Zeb Ejiro… Honour for ‘Sheik’ of Nollywood

Veteran filmmaker Zeb Ejiro, who is popular as Movie Sheik, is to receive a long-time achievement award at the 2022 edition of Nollywood Film Festival Germany (NFFG) and the Nollywood Europe Golden Awards (NEGA) scheduled to take place at Frankfurt A/M, Germany between July 29 and 31.

President and founder of Ehizoya Golden Entertainment, organisers of the NFFG and NEGA Isaac Izoya who is popular as a Cultural Ambassador said the filmmaker, who is a recipient of the national honours award of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), is being honoured for his invaluable contributions to the growth and development of the motion picture industry in Nigeria.

“The Skeik’s (Uncle Zeb) antecedents and contributions as a writer, producer and motion picture director and his contribution towards the development of the motion picture industry in Nigeria is, to say the least legendary. Indeed, the story of the transition from television to home movie production in Nigeria cannot be complete without the mention of Zeb Ejiro. This is why we want to honour this founding father of Nollywood with the grand award of Life Time Achievement Award,” Izoya said adding that other awardees of this year’s NEGA include the filmmaker Lancelot Oduwa Imaseun, the actor Fredrick Leonard, and the actress Mary Uche.

A devotee of the motion picture business who has remained steadfast and has led a production outfit that has in the last couple of decades produced quite a number of well-received movies and soap operas, Zeb is one of the leading figures of the era of the best of television drama and movies in Nigeria. His production credits include Ripples, Goodbye Tomorrow, and Domitila, which turned out a box office hit and is ranked among the biggest selling home video production in Nollywood.

Giving details of the programme for the 2022 edition of NFFG and NEGA, Izoya disclosed that the festival will open on July 29 with the world premiere of Lancelot Oduwa Imaseun’s Gbege: The First Son Saga and will be followed by a screening of Heroes of Africa, directed by Ghanaian filmmaker Frank Fifi Gharkin.

Izoya disclosed that all film screenings, including Amen Imaseun’s Son of Mercy, scheduled for July 30, would take place at FilmForum Hochst Cinema, Frankfurt. He also informed us that the festival will close on July 30 with an award ceremony and live concert that will feature Aproko, Nollywood stars, Emperor Wada and Edo Sons of Legends.

“You know our motto is the show must go on. So, we are ready to present the mother of all shows. We are ready to roll and with the Nigeria Embassy in Germany, Ethiopian airlines, Bamah Nisi, Stadt Frankfurt Kulturamt and others throwing their weight on us, we have no option but to deliver a grand show, which incidentally marks 20 years that the Ehizoya Golden Entertainment has been organising several cultural integrations shows across the entire EU,” Izoya said.