Who is Chika Okpala?
Chika Okpala is a veteran Nollywood actor and comedian who is famous for his role as Chief Zebrudaya in the NTA comedy series of the 80s titled “New Masquerade” (1983-1993).
Chika Okpala earned the title of Chief Zebrudaya Okoroigwe Nwogbo alias 4.30 from the now-rested sitcom, “New Masquerade”.
Chika Okpala was born in the year 1950, and he is one of the founding fathers of the Nigerian film industry a.k.a Nollywood. Aside from his acting talent, Chika Okpala is also loved for his natural sense of humour.
Chika Okpala, with the aid of his friends, founded a theatre group known as “Two Cities”. This theatre group was founded right after the Nigerian Biafran War which took place between 1967 to 1970. “Two Cities” was a travelling theatre group that performed in various towns in Anambra State.
Full data profile of Chika Okpala a.k.a. Chief Zebrudaya:
| Full Name | Chika Okpala |
| Nickname | Chief Zebrudaya Okoroigwe Nwogbo Alias 4.30 |
| Date of Birth | June 10, 1950 |
| Age | 71 years old |
| Gender | Male |
| State of Origin | Anambra State |
| Parents | Unknown |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Tribe | Igbo |
| Career | Actor |
Chika Okpala’s childhood and education
Chika Okpala (Chief Zebrudaya) was born on the 10th of June, 1950, and he is currently 71 years old. Chika Okpala is a native of Nnobi town in Anambra State.
He was tutored by his father’s friend in Ahoada, Rivers State, where he served as a house help. Chika Okpala (Chief Zebrudaya) attended Prince Memorial High School, Onitsha for his secondary education, after which he proceeded to Enugu State University where he studied Mass Communication. Chika Okpala bagged his BSc degree from Enugu State University in 1996.
Chika Okpala’s career
Chika Okpala is one of the founders of Nollywood. He made his official acting debut in 1983 when he starred in the popular NTA sitcom, “New Masquerade”. The series aired from 1983 -1993 (10 years), and he earned the nickname “Chief Zebrudaya Okoroigwe Nwogo alias 4.30” from his character in the show.
His character was typically funny and his vocabulary was laced with broken and incorrect words. Other casts of “New Masquerade” are Lizzy Evoeme (Ovuleria), James Iroha (Giringory Akabogu), Claude Eke as Prince Jegede Sokoya, etc.
Before he debuted in 1983, Chika Okpala was in a travelling theatre group known as ‘Two Cities’. He founded the theatre group with the aid of his friends, and together they performed across various towns in Anambra State
Chika Okpala has performed across different states in Nigeria and beyond. He also participated in the “Cockcrow At Dawn” show which aired in the ‘80s. In 1986, he was invited by the former President of Sierra Leone, Siaka Stevens, to perform on stage.
Aside from acting, Chika Okpala is also a writer. He has written quite a couple of programs, including “Ogologo Ndu – Long Life”, which he entered for the John Hopkins Awards, and “Aim Ike Di Mkpa”.
Chika Okpala (Chief Zebrudaya) is a recipient of several honorary awards and recognitions – first, he was made an Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), after which he was awarded Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) for his role and contributions towards the development of Nigerian theatre. He is also a national ambassador of POCACOV.
In addition to that, Chika Okpala has gotten many promotional endorsements from corporate bodies, major companies, and government agencies across Nigeria.
Chika Okpala’s wife and children
There is currently no information regarding Chika Okpala’s wife and family. It is however known that the veteran actor is married with kids.
Where is Chika Okpala right now?
Chika Okpala (Chief Zebrudaya) is currently living in Nigeria with his family. He, however, shuffles between Nigeria and the United States where he writes scripts. He is an active member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, but in an interview with the Vanguard, he lamented about the lack of sponsors in Nollywood, which he believes has affected its growth.
Chika Okpala also admits that although he has featured in many movies, his biggest project remains the “New Masquerade”. He noted that most of his co-actors on the “New Masquerade” are still alive and well, and they would not hesitate to create another series if given enough sponsorship.
Chief Okpala’s net worth
Chika Okpala a.k.a. Chief Zebrudaya Okoroigwe Nwogo alias 4.30 is quite a successful actor. His net worth is currently estimated at over $500,000 (around N250 million naira).
Chief Okpala on social media
Unfortunately, Chief Okpala is not active on social media, neither does he have a personal social media account. Chika Okpala (Chief Zebrudaya) is not active on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and other popular social platforms.
