Thursday, March 28, 2024

Between insinuations and deaths in Yoruba Nollywood

Death has visited the Yoruba movie industry again. Within 30 days, three popular Yoruba actors had gone to the great beyond. We are not certain if the number would increase or not in the next few days, but we pray it ends here.

Some days before the death of actress Mojisola Olaiya, I met Saheed Balogun at an event in Lekki, Lagos. It was a press conference of Banana Island Ghost, a movie he starred in. We spoke on many topics, including the increasing death of Yoruba stars and its implication.

While we were having the conversation, he never seemed to be bothered a bit about the alarming rate at which actors are dying. He insisted that people are paying attention to Nollywood because of its popularity.

He said, “If two million people who are not celebrities die in a month, no one would write about them. Death happens, but I’d advise actors to take their health seriously, especially the new ones. I am supposed to celebrate my 50th birthday on the 24th, 25th and 26th of this month, May, but I had to move it forward because those days had been set aside to celebrate these fallen legends of Nollywood.

“We should have a comprehensive health insurance policy. If the House of Reps had passed good laws on piracy and we make good money, we would be able to take care of our health better. If I am making little money and there are school feels to pay, how do I take care of my health? People who have refused to pass laws on piracy are the ones killing us because we are not making money. I did a movie, spent millions of naira and I made nothing. It was pirated before it came out. I spent almost N40 million.”

Similarly, Yomi Fash Lanso, also rubbished suggestions that the recent death of Yoruba movie stars might have spiritual connections. While admitting that the demise of talented actress and friend, Moji Olaiya, has caused the industry serious pains, he said all that had happened is God’s will.

Lanso said people die every day but when it happens to prominent people, the society begins to read all sorts of meanings into it.

Though death is inevitable, losing Olumide Bakare, Adeshina Adesanya and Moji within the period of 30 days is worrisome and should be a source of concern for the practitioners. The implication is that the industry is losing their finest actors one after the other.

Adesanya, otherwise known as Pastor Ajidara, battled with kidney failure and passed away days after he was reported to be sick. Before he died, there were calls for financial support.

As for Bakare, he died of a prolonged battle with a respiratory disorder. He was confirmed dead at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, on arrival.

The death of Victor Olaiya’s daughter, Moji, was even more troublesome given that she was not reported to be ill or battling with one disease or the other. The 42-year-old lady gave birth to her second child over two months ago in Canada. She died of cardiac arrest.

Between 2016 and now, the Yoruba movie industry had lost the like of Olakunle Akindele, Bukky Ajayi, Henrietta Kosoko, AbdulLateef Titilope Ashimiyu, Isiaka Najeem, Fatai Onibuade, Mufutau Sanni aka ‘Ajigijaga,’ Mulikat Adegbola, Sikiru Adeshina, Joseph Abiodun Babatunde aka ‘Jab Adu,’ Kudirat Ajimat, Abiodun Ibitola, Toyin Majekodunmi and many more.

Truly, like Balogun and Lanso had maintained, people die daily and celebrities are not different from any other person. But certain people are beginning to link the death to supernatural forces. They are not totally wrong to think so. Of course, we are in a traditional society and when such mishap occurs, different things come up.

When Jide Kosoko’s wife, Henriettta died, certain people concluded that there was something fishy. All sorts of things were being bandied about her death.

I think it is high time the practitioners gathered together and emphasised on the need for all members to pay uttermost concern to their health. As a body, they can call on organisations and government to support them in form of provision of free and quality healthcare service. Monthly or once in two months, it should be mandatory for all members to go for check-up and the committee must see to it.

And if the alarming death rate has anything to with supernatural forces as a few people had reasoned, they should consult ‘Ifa’ like they do in movies and look for a solution. The reason this must be taken seriously is simple. It was Moji yesterday, it could be any other person tomorrow.

Popular Articles