From Nweke Nweke, Awka
On Saturday, June 26, all will be leading to Ihitenase, Oru East Council Area of Imo State as celebrities in all felid of enduvours, including members of the Nollywood family will gather to give late Mr. Solomon Eze, popularly known as Mike Orihe Di Mma a befitting burial, Mike, it was learnt, died at the age of 65 years after a brief illness, leaving 10 children and one wife behind.
Information reaching our news desk had it that Mike Orihe Di Mma who was the first producer in the Nollywood industry to package a movie in Igbo language, is said to have laid down his life in making sure that the Igbo language and culture was not relegated to the back ground.
Mike Orihe Di Mma, who stormed the Nigerian film (now Nollywood) industry in the 80s with movie titled Okpuru Anyanwu, started his earlier life as drawing artist in Onitsha, from where he rose to a well known film producer, script writer, singer and master of ceremony across the South Eastern states.
It was gathered that the deceased later relocated to his hometown and decided to combine film producing, script writing, singing and master of ceremony in a bid to make end meets, what he was doing till death knocked at his door.
Describing his death as a tragedy not only in the Nollywood family but a big blow to Igbo nation by extension, the national coordinator of Nollywod Welfare Forum, NWF, Mr. Ben Eneh said the organization is set to honour the legend by making sure that he is giving a befitting burial.
Commenting when contacted, Mike Orihe Di Mma’s close associate, Mr. Stephen Alajemba, fondly called Uwaezoke by his admires said the vacuum created be the death of his master cum friend will be hard to filled. Uwaa, who recalled that it was the deceased that brought him from labourer to Nollywood industry even as he vowed to appreciate his late friend by keeping the legacy of bringing upcoming artistes into the industry.
In his own contribution one of the founding fathers of Movie Industry (now Nollywood) Mr. Nnamdi Ebonyi popularly known as Zereuwa, regretted that Mike left the industry when his role and advice as a veteran is highly needed. He called on the Ohaneze Ndigbo to immortalize the Movie icon for the roles he played in catapulting the Igbo language and culture beyond the imagination of the Igbo nation.
Meanwhile, as at the time of filling this report, the celebrities made up the members of Nollywood were sighted moving round Onitsha with the corpse of the late movie icon even as it was gathered they later held candle night at Onitsha Holiday Resort in honour of the late Mike Orihe Di Mma.
