Justus Esiri Died Of Low Blood Sugar

The nation’s movie industry, otherwise called Nollywood, woke up on Wednesday (yesterday) to another sad day following the death of veteran actor Justus Esiri, who passed on in a Lagos hospital at the age of 71.

Justus, died of hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) a condition arising from treatment for diabetes, which the actor has been battling with for a long time. Justus’ death brings the number of Nollywood actors who have passed on in the past four days to three, a situation that has presently left panic in the industry.

In response, an emergency executive meeting of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, AGN, rose after a meeting yesterday in Surulere, Lagos, soliciting for prayers from Nigerians. The association had earlier declared three days of fasting in December following the deaths of actors, Pete Eneh and Enebeli Elubuwa, both of whom passed on within a short space of time.

Talking to National Mirror during a phone interview, the national secretary of the guild, Yakubu Abubakar said the industry needs all the prayers it can get from Nigerians and lovers of the movie industry. “Of course, we need prayers at this point, and would like Nigerians to pray for us. We just rose from a meeting where we discussed extensively the death of Justus Esiri, one of the greatest actors to have come out of this country. We have been informed by the family, but we will pay them a condolence visit tomorrow (today) as a guild. The death of Justus is really a sad one for all of us”.

In Abuja, the story is the same as AGN National Vice President (North Central zone), Ibi Andrew also called it a bad omen, urging his colleagues to seek the face of God. According to him, “This is a big blow to the industry, it is getting too bad and I am short of words. It is a bad omen; I am surprised at the sudden death of this great actor. It is time to seek the face of God and his divine intervention in the affairs of the industry”.

Meanwhile the death has continued to evoke eulogies from friends and fans of the late veteran actor, whose sterling performance in soap operas like Village Headmaster, Behind the Clouds and Things Fall Apart, put his art on an enviable pedestal.

President Goodluck Jonathan through his special adviser on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, said Esiri was an epitome of commitment, excellence and creativity, condoling with his fans and family. In the statement issued yesterday, the President said he joined other Nigerians in mourning Esiri, reiterating his belief that Nollywood actors have carved a positive image for the country in the international community, with Esiri, having contributed in no small measure to the creation and sustenance of that image.

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation, Afolabi Adesanya, described Esiri’s death as a ‘painful and irreplaceable one for the industry’. “The veteran and legendary actor was a great influence to all television and movie lovers, who carved an enviable niche for himself in the Nigerian motion picture industry as a character actor, skillful and always at his best on the screen. The good works of Justus Esiri will continue to resonate for a long time to come, as one of the nation’s finest actors dating back to the 80’s when he played the lead role in the now rested Village Headmaster”.

In a letter to Mrs. Omiete Esiri, the widow of the deceased, Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) described Esiri as “easily one of Nigeria’s most celebrated artistes”.

According to the Governor, his chain of performances in Nollywood has left a landmark in the industry.

Praying for the peaceful repose of the soul of Mr. Esiri, and for Almighty God to grant the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss, Governor Fashola enjoined the Family to be consoled by the rich legacy which the deceased artiste left behind in the Entertainment Industry as a whole.

The Governor of Delta State, Emmanuel Uduaghan, remembers how Justus Esiri brought honour and dignity to the acting profession in Nigeria, calling his loss a great one for Delta State and the country in general. A statement issued by the governor’s press secretary read: “He was not only one of the pioneer actors in the country, the late Justus Esiri brought uncommon touch and professionalism to his trade. He was renowned and honoured wherever he went. He was a legend. Esiri’s role in the epic, Village Headmaster has continued to serve as a reference point and an inspiration to scholars, actors and actresses, leaders and generations to come. The death is particularly a big blow to the state, the people of Abraka and the Urhobo nation in general”.

Actor Pete Edochie, who expressed shock at the news, prayed that God should give the family the fortitude to bear the great loss. “It came to me as a shock, and has left me with fond memories of the times I shared with him. He will be greatly missed by the industry and the nation in general”.

Often called one of the strong men of the African film industry, Esiri attended Urhobo College in the present day Delta State, before going to Maximillan University, Munich, Germany, to study engineering. He later studied performing arts at Ahrens School of Performing Arts, where he developed an interest in acting, which gradually metamorphosed into an acting career on stage in Germany. He would eventually work for Voice of Nigeria VON, German Service as a translator. He was performing on stage in Germany when a delegation from Nigeria invited him to perform in Nigeria in a government sponsored program, which ultimately prompted his relocation to Nigeria.

Until his death, he was married to Omiete Esiri, a fashion designer who bore him six children including, Sidney Onoriode Esiri, his last child who is a popular Nigerian rapper, that goes by the stage name, Dr Sid.

Esiri, who was decorated with notable awards like African Movie Academy Awards, AMAA, THEMA and NTA Honours Awards would be remembered for his passion about bringing technology training to Nigeria’s film industry, fuelled by one of his popular quotes: “We are at a stage where we should make technology part and parcel of what we produce. The real issue is that some of the problems we have are either technology- driven or human-based. We must have good people trained to handle the best of equipment that the white man churns out every year. We must get the right training institutes and not just the ones that want to make money”.