The remains of ace broadcaster, celebrated poet, playwright, actor and custodian of Yoruba culture, Alagba Adebayo Faleti, was laid to rest on Friday at Agboye Village in Oyo town in Oyo State.
Mr. Faleti died on July 23 at the age of 95.
The Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Toye Arulogun, who represented the state governor, Abiola Ajimobi, described Faleti as a man, who left giant footprints behind; not just in the art sector, but in life generally.
He was responsible for translating Nigeria’s National Anthem from English to Yoruba.
He also translated speeches being made by Nigeria’s former Attorney-General of the federation Chief Bola Ige, military president of Nigeria General Ibrahim Babangida, former premier of the Western region of Nigeria, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Ernest Shonekan – Head of National Interim Government of Nigeria, from English to Yoruba.
The actor 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), Doctor of Letters (D.Litt), Justice of Peace (JP), Jerusalem Pilgrim (JP).
He received the Festival of Arts award with “Eda Ko L’aropin” in 1995 and the Afro-Hollywood Award for Outstanding Performance in Arts in the United States (2002).
His movie – “Basorun Gaa” also received Breeze Award in London as the best epic movie of the year in 2004. The first ever magazine He wrote for was called Triumph when He was at the University of Ibadan as an undergraduate.
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