Late Olujimi Solanke
The Governor of Osun State, Dapo Abiodun has described the death of renowned African culture ambassador, Olujimi Solanke as a “colossal” loss to the theatre community and the state.
Solanke was born on July 4, 1942, in Ipara-Remo, Remo North Local Government Area of the state.
Mostly remembered for his television programme ‘Story land’ on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Solanke died on Monday at the age of 81 after a brief illness.
Governor Abiodun made this known in a statement issued in Abeokuta on Monday by his Chief Press Secretary, Lekan Adeniran.
The governor condoled with the family of the veteran poet, dramatist and the people of Ipara-Remo.
Abiodun noted that the late Solanke had consistently put the name of the state in the limelight for good reasons, especially in the arts right from his days at the University of Ibadan School of Drama.
Late Olujimi Solanke Performing on stage
The governor therefore urged relatives and other loved ones of the late poet to celebrate his life and ensure that the many legacies he left behind were preserved even for generations yet unborn.
“Renowned for his tireless dedication to the arts, Baba Agba as he was widely known by his numerous fans across the country, was a great ambassador of our dear state.
“He promoted the culture and tradition of the Yoruba race on the global stage with his drama, music, poetry and other works of art.
“He was at different times described by the Oxford Times and the New York Times as a ‘Skilled Nigerian Actor’ and an ‘Excellent Troupe’ respectively, owing to his performance of Wole Soyinka’s Kongi’s Harvest, during a tour of Europe,” he said.
