late actor, who featured in the production.
The film had been scheduled for release at 5pm on Wednesday. However, Blessing said she withdrew it after receiving confirmation from a hospital that Nwokafor had died.
In her tribute, the actress revealed that she had spoken with Nwokafor around 8am on Wednesday, only to learn of his death a few hours later.
She described the news as difficult to accept, saying they still had plans together before his sudden death.
The news also shocked other members of the entertainment industry.
Actor Charles Born expressed disbelief, saying he had planned to visit Nwokafor at the hospital before news of his death emerged.
Another actor, Emeka Nwagbaraocha, took to X to mourn his colleague, describing him as a “sweet soul” and expressing disbelief that they were now speaking about him in the past tense.
Nwokafor began his acting career in 2021 and went on to appear in several Nollywood productions, including Larry Cold, Mum Overnight and A Day to My Wedding.
As of press time, details surrounding the actor’s death remained undisclosed, while his family and colleagues had yet to announce funeral arrangements.
The sudden death has continued to draw tributes from colleagues and others within Nigeria’s entertainment industry.
