Filmmaker Edgard Leroy dies in Lagos-Ibadan car crash

Edgard Leroy, the Nigerian-based Cameroonian filmmaker, has died in a car accident along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

In a lengthy Instagram post, David Akande, his colleague in the movie industry, disclosed that he died on Saturday.

According to him, Leroy was on his way for a movie shoot in Ibadan, Oyo state, when the accident occurred at Shagamu.

Akande lamented his death which comes less than a month after he clinched his first Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award (AMVCA).

The deceased had won the ‘Best Indigenous Movie’ in the Yoruba category of the award held on May 15 alongside Akande and Demola Yusuf for their roles in ‘Alaise’.

It is understood that the award made him the first Cameroonian and filmmaker to win the AMVCA for his first feature film in a totally foreign language.

In the post, Akande described his death as “the sad story of a life cut at its prime.”

“Good night Edgard Leroy My brother, friend and partner. I love you. On the 11th day of June, 2022, a ghastly motor accident on Lagos Ibadan Express way, precisely at Shagamu, cut short the life of one of Africa’s fast rising film maker, Cameroonian Born Edgard Le Roy Nouke Ngedemon,” he wrote on Monday.

“Edagard Leroy who won an Award at the just concluded African Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA) in the Best Indigenous Movie (Yoruba) Category, was on his way for a movie shoot in Ibadan, Oyo State, South West Nigeria from his base in Lagos when the sad incident happened.

“Born on the 13th of July 1995, this amazing Director, editor and motion graphics artist was the first from his country to win the highly respected AMVCA award. And just a few weeks shy of his 27th birthday… this is the sad story of a life cut at its prime.”Safe journey, director Edgard. Creative Nigerian and Cameroonian film industries will miss you.”

Yusuf also mourned the filmmaker in a post via his Facebook page.

He also called on people to pray for his family.