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Late Nollywood Director and Editor, Dimeji Ajibola
Popular Nollywood Director and Editor, Dimeji Ajibola is dead.
Ajibola reportedly died in the early hours of November 3 after battle with an undisclosed illness.
Actor and film producer Bolanle Ninalowo, Uzee Usman and ‘Shanty Town’ producer Chinenye Nworah announced and mourned the director’s sudden death on their social media pages.
The deceased was the director of a 2023 Nigerian crime thriller series, ‘Shanty Town,’ and also the brain behind ‘Hoodrush,’ a 2012 urban musical film that won multiple awards, including Best Movie at the 2012 Green Me Film Festival in Germany, among others.
He began his career as an animator and became a beloved figure in the industry, delivering solutions only accessible from international markets.
The late Ajibola was the creative force behind several award-winning TV ads, including iconic MTN Yello animated ads and Coca-Cola TV commercials.
He held a diverse educational background, having studied filmmaking and cinematography at the New York Film Academy in Universal Studios, advanced character animation at Animation Mentor in San Francisco, and visual effects at VFXLearning.
He was also celebrated as a creative force and a visionary in the entertainment industry, blending traditional and digital art forms in groundbreaking ways.
As the CEO and Technical Director of Flipsyde Studios Ltd., Ajibola built a reputation for excellence and innovation.
His work on his 2012 movie Hoodrush marked Nigeria’s first urban musical film, which showcased his talent for blending narrative storytelling with vibrant musical elements.
‘Hoodrush’ won multiple awards, including Best Movie at the 2012 Green Me Film Festival in Germany, Best Actor and Best Soundtrack at the Nollywood Movies Awards, and Best Supporting Actor at the AMAA Awards.
In 2013, ‘Hoodrush’ also won Best Supporting Act at the AMAA Awards. His film ‘Ovy’s Voice’, which he directed, became the highest-ranked movie on Iroko TV in 2017.
The late Ajibola continued to showcase his versatility by directing films like Passport, a 2022 Nollywood comedy; Ratnik, a 2020 Nigerian apocalyptic sci-fi dystopian action movie; and Slum King, a 2023 Nigerian crime series with ten episodes, among others. (Via The Nation)