The Nigerian film industry has lost veteran actor Diewait Ikpechukwu, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 71 following a prolonged illness, according to QED.NG.
His demise was formally acknowledged on Friday by the National President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Alhaji Abubakar Sanusi Yakubu, who paid tribute to the late screen star on Instagram. However, the announcement quickly triggered an emotional reaction from the actor's family.
His daughter, Chiamaka Yusuf, widely known as Chiamax, asked the guild to immediately take down the tribute. In a video posted on her Instagram page, she questioned the timing of the industry's love and maintained that she should be the one to inform the public about her father's death.
Holding back tears, Chiamaka expressed her grief while wearing her late father's shirt, pleading with industry figures and the public to stop calling her or sharing condolence posters. She insisted that the guild had no right to handle an announcement that belonged to his direct family.
Ikpechukwu built a film career that spanned more than 25 years. Nigerian movie lovers will remember his performances in notable productions such as Royal Palace, The Guilty, Across the River, Python King, The August Meeting, and the 2022 release Ìjé Love. In addition to acting, he ran a communications outfit and dedicated time to mentoring aspiring talents.
Before turning to Nollywood, the multi-talented creative lived an active sporting and corporate life. He played football as a right winger for clubs such as Blue Diamonds of Nsukka and Kaduna Rocks, and earned an invitation to the Green Eagles camp in the 1970s. He later turned down the national team call-up to focus on his studies as advised by his father.
Beyond sports, he worked with telecommunications provider NITEL, managed business offices at Nike, and handled television productions alongside radio sports commentary. Burial plans for the late movie star have not yet been announced.
