The movie industry is blessed with multi-talented actors and actresses. Some of these stars started their career as stage artistes before movie came into existence. And due to their skills and talents, they were able to blend with the trend and still featuring in movies back to back.
They were screen icons in the 90’s setting the standard for others to follow. Some of our stars today looked up to them while growing up and prayed to be like them some day.
These bunch of talents have graced our screen for decades and despite their ages. Most of them are still very relevant in the industry, and City People Senior Showbiz Reporter, BIODUN ALAO brings you names of these icons and celebrate them for their immense contribution to the entertainment industry. Most people don’t even know their real names but very familier with their stage names.
Bello Salamai is popularly known as Oga Bello is a highly respected actor, filmmaker, producer, director and television personality. He began acting in 1964 with a group called young concert party under the leadership of Ojo Ladipo Theatre Group and became known as Awada Kerikeri Theatre Group. The death of Ojo Ladipo in 1978 brough Salami to the mantle of leadership of the group and eventually shot him to fame and recognition in Nollywood. The group has produced over 200 popular movie stars in the industry today.
Lere Paimo began acting in 1960 after he joined the Oyin Adejobi Theatre Group a theatre group founded by Pa Oyinade Adejobi before he later joined Duro Ladipo’s Theatre Group. He became popular after he featured in an epic Yoruba movie titled “Ogbori Elemosho”, which shot him to limelight. He has feature in award winning Yoruba movies and the name Lere Paimo or Eda Onileola will ever ring bell on many fan’s head.
Rafiu Balogun is a veteran actor and producer married to the movie veteran Madam Saje.
He is the founder of “Balogun Theatre Group”, which was founded in 1970, where Madam Saje was discovered.
Besides featuring in lots cof Yoruba movies. He has equally trained a lot of people stars, who are presently doing well in the industry.
Lanre Hassan popularly known as Iya Awero is a renowned actress who has featured in both Yoruba and English movies. She started her career with the Ojo Ladipo Theatre Group.
And after the death of her boss Ojo Ladipo, she joined hands with Oga Bello to take the group to the greatest height.
Despite her age and long stay in the industry. She is still very relevant and playing major roles in movies.
Alhaji Kareem Adepoju popularly known as “Baba Wande” is an actor, writer, producer who shot to limelight in 1993 after he starred as “Oloye Otun” in the movie titled “Ti Oluwa Ni Ile”. He joined the industry in 1962 and has remained active in the industry till date.
Idowu Philips, popularly known as Iya Rainbow is a veteran Nurse, actress, producer and director. She started her career in 90’s. She got her stage name “Iya Rainbow” from Sir Hubert Ogunde’s Theatre Group. The name originated from Osumare, which means Rainbow. Sir Hubert Ogunde worked closely with Iya Rainbow’s husband before he passed away.
After the death of her husband, she quit nursing and ventured into full time acting.
Toyin Adegbola popularly known as Toyin Asewo Te Re Mecca is an actress, producer and director. She began her acting career in 1984. Highly talented and creative. She was married to a Journalist before he died and has since remained unmarried. Blessed with two children.
Despite her long stay in the industry, she has remained relevant in the industry.
Modupe Johnson popularly known as “Fali Werepe” is an award winning Yoruba actress and producer. She is popular for her role in Yoruba television series titled “Bata Wahala”. Besides this, she has featured in a good number of Yoruba movies and she is one of the veterans that we enjoy watching in the 90’s.
Taiwo Hassan popularly known as “Ogogo” is an actor, producer and director. He worked with the Lagos State Water Corporation for 13 years before venturing into acting which he started under the tutelage of Awo Ademola Fagbemi between 81 and 82. He later retired and focus on acting fully. He is among the founder of one of the strongest caucus in the Yoruba movie industry “Odunfa Caucus”, where lots of movie stars were discovered.
