Baba Suwe kicks bucket

Late Babatunde Omidina.

Legendary actor, Babatunde Omidina, popularly known as Baba Suwe, who was once rumoured to have kicked the bucket mid-last year, has finally succumbed to death. 

The “Baba Londoner, Obe L’omo and Elebolo” star died on Monday after battling an undisclosed ailment for the past three years.

Announcing his death on his Instagram page,  Baba Suwe’s son, Adesola Omidina, wrote: “This is to announce the sudden death of my father, Mr Babatunde Omidina. The legend and rare gem “Babasuwe”.  Other details will follow shortly. May your soul rest in perfect peace Dad.” 

Since the news of his death hit the Internet, friends, fans and colleagues including the regulatory agency, Nigerian Film Corporation, NFC, have been paying tributes to the deceased. 

It's saddening, painful — NFC

NFC described the death of Baba Suwe as “saddening and painful.”

In a statement by its Head of Public Affairs, Brian Etuk, the regulatory agency said Nigeria’s film industry would miss Baba Suwe who passed on at the age of 63. 

According to NFC, “he was able to mentor many Nigerians in honing their acting skills. Babatunde Omidina’s contribution to the growth of the industry is enormous.

“His comic screen performances, especially his appearances in Yoruba movies, brought relief and laughter to viewers, making him a toast of many Nigerians across all divides. It is unfortunate that he succumbed to the cold hands of death having battled with his health since 2018. We pray that Almighty God grants him a peaceful rest.”

Wale Adenuga laments his death 

Also, mourning the deceased, veteran producer, Wale Adenuga, said: “If there was a proper structure in place, here would have been big, formidable and functional national guilds that really cared for their members’ welfare and we won’t have to keep running from pillar to post with cap in hand each time our hardworking artistes fall sick. 

“We were close to that utopia when we were made to believe that legislators would soon pass a bill on MOPICON, but what happened? Enemies of progress who are ‘chopping’ from the present muddy situation of our industry scuttled the whole thing.

“You see, when beggars die, there are no comets seen, but the heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes. What that simply means is that a lot of unknowns are dying daily uncelebrated. It’s just because Baba Suwe was one of the greatest Yoruba comedians that’s why the awareness of his death is all over the place,” Adenuga said. 

Tunde Kelani, Ashaolu mourn

On his part, veteran filmmaker, Tunde Kelani said: “He has been under the radar for a long time. I heard he suffered ill-health for some time. He was undoubtedly a humour merchant in the industry. Babatunde Omidiran will be missed in the Nollywood industry.”

For the President of the Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioners, ANTAP, Victor Ashaolu, “Baba Suwe has gotten to his own bus stop and he has gotten down from the bus of life.” 

Born on August 22, 1958, Baba Suwe began his acting career in 1971 and came into limelight after he featured in a movie entitled, Omolasan, a film produced by Obalende. He was acknowledged as one of the humour merchants that this country has ever produced in the past four decades.

Culled from Vanguard