Zeb Ejiro Biography
Zeb Ejiro is a pioneering Nigerian filmmaker, producer and director whose work helped shape the early years of Nollywood. Widely known as the Movie Sheik or Sheik of Nollywood, he built a reputation through television soaps and home video classics that addressed social issues and launched the careers of many actors still recognised today.
Zeb Ejiro Early Life and Background
Born in Isoko, Delta State, specifically from the Ozoro area in Isoko North, Zeb Ejiro spent his earliest months in Nigeria before his parents took him to Equatorial Guinea. His father ran a large cocoa plantation there, and the family lived near a major cinema. His mother frequently took him and his younger brother Chico to watch films, sparking their shared interest in storytelling on screen.
Political changes in Equatorial Guinea forced the family to return to Nigeria when he was about 15. They settled in Ajegunle, Lagos, a stark change from their earlier life. He completed parts of his primary education in Equatorial Guinea and Ajegunle, then attended secondary school in Kwara State. He later studied Mass Communication at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and took further training in production at the University of California.
He has two brothers in the industry: Peter Red Ejiro and the late Chico Ejiro. The three boys grew up in a household of five. Before entering media, he worked briefly as a casual labourer at Lever Brothers in Lagos, loading trailers.
Zeb Ejiro Career Journey
His entry into the industry came through the Nigerian Television Authority in the mid 1980s. An open call for short play scripts drew thousands of entries. He submitted a horror piece titled My Ring on My Grave and was among the 27 selected nationwide for training. He worked as a screenwriter on popular NTA series including Village Headmaster, Second Chance and Tales by Moonlight.
He then created Ripples, a soap opera that ran for five years from 1988 to 1993 and became one of the longest running drama series on Nigerian television at the time. Other soaps followed, including Fortunes and Candle Light on AIT. His younger brother Chico joined him in production work, and later Peter Red did the same.
In the mid 1990s he moved fully into the emerging home video market. His first major directorial effort was Nneka the Pretty Serpent in 1994. Domitilla in 1996 became a defining hit, exploring the pressures that push a young woman into prostitution to support her family. The film drew large audiences, screened widely in Lagos cinemas and sold strongly on video. Other titles from that period include Mortal Inheritance, which focused on sickle cell anaemia and won multiple awards at the 1996 THEMA Movie Awards, and Sakobi: The Snake Girl along with its sequel.
His office in Aguda, Surulere, grew into a central meeting point for the young industry. Producers, directors, actors, writers and technical crew gathered there regularly. Several key associations, including the Association of Movie Producers and early structures of the Actors Guild of Nigeria and Directors Guild of Nigeria, took shape in that space. Journalist Kunle Bakare of Encomium Magazine first called him the Movie Sheik, a nickname that stuck because of his central role at the time.
He has spoken of a stretch when many of the films circulating in the market carried his name as producer or director. Titles such as Goodbye Tomorrow, which addressed HIV and AIDS with support from health agencies, Extreme Measure, Mortal Sin and A Night in the Philippines kept him busy into the 2000s. Later works include Yellow Cassava in 2016, Pure Honey in 2017 and Domitilla: The Sequel in 2023.
Zeb Ejiro Works and Achievements
Domitilla remains one of his best known films and is often cited among the biggest selling home videos of its era. Mortal Inheritance stood out for its social focus and awards success. Nneka the Pretty Serpent and the Sakobi films helped define the supernatural and moral stories that dominated early Nollywood. Ripples set a benchmark for long form television drama.
In November 2005, then President Olusegun Obasanjo conferred on him the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger in recognition of his contributions to the film industry. He has also received lifetime achievement awards at events including the Nollywood Film Festival in Germany, Nigerian Week in London, and other industry platforms. He has held leadership roles as president of the Association of Movie Producers and trustee of the Directors Guild of Nigeria.
Beyond production, he established the Film and Broadcast Academy in Ozoro, Delta State. The school trains young people in script writing, directing, production management and related skills. His brother Peter Red Ejiro helps manage the institution. He continues to speak about mentoring the next generation and has worked with younger crews on recent projects.
Zeb Ejiro Personal Life
He is married to Joy Ejiro and they have seven children. He has described meeting her before his career took off, while still working as a casual labourer. The family maintains a relatively private profile. He has spoken openly about the difficulty of losing his brother Chico in 2020, describing their relationship as extremely close. Off screen he has focused energy on the film school and on efforts to develop the creative sector in Delta State.
Conclusion
Zeb Ejiro’s body of work sits at the foundation of Nollywood’s commercial and cultural rise. From television soaps that held national audiences to home videos that travelled across West Africa and beyond, he helped prove that Nigerian stories could find large markets. The Film and Broadcast Academy and his ongoing mentoring keep that contribution alive for younger practitioners still learning the craft.
Quick Facts
Real name: Zebulon Maziakpono
Date of birth: Not publicly confirmed
State of origin: Delta State (Isoko, Ozoro)
Occupation: Filmmaker, producer, director
Years active: Mid 1980s to present
