Veteran Nollywood comic actor, Babatunde Omidina, popularly known as Baba Suwe has passed away at the age of 64.
The news of his death was confirmed on Monday by the president of the Theatre Arts and Motion Picture Producers Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN), Bolaji Amusan also known as Mr Latin.
“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,” Latin told Punch.
Baba Suwe’s son, Adesola Omidina also confirmed that the death of the comic actor in a post shared on his Instagram page.
He wrote, “This is to announce the sudden death of my father Mr Babatunde Omiidina. “The legend and rare gem “ Babasuwe “ 11/22/21 Other details will follow shortly! May your soul rest in perfect peace Dad.”
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Baba Suwe Biography
The actor was born on August 22, 1958, in Inabere Street on Lagos Island where he grew up but hails from Ikorodu Local Government Area of Lagos State.
He had his primary education at Jamaitul Islamial Primary School in Lagos and Children Boarding School, Osogbo before he proceeded to Adekanbi Commercial High School in Mile 12, Lagos.
Baba Suwe obtained the West African School Certificate from Ifeoluwa Grammar School in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, southwestern Nigeria.
The actor began acting in 1971 but came into the limelight after he featured in a movie titled, ‘Omolasan’, a film produced by Obalende.
He became more popular after he featured in Iru Esin, produced by Olaiya Igwe in 1997. He had also featured in and produced several Nigerian movies such as Baba Jaiye Jaiye, a movie that featured Funke Akindele and Femi Adebayo.
In 2011, he was accused of cocaine trafficking by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, an allegation that was described as false and defamatory by the ruling of the Lagos State High Court. His solicitor was the late Bamidele Aturu, a Nigerian lawyer and human rights activist.
The actor’s health battle was made public in 2019 when he was said to be battling an undisclosed sickness since 2017.
Baba Suwe’s ailment landed him at Lagos University Teaching Hospital in Idi Araba, Lagos after he was promised first-class treatment by the Federal Government at LUTH.
The actor also spent a month in a hospital at Rhodes Island, near New York, in the United States, where he received treatment for complications arising from diabetes and other ailments.
At that time, his benefactors included Rev Esther Ajayi, also known as Iya Adura, of the Love of Christ Generation Church, Cherubim and Seraphim, who donated N10m to the actor, and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who also donated N1m.
Last year, there were death rumours about the actor, which came a day after his 62nd birthday. His son, Adesola, at that time, dispelled such rumours, stating that his father was used to the death rumours.
KanyiDaily had also reported that the Founder and General Overseer of Christian Pentecostal Mission International, Rev Obiora Ezekiel died on Friday at age of 78.
