Chijioke Nwokafor ("Cjay")

Chijioke Temidayo Nwokafor died on 30 September 2026. Actress Nkechi Blessing Sunday announced the death from a hospital in Badore, Lagos State, saying she was there when he was confirmed dead and that she had spoken with him at about 8 a.m. that morning. She cancelled the planned 5 p.m. release of Egusi Ogbono, in which he featured, writing that the day had never been meant to end that way. Actors Charles Born and Emeka Nwagbaraocha were among those who publicly expressed disbelief. The cause of death was not disclosed by his family or colleagues in the initial reports, and funeral arrangements had not been announced as of early October 2026.

Chijioke Temidayo Nwokafor was from Awka in Anambra State, Nigeria, and was based in Lagos as an adult. Public reporting after his death did not give a verified date of birth, names of parents, or a detailed account of his schooling. What is firmly established in Nigerian entertainment coverage is his Anambra origin and his decision to build a career in Lagos, the country's main centre for Nollywood production and distribution.

Nwokafor began professional acting in 2021 under the stage name Cjay (also seen as CJay Nwoks). He appeared in Nollywood films and online dramas including Larry Cold, Mum Overnight, A Day to My Wedding, The Lies She Tell and What Time Left. In September 2026 he was cast in Nkechi Blessing Sunday's Egusi Ogbono, scheduled for release on the day he died. Speaking with Trybe TV on 21 September 2026, he recalled that working on a set with filmmaker Ruth Kadiri had inspired him to treat acting as a profession after he watched how the actors conducted themselves. Industry databases also listed further credits across drama and romance titles in the mid-2020s, reflecting the high output typical of contemporary Nollywood.

Nwokafor kept much of his private life out of major news coverage. He was publicly identified with Awka, Anambra State, and with Lagos, where he lived and worked. Some entertainment profiles described him as an actor and model and mentioned a food business linked to his name. In the Trybe TV interview he discussed how strangers sometimes misread his personality. Detailed information about a spouse, children or other family members had not been confirmed by major outlets at the time of his death.

Nwokafor is remembered as part of the generation of Nollywood performers who built careers through steady screen work and digital distribution rather than a single breakout role. Colleagues described him as a sweet soul and a familiar presence on recent sets. The outpouring of tributes on the day he died, and the halted premiere of Egusi Ogbono, marked how quickly a working actor's absence is felt inside a tightly networked industry. His film list, though still being assembled in public sources, stands as a record of five years of professional commitment cut short in Lagos.