Popular Nollywood film producer, Chris Ekejimbe passed on on Saturday, 20 October, 2018 at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) after battling acute malaria and typhoid fever for two months.
Sunday Vanguard has now reported that the producer died from an overdose of malaria pills administered to him at the hospital where he was previously receiving treatment.
According to Founding President of the Association of Nollywood Core Producers, ANCOP, and APC candidate for the Warri Federal Constituency seat in the forthcoming House of Representatives election, Comrade Alex Eyengho who broke the news to the media, “Chris became ill, while he was on location shooting his soap opera. He went to a hospital and was diagnosed with acute malaria and typhoid fever. He went in and out of hospital, yet his condition did not improve. I was one of the few persons who saw him before he died. What he told me was that the doctor mistakenly gave him an overdose of malaria drug and the drug damaged his red blood cell. He started emaciating. After he did all kinds of tests, it was discovered that his red blood cell was at a zero level. May be, because of the mistake of the doctor, he no longer had confidence in going to the hospital again. As a result, he was now receiving treatment at home. A pharmacist was coming to his house to treat him. This was going on for three to four weeks, until last Tuesday, when I visited him. I didn’t like his condition as I called his wife and manager, one Martins by the side and insisted that, he must be taken to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, for proper medication. I was able to convince Chris to go to the hospital again. But he didn’t, until last Tuesday. I guess by the time, he got to LUTH, it was probably late. And unfortunately, he gave up yesterday morning”.
Ekejimbe, a talented addition to Nigeria’s film industry was said to be shooting his yet-to-be-titled television series when he died. He had reportedly filmed 20 episodes and was to begin editing. He is being mourned by colleagues in the industry.
