Light dims on notable filmmaker, Chike Bryan

Pioneer Nollywood filmmaker, Chike Bryan Nnamani, is dead.

The writer, director and former president of the Screen Writers Guild of Nigeria (SWGN) passed on Friday, March 24 after he reportedly suffered a ‘mild stroke attack.’

A founding member of most guilds and associations in the Nollywood industry, Chike, who is married with children, was said to have been rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) soon as he had the attack, but he was confirmed ‘dead on arrival’ by the doctors there.

Although the writer and director of numerous credits had a successful kidney transplant in India in 2014, close family sources said he was in good health until last Friday’s incident.

A Theatre Arts graduate of the University of Calabar, tributes have continued to pour in for the filmmaker, whose last major industry assignment was as director general of the Oduwa Lancelot Imaseun campaign organisation during last year’s Directors’ Guild of Nigeria (DGN) general election held in Asaba, Delta State.

Former president of the Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Zik Zulu Okafor, described the late filmmaker as a solid activist, writer, director and administrator, who will be sorely missed.

Chike’s successor at the SWGN, Charles Inojie, described him as a creator and industry statesman, whose contributions, as a writer, director, producer and awards organiser, would remain evergreen.

In a five-paragraph tribute he issued on behalf of the Guild, Inojie said: “No doubt, a shinning light has dimmed unexpectedly. Indeed, a star has fallen from our skies.

“However, we are consoled that Chike lived a life of service to his industry and humanity at large.”

No date has been fixed for his burial, yet.