– My father died in his sleep after supper – son
– FG mourns
Iconic comedian, Chief Moses Olaiya Adejumo, popularly known as Baba Sala, has died at the age of 82.
He died in his Ilesa hometown on Sunday evening and his body was deposited at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex Annex, at the Wesley Guild Hospital, in Ilesa.
His media assistant, Mr Isaac Hastrup, confirmed the death of the popular comedian on the telephone on Monday morning.
Hastrup said, “Baba has died. He died some minutes to 10pm on Sunday night. His remains had been to the morgue. He died of old age related sickness.
“He came to church two Sundays ago and he was the one that said the benediction. Baba has gone to be with the Lord and he will be missed by many people including his fans.”
Baba Sala was rumoured to have died around November 2017 and the news went viral but his son, Emmanuel debunked the news that time.
Reacting, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, expressed profound sadness over the death of the icon.
Describing Baba Sala as an incomparable Thespian and a trail blazer, Mohammed noted that the comedian, along with his contemporaries, laid the foundation for the theatre and comedy that have now taken Nigeria’s creative industry by storm.
The minister said, “Baba Sala’s sacrifices, contribution and commitment played a great role in launching an industry that is now a huge employer of labour and a significant contributor to the nation’s economy. Through it all, he lived a life of honesty and service that qualified him as a great role model.’’
Mohammed condoled with the family of the late comedian and prayed that God will grant repose to his soul and also grant his family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
He died in his sleep after supper, says Son
One of the children of Baba Sala, Emmanuel, said that the foremost comedian died in his sleep after taking his supper.
Emmanuel said that his father, ate his last meal around 6pm and took a rest for a while before he went to bed and died in his sleep.
He stated that Adejumo’s youngest wife, Funmilayo, went to his room to tell him something when she discovered that Baba Sala had died.
He said, “Baba died last night. He died at 81. I was not there but his wife called the eldest son of the family immediately it happened and that one called me and narrated everything to me. His body had been taken to the mortuary. We will need to hold a meeting before we can fix anytime for his burial. Some of the children are just hearing about it this morning.
“I will miss so many things about my dad. He was a very lively person. He was always advising us even those who were not his biological children, he advised them equally. He would tell you what to do and guide you.
“Though he was not wealthy, he was rich in the knowledge of God and he had a wealth of experience. He would tell us that his own father did not encourage him to be a comedian, that he didn’t have anybody to advise him when he was growing up but he was always guiding us and praying for us.
“He was a prayerful man. He was a Godly person, he never missed morning and evening prayers. If there was anything he was expecting or any trip he wanted to undertake, he would instruct all of us to pray and fast for nothing bad to happen. We all learnt this from him.
“We were together with him two Sundays ago because that day was his Family Harvest Day. He was the minister in charge at the Cherubim and Seraphim Church Idasa but that Sunday was set aside for him as his own family harvest and we were there. After the harvest, we played with him before we departed.
“He was not sick. I was told that he ate last night. He did not die of any sickness. It was just the time for him to go and be with the Lord. One of my younger ones talked to him on the telephone on Saturday and he was okay. His wife, Iya Rhoda, told me that he ate around 6pm and rested for a while before he entered into his room to lie down on the bed.
“His wife went inside the room to tell him something and she discovered that he was not responding. She started calling him, ‘Chairman, Chairman,’ but no response. She shook him and discovered that he had gone.”
Moses Olaiya, born in 1936 in Ilesa, was Nigerian comedian, dramatist and actor.
One of his plays, Koto Orun, has since gone viral on YouTube
The prolific filmmaker also had a career in show business as a Highlife musician, fronting in 1964 in a group known as the Federal Rhythm Dandies.
He tutored and guided the jùjú music maestro King Sunny Adé who was his lead guitar player.
Some films generally credited to him include Orun Mooru (1982), Aare Agbaye (1983), Mosebolatan (1985), Obee Gbona (1989), Diamond (1990 Home video ), Agba Man (1992, Home Video).
Punch/NAN
