05/10/2026
DID YOU KNOW? IN LOVING MEMORY: 20 Things You May Not Know About Nollywood Actor Cjay Nwoks
1. Cjay’s real name was Chijioke Temidayo Nwokafor, and he was popularly known in Nollywood as Cjay or Cjay Nwoks.
2. He was an indigene of Awka, Anambra State, although he was based in Lagos while pursuing his acting career.
3. Cjay began his professional Nollywood acting career in 2021, making his journey in the industry relatively recent.
4. One of the experiences that influenced his decision to pursue acting professionally was working on a movie set with filmmaker Ruth Kadiri.
5. Cjay said that watching the actors and observing the way they carried themselves on the set inspired him to take acting more seriously.
6. He went on to build a growing filmography during his years in Nollywood, appearing in a number of movie productions.
7. Among the movies associated with Cjay are Larry Cold, Mum Overnight, A Day To My Wedding, The Lies She Tell and What Time Left.
8. Other productions credited to him in reports and film databases include Godly Es**rt, Fond of You, Come Alive, Doctor Lanre and Tide.
9. Cjay was also part of the cast of Egusi Ogbono, a movie connected to actress Nkechi Blessing.
10. His death occurred just as Egusi Ogbono was scheduled for release on September 30, 2026. Following the news, Nkechi Blessing cancelled the planned release.
11. Nkechi Blessing was one of the colleagues who publicly announced his death. She made the announcement from a hospital in Badore, Lagos, in an emotional video.
12. According to reports, Nkechi Blessing said she had spoken with Cjay at about 8 a.m. on the day of his death, making the news particularly shocking to her.
13. At the time of the initial reports, Cjay’s cause of death had not been officially disclosed. Some reports have used descriptions such as a brief illness, but the specific medical cause had not been established publicly.
14. His death was reported on September 30, 2026, sending shockwaves through the Nigerian film industry.
15. Cjay had remained active on social media shortly before his death, making the sudden announcement particularly difficult for his fans and colleagues to process.
16. One of his final Instagram messages said: “Life’s too short to be unhappy, live every minute like it’s your last. Live, love, laugh.” The post attracted renewed attention following his death.
17. In another recent post, Cjay wrote about enjoying life and living without pressure, a message that fans later viewed differently following his sudden passing.
18. Colleagues and fans mourned him across social media after news of his death became public, with tributes highlighting the loss of a young and developing Nollywood talent.
19. Cjay’s career illustrates how quickly an actor can begin building recognition in Nollywood. Although his professional career started only in 2021, he had already accumulated a growing list of movie credits before his death.
20. Cjay died on the cusp of further opportunities in Nollywood, leaving behind unfinished plans and projects. His sudden passing at a relatively early stage of his career has therefore become a poignant reminder of the unpredictability of life and the importance of making an impact while pursuing one's dreams.
