''Checkmate'' is a Nigerian television serial that ran from Thursday, April 4, 1991 to 1994, created by

Amaka Igwe Amaka Igwe (2 January 1963 – 28 April 2014) was a Nigerian filmmaker and broadcasting executive. Igwe was the owner oTop Radio90.9 Lagos and Amaka Igwe Studios. She was recognized as one of the second-generation filmmakers who helped begin t ...

and sponsored by Lever Brothers Nigeria.Almost 2 Decades after the end of Checkmate, Nigerian Superstar Richard Mofe Damijo returns to TV on Tinsel

BellaNaija ''BellaNaija'' is a lifestyle, entertainment and fashion website in Africa. headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. History BellaNaija was founded by Uche Eze in 2006 as a media startup which later metamorphosed into BellaNaija.com while studying for ...

; June 24, 2011 at 8:24 pm.Trends in Nollywood: A Study of Selected Genres.
By Ayakoroma, Barclays Foubiri It starred Ego Nnamani,

Francis Agu Francis Agu (18 February 1965 – 20 March 2007) was a Nigerian TV and cinema ("Nollywood") actor. He was best known for his role on the long-running Nigerian television series ''Checkmate''. Early life Francis Okechukwu Agu was born in La ...

Bob-Manuel Udokwu Bob-Manuel Obidimma Udokwu (born 18 April 1968) is a Nigerian actor, director, producer and politician. In 2014, he received the ''Lifetime Achievement'' award at the 10th Africa Movie Academy Awards. He was nominated for Best Actor in a suppo ...

, Mildred Iweka,

Kunle Bamtefa Kunle Bamtefa is a Nigerian actor known for playing the role of "Uncle Pablo" in '' The Johnsons'' family sitcom and Chief Fuji in ''Fuji House of Commotion''. Filmography *'' Checkmate'', 1991 *''Mortal Inheritance,'' 1996 *'' Violated'', 199 ...

, and

Richard Mofe Damijo Richard Eyimofe Evans Mofe-Damijo (born 6 July 1961), popularly known as RMD, is a Nigerian actor, writer, producer, lawyer, and former journalist. He was also a former Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in Delta State in 2009. In 2005, he wo ...

Nollywood kills Nigeria’s Television Drama.
Vanguard Nigeria, June 12, 2011, 12:00 am. Set in Lagos, the story focuses on the Haatrope family, the enemies determined to destroy their business and legacy, and their friends and associates.

Checkmate Checkmate (often shortened to mate) is any game position in chess and other chess-like games in which a player's king is in check (threatened with ) and there is no possible escape. Checkmating the opponent wins the game. In chess, the king is ...

is seen in the show's

opening credits In a motion picture, television program or video game, the opening credits or opening titles are shown at the very beginning and list the most important members of the production. They are now usually shown as text superimposed on a blank screen ...

, where a chess player's

king King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...

is directly attacked by an opponent's

pawn Pawn most often refers to: * Pawn (chess), the weakest and most numerous piece in the game * Pawnbroker or pawnshop, a business that provides loans by taking personal property as collateral Pawn may also refer to: Places * Pawn, Oregon, an his ...

, making escape impossible. The show's opening and ending theme is

Ron Goodwin Ronald Alfred Goodwin (17 February 19258 January 2003) was an English composer and conductor known for his film music. He scored over 70 films in a career lasting over fifty years. His most famous works included ''Where Eagles Dare'', ''Battle ...

's main theme for the 1964 war film ''

633 Squadron ''633 Squadron'' is a 1964 British / American war film directed by Walter Grauman and starring Cliff Robertson, George Chakiris, and Maria Perschy. The plot, which involves the exploits of a fictional World War II British bomber squadron, was ...

'', and the main character - Ann Haatrope - is loosely based on Queen Amina of Zaria.

Plot

Ann Haatrope (Ego Nnamani, and briefly Yomi Davies) returns to Lagos from America with her brother Richie (

) to discover the family's infrastructure and investment firm, Haatrope Investment, is on the brink of collapse due to older brother Benny's (

) incompetence caused by alcoholism and sloth. Benny is also violent towards his wife, the equally nefarious Tonye (Edyth-Jane Azu) who does not approve of her husband's siblings living under their roof, and is particularly horrid towards Nana Kofo (Ruth Osu), the elderly

Ghanaian Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in Ghana–Ivory Coast border, the west, Burkina ...

housekeeper who has served the family for years. With their father Richard Sr. critically ill back in America and Richie lacking experience, Ann is determined to restore the company's reputation and fight off competition from scheming rivals, most notably the unscrupulous Segun Kadiri (

Richard Mofe-Damijo Richard Eyimofe Evans Mofe-Damijo (born 6 July 1961), popularly known as RMD, is a Nigerian actor, writer, producer, lawyer, and former journalist. He was also a former Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in Delta State in 2009. In 2005, he wo ...

) who bears a long-time grudge towards the Haatropes. He blames them for his descent into childhood poverty following his mother's death, and has sworn vengeance. Ann's best friend, banker Ada Okereke (Mildred Iweka), is married to school teacher Nduka (

Bimbo Manuel Bimbo Manuel (born 30 October 1958) is a Nigerian actor. He was nominated for Best actor in a supporting role at the 2013 Nollywood Movies Awards. Career Bimbo hails from Lagos State. After graduating from the University of Port Harcourt with ...

