Nollywood Losses Star, Great Thespian Zulu Adigwe

By Chuka Nnabuife

Death has struck the Nigerian film industry again as one of its prominent stars, Zulu Adigwe has died.

His death was disclosed on Tuesday. Cause of death of the very popular actor and one time drama teacher who died in his 70s was not announced.

One of the handful of star artistes in the globally renowned film industry (also known as Nollywood) whose popularity proceeded the rise-to-fame of Nollywood in 1992, Zulu also known as ‘Mr. B’, was a famous television act in the 1980s through the early 1990s.
He played the lead role, ‘Mr. B’ in the erstwhile weekly sit com of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), National Network, ‘Basi and Company’. As Mr. B in the episodic sitcom written by the late, Ken Saro Wiwa, the versatility of Zulu as multi-talented artiste as a character interpreter, wisecrack specialist, professional musician and singer came on fore weekly to the delight of Nigerians. His guttural baritone and flawless delivery in English and Pidgin languages further endeared him to fans. He was so good in his roles that many regarded it as obvious when it was discovered that he was the first undergrad to graduate with a first class grade in the Dramatic Arts Department of University of Ibadan in 1971.

Upon the emergence of Nollywood, the film makers went in good numbers for his services, mostly as an actor.
He was best known for his paternal roles in Nollywood movies.

Before his most recent work in which he featured in the 2019 sequel of the Nollywood progenitor film ‘Living in Bondage’ entitled : ‘Living in Bondage: Breaking Free’, he had played lead or major roles in hundreds of films. Among them ‘Isakaba’ ‘Oil Money’ and others.

He also featured in many stage plays and musicals.

Aside the plethora of artistic projects in his rich resume, a very remarkable highpoint in the aftermath of his death is how several artistes underscore his humility, patience and sense of humour even at the most intense stress of work.

Commenting on his death, a younger filmmaker and friend of his, Mike Nliam was rattled by the development.
His words: “An Icon passed today. A rare gem with a fantastic  sense of humour! Uncle Zulu Adigwe, the great thespian and Nollywood legend is gone to be with the Lord.

“He was one of those  born with a silver spoon… had his secondary school education in Germany and was the first Nigerians to receive first class honours degree at the Theatre Arts Dept of the University of Ibadan… he graduated in 1971 and till 1986, no one had a first class in that department!

“He told me that while he was in Germany, he met and worked with the great pop singer, Donna Sommer when she stayed briefly in Berlin.

“I watched Uncle Zulu on TV as Mr B on the hit (sitcom) Ken Saro Wiwa’s  Basi & Company, That was when I was in secondary school, in the 1980s.

“We became close around 2003 when I cast him as part of the cast of the movie  “Blood Diamonds” which was shot on location in Sierra Leone immediately after the country’s civil war. The film which also starred other great Nollywood & Sierra Leone star actors  was written by  Mucktarr Tejan Cole, financed and produced by Sam Kargbo and directed by Teco Benson.

“Uncle Zulu until his passing to glory starred in “a thousand and one” Nollywood movies and endeared himself to audiences across the world with his great baritone voice and his acting skills. He was also a music enthusiast which led him to collaborate with Abay Esho and my humble self  in a song he wrote, titled, ‘Ugo Buluum’.

“Unfortunately I’ve not seen Uncle Zulu for a couple of years now before his passing but I remember the times I worked with this simple, jovial, humble achiever with  great nostalgia. Uncle Zulu was not only a brilliant mind, he was also a jolly good fellow. May his soul rest in the bosom of the Lord.”

A founding filmmaker in Nollywood, Mr. Okey Ogunjiofor describes the death a very sad development. More so, given Zulu’s personality.

It is a “very sad news. He was one of the finest in Nollywood. May his soul rest in peace,” prayed Ogunjiofor, maker of the 1992 Nollywood pathfinder flick, ‘Living in Bondage’.

Upon his death, the journalist and film producer, Zik Zulu Okafor wrote an engaging tribute entitled ‘Peace My Brother and Friend, Zulu Adigwe’. In it, he tried to capture his personality and approach to life. Excerpt: “Zulu Adigwe was a great friend.  I invited him for his first movie in Nollywood.

It was for the production of ‘Blood of the Orphan,’ a script I wrote and produced in collaboration with Kenneth Nnebue , the Producer of ‘Living in Bondage,’ a movie that heralded Nollywood.
Inviting Zulu was inspired by his role as Joe Hill in the play, ‘The Man Who Never Died’ @ Universityof Ibadan Theatre, directed by Prof Joel Adedeji, then Head of Department of Theatre Arts. I was so emotionally moved by his awe inspiring performance,  that of  Sola Fosudo who played Tom Sharp and Nobert Young as Ed Rowan. From then on, Zulu remained a permanent feature in my creative memory bank.

“When we finally met on my set in Lagos, the first question he asked was how I remembered him and why I took the pain to search for him because getting him without GSM then was like a long walk through the Golgotha. I told him it was his role in the play I mentioned earlier.  He laughed with his contra-bass voice resonating. Then he became sober, thanked me and told me a bit of his own story. In my view,  his life was a solemn trust. Very simple.

Money, for him, was not an achievement but an outcome of achievement. He  negotiated his pay with ease.  And lived with a silent  code of courage and contentment.  He bore his challenges with uncommon, if not unusual, stoic. His joy was his  trade, his creative calling . On set, he was always,  always in fervent spirit.

He featured in three of my movies and I wanted him to play roles closer to his very noble personality but Nollywood had a different plan. They turned him into a village villain , always a wicked , diabolic fellow and he so excelled in this horrible character role that it became his brand.
For Zulu Adigwe,  life happens. Yes, but he treated  grave issues of life with a measured note of levity.

“So, death the ever undefeated conqueror  may have played its opaque role, yet Zulu conquered life. He was happy in his corner. He didn’t need much. And therefore couldn’t ask for more.
“Must have passed satisfied with his odyssey in this wilderness called life.
Peace, my brother.”

Former Director-General and chief executive officer of the Nigerian Film Corporation, Prof. Hyginus Ekwuazi who was his junior in the University of Ibadan art school during their undergraduate years recalled how Zulu was the man the young men and women in campus looked up to in trend matters and admired his good sense of fashion. Writing in Facebook, the professor of film studies mourned him as a special gem.

On his part, the popular singer (gyration highlife frontliner) and Nollywood filmmaker, Tony ‘One Week’ Muonagor expresses worry at the already high number of deaths in the India without a short period. He mourns Zulu thusly:
“Na waa. Okalikwaa. I don taya to de type rest in peace for my colleagues in the movie industry. Oga Zulu again? This is truly a season of sadness for Nollywood. My God grant those left behind the fortitude to bear these irreparable loses.

Zulu, a native of Ihiala community in Ihiala local council of Anambra State was born to a family of public servants. A major part of his early age was spent in the defunct Bendel State. He sojourned for a while in Europe but he lived most of his adult life in Enugu. Aside being a thespian, he was a teacher a business man.