Veteran Nollywood actor and comedian, Babatunde Omidina, better known as Baba Suwe, has on Monday died after a long battle with an undisclosed illness.
The report of his passing was shared by actress Modupe Johnson otherwise known as Fali Werepe on her Instagram page. With tears emoji, the actress just said that the veteran actor is gone.
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The news of Baba Suwe’s death was also confirmed but the president of Theatre Arts and Motion Picture Producers Association of Nigeria, Bolaji Amusan also known as Mr Latin.
In an exclusive interview with The Punch, Mr Latin said;
It has been confirmed that Baba Suwe is dead. I just got off the phone with his son who confirmed that the actor is dead. I don’t have much details about his death.
Born on August 22, 1958, he was married to comedienne Omoladun Omidina, who died in September 2009.
Baba Suwe dominated the Yoruba movie industry for decades, featured in several movies and bagged many awards.
The actor was on October 12, 2011, detained by National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on suspicion of drug trafficking after a body scanner at Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos identified suspected drugs in his stomach.
With the assistance of his lawyer, the late Bamidele Aturu, a human rights activist, the allegation was described as false and defamatory by the ruling of a Lagos High Court. His fans and supporters cheered him as he left the court building after the hearing.
Since these incidents, the actor has not been active for years due to his failing health, which many attribute to his incarceration by NDLEA.
In April 2019, he was flown to the United States of America, where he went for treatment after having diabetes.
Rev Esther Ajayi supported the foreign medical treatment with a sum of N10 million. Actor, Yomi Fabiyi had on February 24, 2019, announced that the sum of N10 million donation was received from Rev. (Mrs.) Esther Ajayi through actor and producer, Gbenga Adewusi, aka Bayowa for the treatment of Baba Suwe in the US.
Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo had on February 21, 2019, donated the sum of one million naira to support the actor’s medical treatment. The donation was made through the Office of the Youth Organising Secretary, APC Lagos, Aregbe Idris.
May his soul rest in peace.
