Veteran actor, Justus Esiri, may have finally died on Monday, February 18, 2013 – as a result of complications arising from diabetes and stroke. But before then, there was one other issue that was silently eating up the 70-year-old father and grandfather. It was an uncompleted film project he had begun work on about seven years ago.
Centred on some of the nefarious activities going on in the Niger Delta, the militants first warned him against embarking on it. But before then, he had also been having a running battle with the director of the film, Ifeanyi Onyeabor.
Not only did he battle him till he died, trying to get the master tape, those that provided the funds with which the high-budget project was embarked upon were also on his neck. “It was in the midst of that, that the man suffered the first stroke about a year and a half ago.
He had even begun recovering little by little when the second one, which claimed his life, occurred”, explained one close family member.
The title of the film which Esiri didn’t eventually get to see its final copy is The Way We Are, and among the stars in it are Segun Arinze and Gbenga Richard. One of those who took part in it corroborated this. According to him: “Till the man died, he kept lamenting and lamenting about the misfortunes the film brought his way”.
Esiri, who we also gathered was diabetic, was part of the Nollywood Delegation that visited President Goodluck Jonathan after the death of his brother, Chief Meni Jonathan .He was also supposed to be at the thanksgiving service of the First Lady, Dame Patience Goodluck Jonathan, on Sunday, February 17, until death decided otherwise.
The gifted and gregarious actor will be eternally remembered for his role in Village Headmaster. Married to Omiete and blessed with six children (Ophlia, Ejiro, Justus Jnr., Sidney, Andrew and Tobor), among his movies that will continually be evergreen are Wasted Years, The Price, Six Demons and Forever.
May his soul rest in perfect peace.
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