Origins & Early Life

Justus Esiri (20 November 1942 – 19 February 2013) was a Nigerian actor, widely regarded as one of the pioneers of Nollywood with a career spanning several decades from the 1960s. He gained prominence for his role in the Nigerian Television Authority television series The Village Headmaster and in the film adaptation of Chinua Achebe's book Things Fall Apart, where he played Obierika. He posthumously won the Best Actor award at the 9th Africa Movie Academy Awards for his role in Assassins Practice and was also honoured as the inaugural recipient of the Goodluck Jonathan Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2013 Nollywood Movies Awards. The Nigerian government conferred on him national honours, including Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) in recognition of his contributions to the Nigerian film industry.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He was the father of Mavin Records musician Dr Sid. Esiri was born in Oria-Abraka, in present-day Delta State, on 20 November 1942. He attended Urhobo College, Effurun, in the then Bendel State. He travelled to Germany for his higher education, attending LMU Munich (1964), Prof. Weners Institute of Engineering, West Berlin (1967) and the Ahrens School of...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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