Justus Esiri, "Village Headmaster", is dead. Aged 70 years

One of Nigeria's foremost and pioneering TV drama actors, Justus Esiri, who rose to prominence in the 1970's playing a teacher in the Village Headmaster. a long-running drama on national television, has died. Justus Esiri also played key roles in Nollywood movies recently. 

No official cause of death has been released and the family has been silent on any details, but some online publications have reported that he died ina Lagos hospital after a long battle with diabetes. 

His profile on the Africa Movie Academy Awards website claims that he had performed on more TV Network drama shows than any other Nigerian actor.

His death comes as Nollywood continues to mourn artistes who lost their lives recently including Pete Eneh who died of a leg infection on November 15, 2012 at a hospital in Enugu, Enebeli Elebuwa died of a stroke in December 2012 at a hospital in India and Sam Loko Efe who died about eighteen months ago. 

Justus Esiri was conferred with the national honour of the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) in 2012. He is survived by his wife and six children.