Entertainment

Ace actor Jimi Solanke dies at 81

Veteran artiste, poet, singer and playwright, Jimi Solanke, died on Monday at the age of 81, two months from his 82nd birthday.

Family source disclosed that Solanke died while being taken to Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu, Ogun State.

The deceased, who was born on July 4, 1942, in Ipara, Remo, Ogun State, is survived by his wife, Toyin Solanke.

Solanke graduated from the University of Ibadan, where he obtained a diploma certificate in Drama.

Following his graduation, the actor relocated to the United States, where he founded a drama group called The Africa Review, dedicated to promoting African culture.

His storytelling prowess soon gained international recognition, with CNN lauding him as a “master storyteller” during his time in Los Angeles, California.

Solanke returned to Nigeria in 1986 with three members of The Africa Review group to work with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).

He, however, ventured into film and earned lead roles in many of Ola Balogun’s movies.

Solanke contributed to the production of the film adaptation of Wole Soyinka’s ‘Kongi’s Harvest’ and was featured in the 1997 movie ‘Sango’.

His most recent work, ‘Shadow Parties’, was released in 2020.