Eulogies Pour In As Veteran Actor, Adebayo Faleti Goes Home In Style At 86

Famous veteran actor, playwright, poet and journalist, Adebayo Faleti, died at the age of 86 in his Ibadan home.

One of the late actor’s son, revealed his dad died while he was helping him take his bath after the early morning devotion with his family members.

The son continued saying his father, after the prayers told them that he had prayed to God to send someone else to continue his mission as he was tired and longing for home after which he drank pap.

“After the morning devotion, I helped him to the bathroom as I normally did. He said he wanted God to send someone else to come and complete his work because he had done all he could do. He also said that he wanted to go home. Suddenly, I noticed that he was not breathing again. We took him to the University College Hospital, Ibadan where he was confirmed dead. We shall miss him greatly.”

Also, the first son Ayoola, said he spoke with his father three days ago and that he was on his way home when he was told that his father had passed on.

“In his usual practice, he called me three days ago and we discussed like father and son. After I received a call this morning from my brother concerning the state of his health, I hit the road to come home and see him but I did not meet him alive. He died before I could reach home. He took care of all his children and gave us good education. We shall all miss him,” said Ayoola.

The veteran actor was a poetic icon and a father to many. He touched lives in all aspects and will be greatly missed by the entertainment industry.

Adebayo Faleti was also known as a Yoruba translator, a broadcaster, TV exponent and a pioneer of the first television station in Africa, Western Nigeria Television (WNTV). He was responsible for translating Nigeria’s National Anthem from English to Yoruba. He also translated speeches being made by military president of Nigeria Ibrahim Babangida and Chief Ernest Shonekan, Head of National Interim Government of Nigeria, from English to Yoruba.

Faleti published a dictionary containing the formal or official use of Yoruba names. He received many awards, both locally and internationally, including the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) the Festival of Arts award with Eda Ko L’aropin (1995) and the Afro-Hollywood Award for Outstanding Performance in Arts (2002).