Maureen is Blossom Chukwujekwu’s flower girl

Until some bloggers later clarified, so many people, including fans of the notable Nollywood actor, Blossom Chukwujekwu, thought the pictures that were released on social media shortly after he tied the nuptial knot with his long-time beau, Maureen Ezissi, were behind-the-scene pictures from a wedding in a yet to be released movie.

But the pictures were real. They were ‘live’ from the all glam wedding ceremony between fashion designer, Maureen, and one of Nollywood’s picks for an actor who will play the male lead or supporting role, Blossom.

The wedding held last Saturday and it attracted notable Nollywood personalities, including Richard Mofe-Damijo, Desmond Elliot, Uti Nwachukwu (who was the best-man) and Linda Ihouma Ejiofor.

But the October 15 wedding ceremony was merely the grand finale of a marriage process that began late last year. The couple had been engaged at a discreet traditional marriage ceremony in December.

However, unlike last Saturday’s event, the traditional marriage only attracted a few friends and family. In fact, it was only when they shared the engagement pictures that it dawned on quite a lot of people that their Nollywood heartthrob had taken the decision to wed his beau, who owns and runs the fashion outfit- House of Ezissi.

Born in Benin City, the Edo State capital, Chukwudi Echezona Blossom is the first of two sons of Dr. I.E. and Evangelist J.C. Chukwujekwu.

Blossom, who hails from Otolo in Nnewi North Council of Anambra State, had his early education in Benin and studied Mass Communication at the Benson Idahosa University in Benin City, where her was president of the Association of Mass Communication Students (AMCOS) for the 2007/2008 session.

He explained that it was while in the university that “acting chose him.”

Blossom recalled playing the lead in a stage play, Godless: The Path to Dawn, as an active member of the university-based House of Theatre (HOT).

“I played Ukemu. It was the lead role and my performance was well received. In fact, I still consider my playing the role as my Eureka moment,” he enthused.

From Benin, Blossom ported to Lagos for the mandatory one-year national service. The interest to do some more acting grew while in Lagos and so he stayed back after the scheme to pursue his acting ambition.

His journey as a professional screen actor began in 1999. Like every newbie, he attended several auditions until he landed a role in television soap, Portraits of Passion.

That took very long before it came on air and so he had to keep walking the streets searching for the next big job that would announce his emergence on the turf.

Luckily for him, he was selected that year (1999) to star in a movie by Vivian Ejike, titled Private Storm, which starred Omotola Jalade Ekeinde and Ramsey Nouah in lead roles.

That worked magic for Blossom, who was later to be awarded the 2015 African Magic Viewers Choice crest for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the Royal Arts Academy movie, Knocking on Heavens Door.

No doubt, his effort in Private Storm announced his emergence and got a couple of producers routing for him as the actor that would play the lead or supporting role in their next offering.

It was indeed from there that Blossom’s career began to blossom and it was from there that the roles came tumbling in for the star of Flower Girl, Finding Mercy, The Visit, A Place Called Happy, Ghana Must Go, Forgetting June, Valour, Commandment 7, Cobra, The Green Eyed and the television series, Tinsel.

Aside Tinsel, Blossom has picked up roles in some critically acclaimed television dramas, series and soaps, like MTVBASE’s HIV themed Shuga, Greg Odutayo’s My Mum, I, About to Wed and Married and in the telenovella, Taste of Love.

A busy actor who credits the writer, producer and actor, Lucky Ejim and Victor Nkwonta, for sparking up his passion for acting, Blossom revealed that he didn’t quite get parental support when he told them of his decision to engage the acting turf.

“Fire and brimstone rained, but they finally came through and my family has since supported me throughout my journey.

“So, so far I would say that it is grace filled. It has been very progressive. Though it is not easy and had not been easy, but I consider myself privileged to be at this phase of my journey and I thank God for His grace and for leading me to where I am today in so short a time.

“It is getting bigger and better by the day,” he said.

Said to be friendly, humble and easy-going, Blossom, who named Mofe-Damijo, Elliot, Nouah and Rita Dominic as some of his screen role models, added that he is attracted to God-fearing, disciplined, focused, humble and hardworking people, saying with such people around, it would be difficult to miss the mark.

“Nothing like the Grace of God, nothing like believing in yourself and being hardworking.

“The other values that have helped would include being committed, consistent and humble. Of course, you must be disciplined if you want to go far,” he said.

Asked to name his most memorable movie out of the pack he has featured in, Blossom almost reeled out all the movies he has done.

He explained: “All my movies are memorable. I have none that I won’t look back and say, ‘hey, here was an effort.”

However, his fans are quick to point to his performance in Mitchell Bello’s Flower Girl as one of the most gripping performances he has had.

Indeed the movie achieved critical and commercial success in Nigeria, Ghana and the United Kingdom and it showed at some top rate international film festivals in Nigeria and around the world.

Blossom’s ambition is to remain the best in his chosen career, declaring tacitly that things would blossom even more now that he is married.

He said: “The word of God is clear on this. ‘He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favour from the Lord.’ I have found a wife, and an excellent one at that, so favour must follow me. No two ways about it.

“Marriage is a blessing. So, I will focus on my career and my wife, because my wife is more important than any other thing you can think of. She is my world.”