Nollywood has been thrown into mourning following the death of actor Chijioke Nwokafor, popularly known as CJay Nwoks, at a hospital in Lagos.
CJay died on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at an undisclosed hospital in the Badore area of Lagos State. Actress Nkechi Blessing announced his death in an emotional video recorded at the hospital, where she said she had just lost the actor.
The actress had recently cast CJay as the lead actor in her upcoming movie, Egusi Ogbono, which was scheduled for release on the same day he died. Following news of his death, Blessing cancelled the planned release of the film.
In a tribute shared after his death, Blessing said she had spoken with CJay at about 8 a.m. on the day he died, before receiving the news of his passing a few hours later. She described the development as difficult to accept and recalled the plans they had made together.
The circumstances surrounding CJay’s death have not been publicly disclosed. His family and colleagues had not announced a cause of death in the reports available following his passing.
CJay’s death has attracted tributes from colleagues and fans, particularly because he was an emerging actor whose career was still developing. His passing also highlights the continuing losses experienced by Nigeria’s entertainment industry.
The Anambra-born actor, who was based in Lagos, began his professional acting career in 2021. He featured in several Nollywood productions, including Larry Cold, Mum Overnight, A Day to My Wedding, The Lies She Tell and What Time Left. He also worked with filmmaker Ruth Kadiri early in his career, an experience he said influenced his decision to pursue acting professionally.
CJay’s service of songs was held on October 7 in Lagos, where family members, friends and colleagues gathered to honour the late actor and celebrate his life.
