Ejike Asiegbu returns to the turf

Popular Nollywood actor and one time President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Ejike Asiegbu, is back to the turf after spending nearly a month in Abia State. The busy actor was in Abia for the burial ceremony of his late father, Chief J. U. Asiegbu.

Chief J. U. Asiegbu who died on January 15, at the age of 100, was the oldest man in Umuihi Umuogba Ekeoba community in Abia State. All roads had led to Umuihi Umuogba Ekeoba community on Saturday, May 28, for the burial ceremony, which attracted notable personalities in the entertainment industry, as well as close friends of the actor of vast credits. There was also a whole crowd of former students of the Department of Theatre Arts of the University of Port Harcourt who came from far and near to join Asiegbu to perform the rite of passage for his father who is survived by wife, children, many children, and grandchildren.

Asiegbu who is also called ‘Presido’ or ‘Rabbi’ by close friends is a product of the Theatre Arts department of the University of Port Harcourt. The crabites, as products of the department are called, took over the burial ceremony. They held a special gyration led by actor Francis Duru and danced till sun down. Members of Umuihi Umuogba Ekeoba community still talk about how the crabites serenaded the entire community.

“They made me proud, I felt loved,” Asiegbu said, adding that the family was grateful to all those who made it to Abia for the burial.

“I just want to thank everyone who took out time to attend my father’s burial and equally thank those who could not attend, but remembered us in their prayers and sent us goodwill messages and support. We are grateful,’’ Asiegbu said after the thanksgiving service, which held on Sunday May 29.

With the burial ceremony over, the personal assistant to former Biafran leader Odumegwu Ojukwu during the 1994 National Constitutional Conference in Abuja, hinted that he is back on the turf and will be on call for an epic movie production in the new week.

“After the burial, I had to stay back for some family meeting. I am hitting location next week to begin work on an epic movie production after, which we hit more locations as the offer come,” the star of Blood Money and State of Emergency enthused.