Popular Yoruba actor, Tolani Quadri Oyebamiji, better known as Sisi Quadri, has died at the age of 44.
His death was announced on Friday by some of his colleagues in the Yoruba movie industry.
Actress Regina Chukwu, who trained under the tutelage of Sisi Quadri, commiserated with his family.
“Most people don’t know but yes, I trained under him as a make-up artist on set for years,” she said.
He became popular with his role in the movie “Seniyan Seranko,” which was released on December 4, 2004.
Speaking on his career with The PUNCH, last year, the funny actor said he concluded his primary and secondary education in Ore, Ondo State after which he met with his dad’s elder brother who took him to his lecturer, Toyin Olaiya (Alaga council) who introduced him into acting.
“I proceeded to learn cloth design for four years which I concluded in 1999. My passion for education prompted me to further my education at The Polytechnic Iree.
“Afterwards, in 2000 my dad’s elder brother introduced me to my lecturer and mentor, Toyin Olaiya (Alaga council) who brought me into acting. When the late Hameeda Shakeem first saw me, she was so interested in me that she made me become a part of their team of actors.
“After this, I was introduced to makeup and relocated to Lagos where I met many celebrities. That’s how God favoured me and my journey to stardom began. My dad’s mission was for me to be a popular Muslim cleric but I achieved it in another way,” he added.
Continuing, Oyebamiji stressed, “I usually did an extra in movies, acting one or two scenes before I featured in the movie, ‘Seranko Seniyan’ released on December 4, 2004. With the advent of social media, I began skit-making with my friend, Funmi Awelewa before we put together a movie from the skits titled, ‘Ebudola.’”
On how he became popular for insulting people in movie scenes, the late actor opined that it is an inborn talent.
“It’s a God-given and inborn talent. However, I learnt how to insult people in a joking way through my dad and mum. My dad would never beat his children but the words he would say could make one rethink one’s decision; when my dad talks, you would think he is on a movie set.
“The way I act in movies is the way I behave normally; I had to tone down my excesses when I became known. Sometimes I shoot skits from the words I say jokingly or when I’m just being funky with friends.”
