Malaria Drug Overdose Killed Legendary Nollywood Producer, Chris Ekejime

Sunday Ehigiator

The Nigerian movie industry was thrown into mourning last Sunday following the death of a veteran producer, Chris Ekejimbe.

Ekejimbe who passed on at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), was said to have been battling acute malaria and typhoid fever for more than two months.

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 confirmed the news of Ekejimbe’s death, said the film maker passed on about 9 am on Sunday at LUTH.

According to Eyengho, the deceased was rushed to LUTH on Tuesday, when his condition became critical after he was allegedly given an overdose of malaria drug at another hospital.

The drug was said to have damaged his red blood cell, causing the deceased to emaciate following which he patronised a pharmacist whom Eyengho said was coming to his house to treat him.

The ANCOP leader said, “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. Maybe, 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 so I called his wife and manager, one Martins and insisted that he must be taken to 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.”

Eyengho said the late prolific film maker who is the owner of 4Screams Production Company and founder of notable Nollywood social media group, Film4Life, had completed the shooting of more than 20 episodes of his new TV drama, which he was yet to title before he died.

Describing his death as a big blow to the industry he said the deceased was about editing the episodes before he became sick.