Tom Njemanze Was A Rare Gem For Nollywood – Chiwetalu Agu

Nollywood legend Chiwetalu Agu is mourning his colleague, Tom Njemanze, who died days ago after battling prostate cancer. He recently expressed how heartbroken he has been since the news, and fans have been reacting.

According to him, the Nigerian movie industry has definitely lost a rare gem since his demise, but the late actor’s legacy will keep living on through the stories he told on screen.

He then prayed for the deceased to find eternal rest in heaven, stressing that God will grant his family and loved ones the fortitude to bear their loss.

His words, “Rest in peace Tom Njemanze. I am deeply heartbroken by the passing of my friend and colleague in the industry. Tom Njemanze you were more than just a colleague, you were a source of inspiration to so many.

Nollywood has lost a rare gem, but your legacy will continue to live on in the stories you told, through the roles you brought to life and the memories we shared. May your soul find eternal rest and may God grant your families and loved ones the fortitude to bear their loss. Sleep well Tom, God loves you more.”

WOW.

Nollywood is a sobriquet that originally referred to the Nigerian film industry. The origin of the term dates back to the early 2000s, traced to an article in The New York Times. Due to the history of evolving meanings and contexts, there is no clear or agreed-upon definition for the term, which has made it a subject to several controversies.

The origin of the term “Nollywood” remains unclear; Jonathan Haynes traced the earliest usage of the word to a 2002 article by Matt Steinglass in the New York Times, where it was used to describe Nigerian cinema.

Charles Igwe noted that Norimitsu Onishi also used the name in a September 2002 article he wrote for the New York Times. The term continues to be used in the media to refer to the Nigerian film industry, with its definition later assumed to be a portmanteau of the words “Nigeria” and “Hollywood”, the American major film hub.

Film-making in Nigeria is divided largely along regional, and marginally ethnic and religious lines. Thus, there are distinct film industries – each seeking to portray the concern of the particular section and ethnicity it represents. However, there is the English-language film industry which is a melting pot for filmmaking and filmmakers from most of the regional industries.