Mr Atiya’s death has prompted colleagues and institutions to call for the preservation of his creative works and the recognition of the opportunities he created for younger practitioners during his career.
Members of the creative industry in Jos, Plateau State, have mourned the death of filmmaker Dimbo Atiya, describing him as an astute and resilient practitioner whose contributions helped shape Nigeria’s television and film industry.
His death has prompted colleagues and institutions to call for the preservation of his creative works and the recognition of the opportunities he created for younger practitioners during his career.
These comments were made when the entertainment community, alongside representatives of cultural institutions and government agencies, paid a condolence visit to Mr Ajiya’s family on Sunday at their residence in Rayfield, Jos.
The visit was coordinated by filmmakers Debrah Jalmet, JD Luka, and Sibin Benjamin.
Those who attended included Manji Diyal, who represented Aisha Augie, Director-General of the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC); Ephraim Dankyes, Senior Special Assistant on Arts, Culture and Creative Economy to Governor Caleb Mutfwang; and Brian Etuk, Director of Public Affairs at the Nigerian Film Corporation, who represented its Managing Director, Ali Nuhu.
Plangji Cishak, who led other family members, received the delegation.
Mr Diyal said Mr Atiya’s death was a significant loss to Nigeria’s creative community, particularly at a time when the country’s cultural and film industries were looking towards a new generation of storytellers.
He said the late filmmaker was more than an entertainer, describing him as a creative practitioner who understood the role of the arts in preserving stories, identity, and cultural expressions.
“Dimbo was a storyteller and a creative man who believed in the power of the arts to connect people and preserve our identity. His passing is painful because the industry has lost someone who still had much to contribute,” Mr Diyal said.
He said Mr Atiya’s career also demonstrated the role practitioners from communities outside Nigeria’s major entertainment centres play in developing the country’s creative industry.
Mr Diyal said CBAAC identified with the family because the filmmaker’s work was connected to the broader responsibility of promoting African creativity and cultural expression.
Mr Atiya was a filmmaker, producer, director, writer and showrunner whose career spanned television and film production for more than a decade.
He began his filmmaking career in 2008 and later undertook professional training at the New York Film Academy in New York and California.
He was credited with producing more than 500 television episodes and five feature films, creating work opportunities for hundreds of actors and crew members.
His career included work on major Nigerian television productions such as Sons of the Caliphate, Halita, Still Falling, Drawing Strength, The Plan, Dala Dala, and W.A.R. – Wrath and Revenge.
As a director, Mr Atiya was associated with Sons of the Caliphate, Halita, Drawing Strength, Still Falling and The Plan, among other productions. He also served as co-creator, executive producer, writer and director of The Rishantes, a series produced for Africa Magic and Showmax.
His work earned recognition within Nigeria’s film industry.
In 2022, The Rishantes won the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Award for Best Africa Magic Original Drama Series, with Mr Atiya serving as one of the key creative forces behind the production.
His 2019 film Drawing Strength also received significant recognition at the Abuja International Film Festival, where it won five awards, including Outstanding Nigerian Film, Outstanding Directing, Outstanding Male Actor, Outstanding Female Actress, and the Golden Jury Prize. Mr Atiya received the directing honour for the film.
Beyond his own productions, Mr Atiya was also involved in initiatives to support emerging filmmakers.
In 2023, he established the Ezekiel Gomos Short Film Fund, which provided ₦1 million in soft funding to two young filmmakers whose projects emerged from a filmmaking competition.
The initiative, according to Mr Atiya at the time, was designed to encourage young filmmakers with talent but lacking the resources to begin their projects.
His involvement in developing younger practitioners was part of his broader contribution to the creative industry, particularly in Plateau State, where Jos has historically been an important centre for film and television production.
Another major project associated with Mr Atiya in the final phase of his career was the planned remake of the classic Nigerian television series Cockcrow at Dawn.
In October 2025, NTA, Natives Filmworks and Mr Atiya’s Innovative Television Kontents entered into a co-production agreement to remake the series, with an initial order of 104 episodes.
The remake was planned for production in Jos and was expected to employ contemporary film technology while targeting both Nigerian and international audiences.
Mr Atiya, through ITK, described the project as an opportunity to push the boundaries of television series production in Nigeria.
The project was particularly significant to Plateau’s creative community because of the connection between the original series and Jos, as well as the city’s long-standing contribution to Nigeria’s film and television industry.
Mr Atiya’s involvement in the project reflected his continuing interest in developing productions that combined Nigerian stories, local talent, and contemporary production standards.