Kehinde Akinremi popularly known as “Chief Karan” is one of the veterans that has spent over 5 decades in the industry. He often interprete the role of a rich man in most movies. His charisma and carriage is one thing many love to watch about him in movies. Despite interpreting the role of a big man in movies, he is one veteran who says acting has not paid off for him.
Nike Peller is a popular actress, producer, thespian and stage illusionist. She joined the movie industry in 1987 and came to limelight after starring in a popular Yoruba movie titled “Adun”.
She has equally featured in a good number of movies and concentrate more on other businesses than acting lately.
Tajudeen Oyewole popularly known as Abija. He has been in the industry for over 4 decades, taking up mostly the role of an herbalist in movies and can say as many as possible incantations in movies. He became the mainstream actor of the Yoruba section of Nollywood in the early 80’s. And his role in the movie “Opa Aje” shot him to limelight.
Kayode Olasehinde known as “Ajirebi” the semi literate old man to the Yoruba movie lovers and as “Pa. James” the crafty, yet notorious and funny old man in Papa Ajasco and family.
He is one of the veterans many love to watch on screen till date because of his unique skills and talents in the movie industry.
Ayeni Ayebo popularly known as “Yemi My Lover”. He is one of Nigeria’s long standing faces in the Yoruba speaking genre of the Nigerian movie industry. His role in the movie titled “Yemi My Lover” shot him to limelight. Though he has featured in other movies.
Sunday Omobolanle popularly known as “Papiliwe” is a comic actor, filmmaker, producer, and children.
He feature both in English movies especially series and Yoruba movies. He is no doubt one of the veterans that lots of fans enjoying watching their distinct from of acticng blended with comedy.
Dupe Jayesimi is one of the movie matriarch in the Yoruba movies industry. She has been acting for decades and still very good at what she does till date.
Peju Ogunmola is a popular actress who stars in Yoruba movies. She is happily married to Sunday Omobolanle (Papiluwe).
She is one actress despite spending over 3 decades in the industry maintains a very low profile, stays off scandal and still maintain a very successful movie career devoid of drama and above all still very relevant in the industry.
Alhaja Odukanmi Kudirat popularly known as “Iyabo Oko” joined acting as a teenager in 1973, as at that time, she was on the platform of Eda Onileola Theatre Troupe. Later, she joined Oga Bello’s Theatre Group in Lagos. The movie that made her popular was “Oko” which was produced by Oga Bello and it was after the movie she got the nick name “Iyabo Oko”.
Adeoye Adewale popularly known as “Elesho” is an actor and comedian. He is popular for featuring in the Yoruba blockbuster movie “Taxi Driver” amongst other award winning movies. Despite spending close to 4 decades in the industry, he is still very active and relevant in the industry.
Ebun Oloyede is fondly and widely known as “Igwe Olaiya”. He is a famous actor known for playing brilliant comical roles in Yoruba movies.
He started his acting career as a TV personality at NTA where he acted on stage plays with Musbau Shodimu Theatre Organisations in the 70’s.
Today, he is still one of the highly respected veterans in the industry.
Binta Ayo Mogaji is an award winning actress, who is popular for her amazing role in the movie titled “Igbalandogi”. She began her acting career at an early age of 16.
She is one brilliant veteran who is not just blessed with a good command of English, but also feature and interprete roles in Yoruba and English movies perfectly, back to back.
Sola Fosudo is a veteran Nigerian prolific dramatist, lecturer, critic, actor, producer and director. He has featured in a very good number of both English and Yoruba movies. He is also a professor and lecturer at the University in Lagos (LASU).
Remmy Shitta Bay popularly known as Bayo Omo Iya Aje has spent over 4 decades in the industry.
He is highly respected in the Yoruba movie industry, for his immense contribution to the entertainment industry.
Chief Adedeji Aderemi popularly known as “Olofa Ina” is a renowned name in the contemporary Yoruba Theatre and Film Circle.
