Jimmy Johnson died on July 8 after surgery complications in an Abuja hospital.
The late veteran Nollywood actor, Jimmy Johnson, who played Okoro in the popular TV drama, ‘The Village Headmaster,’ will be laid to rest at the Gudu Cemetery in Abuja today, Saturday, August 29.
Jimmy who passed away on July 8 at the age of 80 started his career in the 1960’s at the Orisun Theatre Company and the Mbari Artistes and Writers Club.
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They were part of a diverse group of university lecturers, writers, visual artists, musicians and actors that included Prof. Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe and other writers of African descent from all over Africa and the Caribbean.
Johnson, according to a statement by his son, a veteran journalist and a development and policy expert, Rotimi Sankore, had served as a senior civil servant but he was best known for the role of an entrepreneur and shop owner, ‘Okoro,’ which he played for about a decade in Nigerian Television Authority’s (NTA) longest running TV drama, ‘The Village Headmaster’ (1968 – 1988).
Alongside his TV roles, he was said to have collaborated with pre-Nollywood film directors such as Ola Balogun, Eddie Ugboma, Jab Adu, and worked further with Wole Soyinka.
“In 1984 along with many politicians and senior civil servants, he was locked up in Ikoyi prison and tried, but acquitted by the Buhari/Idiagbon military regime after the overthrow of President Shagari’s government,” the statement said.
The statement by the family noted that President Buhari consequently commended his “sacrifice, patriotism and loyalty to the country,” stating that his contribution to the movie industry remains indelible.
Until his death, Johnson spent his time in semi-retirement in Abuja, contributing occasionally to various artistic productions.
He is survived by his spouse, children, and grand-children including his second child, journalist, development and policy expert, Rotimi Sankore.
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