Renowned Nollywood actor, dramatist, filmmaker, and scholar, Kola Oyewo, is dead.

He was 80.

His death was announced on Instagram on Friday by actor Kunle Afod.

“Tonight, we lost a true legend. Kola Oyewo has taken his final bow,” he wrote.

“His remarkable talent, timeless performances, and immense contributions to the Nigerian theatre and film industry will never be forgotten. His legacy will continue to inspire generations to come.

“Rest well, sir. Your work lives on.

“ It’s a wrap.”

In April, the veteran actor detailed his struggle with prostate enlargement, revealing how the condition has slowed him down and limited the roles he can now accept.

“Before now, I could be here and there and play any role, but the sickness laid me back. I can’t play some roles anymore. Except for some minor roles. Well, thank God I am okay now. You can’t go through some kind of sickness and go back to how you’ve been before, but I thank God,” he had said.

Enlarged prostate, also known as Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), is a condition in which the prostate gland grows larger than normal, but the growth is not caused by cancer. It is a common condition associated with the natural ageing process in men. BPH puts pressure on your urethra. That pressure can cause symptoms like having to pee more often than normal and difficulty peeing, among others.

Born on March 27, 1946, in Oba-Ile, Osun state, Oyewo began his acting career in 1964 with the Oyin Adejobi Theatre Group.

He later rose to become one of the most celebrated figures in Yoruba theatre and Nigerian cinema.

He was best known for his portrayal of Odewale in Ola Rotimi’s classic play ‘The Gods Are Not to Blame,’ a role that brought him acclaim across the African theatre landscape.

Over a career spanning more than six decades, Oyewo appeared in numerous productions, including ‘Saworoide,’ ‘Sango,’ ‘Koseegbe,’ ‘Super Story,’ and many Yoruba-language films that helped shape Nigeria’s movie industry.

Beyond acting, Oyewo was also an academic. He earned a doctorate in Drama from the University of Ibadan and taught at Obafemi Awolowo University, Redeemer’s University, and Elizade University.

Through his teaching and mentorship, he helped train and inspire generations of actors, playwrights, and scholars, leaving a lasting impact on Nigeria’s theatre, film, and academic communities.

 
A Nigerian-British singer and songwriter, Mark Yinka Orabiyi, also
known as Talay Riley, has died at the age of 35 after he was stabbed in East London.

The incident, according to to local outlet Newham Recorder, took place around 9 a.m. on Friday on Pankhurst Avenue in Silvertown.

Emergency services were called to the scene, but the Grammy winner could not be saved.

Homicide detectives from the specialist crime command have launched a murder investigation into the incident.

Talay’s death was also confirmed in a statement released by his family. They described their loss as an “overwhelming sadness”.

The family remembered Riley not only for his professional accomplishments but for his character.

“It is with overwhelming sadness that we confirm that Mark ‘Yinka’ Orabiyi professionally known as Talay Riley passed away yesterday morning,” the statement reads. 

“Talay will fondly be remembered by those who knew him publicly for his incredible talent as a Grammy Award winning, multi platinum selling songwriter & artist.

“For those that knew and loved him personally it is his humour, generous spirit and unmistakable presence that will be missed the most.”

The family also expressed gratitude for the public’s support following the tragedy.

“We are deeply grateful for the enormous outpouring of love and support that we have received through messages, calls and visits over the past hours,” the statement added.

“Thank you for your continued consideration and sensitivity at what is a devastating time for us all.”

Talay, the brother of music producer Scribz Riley, spent more than a decade shaping the R&B genre.

He first broke into the industry at 18 after signing a publishing deal with Global Publishing.

His career gained momentum with a feature on rapper Chipmunk’s 2009 single, followed by a signing with Jive/Sony Records.

Over the years, he toured the UK and the US alongside artists such as Skepta, Usher, and Trey Songz, and collaborated with Kehlani, H.E.R., Khalid, and the rising US group 2BYG.

Tributes have continued to pour in for Talay.

Joining the fray, Scribz, born Michael Orabiyi Riley, penned an emotional tribute to his older sibling on Instagram.

“I never thought the day would come where I’d be writing this, but unfortunately I can confirm that on the morning of Friday 5th June my big brother YINKA (Talay Riley) passed away,” he wrote.

“My heart is shattered! This doesn’t feel real. It feels like a bad dream. Just before he went to sleep we spoke about the future, staying positive and about everything we still had left to do.

“I never imagined that would be our last conversation. Yinka wasn’t just my brother. He was my mother’s son, a friend to many, a mentor, an inspiration, and a light in so many people’s lives.

“Even with everything you accomplished this was far too soon. I love you brother. Thank you for everything. Rest in paradise Yinka. Until we meet again.”

Notable singers, including Stormzy, took to the comment section to write “I’m sorry bro”.

Craig David, who worked with Talay on his 2018 album ‘The Time is Now,’ said: “Sending so much love to you & the family. His beautiful energy will continue to be felt & shown from the other side.”

Popular Yoruba actor, Abdul Salam Taofeek, better known in the industry as Tioruju Mondusi, has revealed how he discovered that two of the five children he raised were not biologically his.

The actor known for playing various characters, told African A List, in an interview, how his world began to crumble when he returned home from a film set to find his wife, who was heavily pregnant with their fifth child at the time, not at home. One of his children told him she had been gone for three days.

He recounted how he went to his mother-in-law’s house to report the matter. There, he saw a framed photo of his wife with another man hanging on the wall.

Mondusi said when he confronted her, she admitted that he was not the father of her unborn child. The revelation led to a serious fight between them.

He said he later learned that another man had signed the consent form for her cesarean section, a man he had previously seen at her shop but never suspected as a lover.

The actor said that after giving birth, his wife, now late, called him to come for the child, but he refused. According to him, undeterred, she showed up at his house with the baby and the other man.

“The person who offended me to the point that I questioned ‘why me’ is the mother of my children, but she is late now. I travelled to a location, and when I got back, she wasn’t at home. One of my children told me she had not been around for three days, and at the time she was nine months pregnant with our fifth child,” he said.

“I went to her mother’s house to report the situation, and when I got there, I saw a picture of her and another man hanging on the wall. I called her to confront her, and that was when she told me I was not the father of the unborn child. That led to a serious fight.

“When she gave birth through a CS, I was told it was another man who signed the consent form. I had met the man before at my wife’s shop, but I didn’t know they were having an affair. After giving birth, she called me again and asked me to come for my child, but because she had already told me I was not the father, I refused.

“She later brought the child to my house with the man she was having an affair with. I was very angry, so I called the police on them. At the police station, when she was asked who I was, she said I was the father of her children and that the other man was her husband.

“Meanwhile, the man was begging me to withdraw the case because his wife must not find out, as he was married with four children as well. We eventually left the police station, but I still did not accept the child.”

He said that less than a month after involving the police, his wife served him court papers for divorce.

The actor said in court that she confessed that only three of the five children were actually his.

“Less than a month later, I received a court summons that my wife wanted a divorce, and I also agreed to it. It was in court that she confessed that, out of the five children she claimed were mine, only three were actually mine, while two belonged to the other man,” he added.

“She said the first, second, and fourth children were mine, meaning I was not the father of the third and fifth. Meanwhile, I was the one taking care of the children, doing their naming ceremonies, and even burying their placentas.

“She died last year, and I still feel deeply pained whenever I remember the situation.”