Nollywood actor Cjay dies as Nkechi Blessing shelves Egusi Ogbono

Nollywood actor Cjay, born Chijioke Temidayo Nwokafor, has died. Actress Nkechi Blessing Sunday broke the news in an Instagram video on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, and Premium Times reported his death at about 9:56pm WAT the same day.

The loss landed on what was meant to be a launch day. Cjay starred in Nkechi Blessing’s new movie, Egusi Ogbono, which First Daily News reported was due out at 5pm that Wednesday. She pulled it. “Cjay this was never the plan,” she wrote under the video, adding that she would no longer be releasing the movie.

No cause of death has been given, and his family had not issued a statement as of 10:30pm WAT. What follows is what has been confirmed, where each detail came from, and what is still unknown.

Who was Nollywood actor Cjay?

Cjay was a young Nollywood actor from Awka, Anambra State, who began acting in 2021 and worked out of Lagos, according to Premium Times and Yen.com.gh. Premium Times lists his credits as Larry Cold, Mum Overnight, A Day to My Wedding, The Lies She Tell and Egusi Ogbono. Yen.com.gh also names What Time Left. His age has not been confirmed by any tier-1 outlet, so GistMatrix is not stating it.

In the Premium Times report, Nkechi Blessing is quoted as saying she spoke to him at 8am on Wednesday and that he was gone a few hours later.

How did the news of Cjay’s death break?

Nkechi Blessing posted the video on her verified Instagram account, @nkechiblessingsunday, at about 4:30pm WAT on Wednesday, 30 September. Here is how the day and the weeks before it unfolded, from the sources below:

• Saturday, 12 September: Cjay posts on Instagram about living every minute as if it were the last, Premium Times reported.
• Wednesday, 23 September: his final post, “No pressure, lifestyle cost na you no know”, per Premium Times and Legit.ng.
• 8am, Wednesday, 30 September: Nkechi Blessing says she spoke to him (Premium Times).
• About 4:30pm: her Instagram video announces his death and shelves Egusi Ogbono, which was due at 5pm (First Daily News).
• 6:37pm: Legit.ng reports the announcement. Naija News and WithinNigeria follow.
• 9:56pm: Premium Times confirms the death in its Nollywood section.

When GistMatrix viewed the video at about 10:30pm WAT, it had about 43,000 likes and 2,800 comments, most of them condolences. A check of her YouTube channel, Nkechi Blessing TV, at about 10:30pm showed no listing for Egusi Ogbono; its latest upload was six months old. Where the movie was meant to stream has not been announced.

What is confirmed, and what is not?

Confirmed: his death, announced by Nkechi Blessing on 30 September and reported by Premium Times; his real name; his Anambra roots; and the cancelled release. Not confirmed: the cause of death, his age, and funeral plans. Several blogs have offered their own accounts of how he died. None has been confirmed by his family, management or a tier-1 outlet, so GistMatrix is not repeating them.

What happens next

A statement from Cjay’s family is the next thing to watch for, along with any funeral details. Nkechi Blessing has not said whether Egusi Ogbono will come out at a later date. She is also billed to face former BBNaija winner Phyna at Chaos in the Ring, a celebrity boxing night at the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos, on Thursday, 1 October, to be shown on DAZN and SuperSport, according to Vanguard. As of 10:30pm WAT on Wednesday, the organisers had not announced any change to the bout.

FAQ

What is Cjay’s real name?
The Nollywood actor Cjay was born Chijioke Temidayo Nwokafor, according to Yen.com.gh and First Daily News. He was from Awka, Anambra State.

What caused Cjay’s death?
No cause of death had been made public as of 10:30pm WAT on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, and his family had not issued a statement.

Will Nkechi Blessing still release Egusi Ogbono?
She said on Instagram on 30 September that she would no longer be releasing the movie. She has not given a new date.

Did you watch Cjay in any of his movies? Share your memories of him in the comments.

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