), but the couple face several problems including their class difference (Ada is the daughter of wealthy parents while Nduka is from a more humble background), Nduka's jealousy, and Ada's inability to conceive. Ada is later revealed to be an '' osu'' which infuriates Nduka's mother (Obiageli Molube) who refuses to accept an 'untouchable' as her daughter-in-law, and is on a mission to break up the couple. Nkemji ( Uche Mobuogwu), an uncouth teenager from family friend Peace Fuji's village, is brought into her son's home as his new spouse but Nduka, who would later work for Haatrope Investment, rejects her as he loves his wife dearly. Nduka is also jealous of the friendship between his wife and her old university boyfriend Kunle Ajayi (Paul Adams), a Haatrope Investment employee with unrequited love for his boss Ann. Serial womaniser Chief Fuji (

), a board member at Haatrope Investment and close friend of Segun, is head of a dysfunctional family which consists of numerous children and his two warring wives Mama Moji (Toun Oni) and Peace (Pauline Njoku). Fuji flaunts his status as a wealthy polygamist, but shuns his financial responsibilities towards his offspring to the chagrin of his spouses, mistresses, and girlfriends including the daughter of his

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-wielding tenant Alika (Victor Eze). The situation is not helped when Fuji marries Ireti (

Sola Onayiga Sola Onayiga (née Awojobi) was a Nigerian actress best known for her character role ''(Ireti)'' in Fuji House of Commotion. Education Sola Onayiga studied Theatre Arts at Obafemi Awolowo University. Career Onayiga acted in several radio plays ...

), a trainee caterer who comes under fire from the rest of the Fuji clan for her sophisticated cuisine which does not suit the family's simpler tastes. The hypocritical Fuji continues his womanising but remains a strict disciplinarian with his children who are forbidden from leaving the house without permission or dating. University

lecturer Lecturer is an List of academic ranks, academic rank within many universities, though the meaning of the term varies somewhat from country to country. It generally denotes an academic expert who is hired to teach on a full- or part-time basis. T ...

Monday Edem (

Zulu Adigwe Zulu Adigwe is a Nigerian actor and singer, best known for paternal roles in Nollywood movies. He first achieved fame as Mr. B in the sitcom '' Basi and Company'', and most recently featured in the 2019 blockbuster '' Living in Bondage: Breaking ...

and later

Norbert Young Norbert Young is a Nigerian actor. He has appeared in series like ''Third Eye'', '' ''Tinsel', and ''Family Circle''.In addition to his work in television and films, Young has also appeared in several plays and stage productions. Personal ...

), is notorious for sleeping with his female students in exchange for high grades, but continuously denies accusations when confronted. His long-suffering wife Eno (Tammy Abusi) continues to support him, but becomes increasingly frustrated. Their son Akpan (Tunde Euba), Richie's best friend since secondary school, is a student at the university also ashamed of his father's antics and is tired of defending him. Akpan soon finds himself in the middle of a raging rivalry between the institution's two main secret cults after he takes an interest in Remi (Yetunde Olorunfunmi), the reluctant girlfriend of hot-headed gang member Banky (Kevin Ushi). With both father and son facing the wrath of their enemies on campus, the Edem family's safety constantly comes under threat - his younger brother is stabbed, his sister nearly raped, and an altercation with Banky's gang nearly costs Akpan his eyesight. He later joins rival cult The Jets, and the arrival of a mystery relative believed to be the professor's secret daughter throws the Edems into further chaos.

Cast

*Ego Nnamani (later credited as ''Ego Boyo'') - Ann Haatrope #1 *Yomi Davies - Ann Haatrope #2 *

- Benebo 'Benny' Haatrope *

- Richard 'Richie' Haatrope *Edyth-Jane Azu - Tonye Haatrope *Ruth Osu - Nana Kofo *

- Segun Kadiri * Kanayo O. Kanayo - Okosun *Mildred Iweka - Adaobi 'Ada' Okereke *

- Nduka Okereke *Obiageli Molobe - 'Mama Nduka' Okereke *

Uche Mac-Auley Uche Mac-Auley (born Uchechukwu Nwaneamaka Mobuogwu), also formerly known as Uche Obi Osotule, is a Nigerian writer, film producer and a veteran actress. Was born on 6 June 1971. Early life and education Mac-Auley is from Delta State in Nig ...

(credited as ''Uche Mobuogwu'') - Nkemji Okereke *

- Chief Tajudeen 'T.A.' Fuji *Toun Oni - 'Iya Moji' Fuji *Pauline Njoku - Peace Fuji *

- Ireti Fuji *Jude Orhorha - Gbenro Fuji *John Njamah - Rabiu Fuji *Gloriana Nwankwo - Jumoke Fuji *Zulu Adigwe - Monday Edem #1 *

- Monday Edem #2 *Tammy Abusi - Eno Edem *Tunde Euba - Akpan Edem *Paul Adams - Kunle Ajayi *Anne Njamanze - Temi Badmus * Binta Ayo Mogaji

Legacy

''Checkmate'' has been hailed as part of the "golden age of television in Nigeria", prior to the Nollywood home-video boom of the mid-1990s. Several of these alumni were associated with this and went on to achieve success. In 2001, nearly seven years after the serial ended, ''Checkmate'' became one of the few Nigerian shows to produce a spin-off - ''

Fuji House of Commotion ''Fuji House of Commotion'' is a Nigerian sitcom. Produced and directed by Amaka Igwe, the show was a spin-off of nineties soap opera Checkmate - one of the few Nigerian television programmes to have obtained that status. It stars Kunle Bamtefa a ...

'', a sitcom centred around Chief Fuji's dysfunctional family.

References

{{reflist Nigerian drama television series 1991 Nigerian television series debuts 1994 Nigerian television series endings 1990s Nigerian television series Television shows set in Lagos Nigerian Television Authority original programming