Akeem Lasisi
It has now been confirmed that versatile actor, director and film producer, Murphy Afolabi, has passed away.
According to industry sources, he died after he fell in the bathroom in his Ikorodu, Lagos, residence.
Afolabi, who excellently acted various roles in many movies, especially Yoruba, whether they bordered on adventure, crime, wealth culture, ritual or liberation, died days after the country lost another great filmmaker, Saint Obi.
Both died in Nigeria’s – and arguably African – entertainment capital, Lagos, with details of the latter’s passage yet to be out.
For Afolabi, who was also a mentor to several talents, irony appeared to have played a stunning role in his life and death.
Years before, he was involved in a ghastly road crash in which he was feared dead.
But he survived and advanced his Thespian calling to which he had dedicated decades.
He had also romanced death – theatrically – in many movies, until the sad reality of his demise in a domestic circumstance.
Among those who have confirmed the death and how are a filmmaker and the president of the Yoruba movies directors guild, Seun Olaiya; Managing Director of Corporate Pictures Nigeria Limited, Abdullahi Abdulrasaq; and another practitioner who broke the news, Tunde Ola Yusuf.
Unfortunately, again, his death came close to those of celebrated Yoruba actors such as Fadeyi Oloro (Ojo Arowosafe), Dejo Tunfulu (Kunle Adetokunbo), Sir K (Kamal Adebayo), Dagunro, just as Babatunde Omidina, the comedian popularly called Baba Suwe, had also breathed his last in the same Ikorodu where he had resided.
Murphy Afolabi hailed from Osogbo, Osun State Capital, Southwestern Part of Nigeria.
Born in 1974 in Osogbo, Osun State, he graduated from Osun State Polytechnic, Ire, where he obtained a diploma in Mass Communication, Theatre Art and Films Production. An online profile indicates that he started acting at a tender age when he featured in a movie titled Ifa Olokun, produced by Dagunro.
He was famous for works that include Olokiki Oru, Basira Badia, Olukoti and Wasila Coded Reloaded.