He floated the Olofa Ina Theatre Group in 1972 with the likes of Erinfolamin, Dasofunjo, Gbolagade Akinpelu and late Oyetunji of Esinnla Compound Ede.
He received his theatre training under the late Oyetunji. He has equally trained a lot of Yoruba movie stars under his platform who are popular faces in the industry today.
Jide Kosoko is a highly respected actor, producer and director. He began his career at age 10 and has remained in the industry for over 5 decades.
He is one of the pioneers of the Yoruba movies and has featured in both English and Yoruba movies back to back. Also his children are doing exceptionally well in the industry.
Yinka Quadri is an actor, filmmaker, producer and director. He is popularly known in the industry as “Kura”.
He began his acting career in 1976. He created one of the prominent caucus in the industry “Odunfa Caucus” alongside his friend, Taiwo Hassan, Abbey Lanre and Ara-Osa. This caucus has also produced over 150 prominent stars in the industry today.
Yomi King popularly known as “Opebe” is popular for blowing our minds and cracking our ribs with his acting.
He started acting in 1979 with Babatunde Ibitola at a young age of 18.
He became popular with a TV programme called “Erinkeke in 1987 on Channel 8. Many remember and knows him for his funny nature of putting his slippers under his armpits.
Babatunde Omidina popularly known as Babasuwe is a comic actor and producer. He began his acting in 1971 but came to limelight after he featured in a movie titled “Omolasan” and became more popular after he feature in “Ini Esin” produced by Olaiya Igwe in 1997.
His unique style of comedy and acting is what stand him out amongst many others in the industry.
Dele Odule is a renowned film actor and producer. He made his first appearance on TV in 1982 and has since never looked back.
He began in a drama group called Oloko Theatre Group under the mentorship of Mukaila Adebisi and made his debut appearance in 1986 before he shot to limelight after starring in the movie titled “Ti Oluwa Ni Ile”.
He is no doubt one of the prominent member of the Yoruba movie industry.
Dejumo Lewis is renowned actor and famous for the Kabiyesi role in the Village Headmaster, Nigeria’s longest running television soap opera shown on NTA from 1968 to 1988 that stars the late Justus Esiri amongst others.
Kunle Adetokunbo popularly known as “Dejo Tunfulu” is a prominent Yoruba comic actor, writer and producer. He started his career with stage performance in the 80’s has his first television appearance in 1987 in the drama series “Apere Ijongbon”. His role in the movie titled “Omo Oran” shot him to limelight.
Toyin Afolayan popularly known as “Lola Idije” came to limelight after playing the role of Madam Adisa in the 1995 movie “Deadly Affair”.
She is from the popular movie family, the Afolayan’s family, an Aunt to Kunle Afolayan. Many love her close to perfection role interpretations in movies.
Tajudeen Gbadamosi popularly known as “Papilolo is a member of the Awada Group and among the veterans that rocked the Yoruba movie scene in the 90’s.
Kayode Olaiya popularly known as Aderupoko, while some others prefers to refer to him as Jenifa’s dad in Jenifa Diary and series as well. He also a member of Awada Group.
Oluwaseun Adio is a veteran comic actor popularly known as Pa Ojoge. His comic roles movies made his very popular among Nollywood fans. Ojoge has featured in several English and Yoruba movies, most especially English series.
Sola Sobowale is a fantastic actress, screen writer, director cum producer. Popularly known as “Toyin Tomatoe”. She had her big break in 2001, in the premiere of Nigeria’s popularly television drama series “Super Story” “Oh Father, Oh Daughter” by Wale Adenuga Productions.
Despite spending decades in the industy. She is still very much on top of her game.
Fausat Balogun popularly known as Madam Saje is one of the prominent veterans in the Yoruba movie industry. She starred as Mama Saje in a 1990 television series titled “Erin Keke” where she got her nickname till date. She is happily married to a movie veteran Rafiu Balogun.
Afeez Oyetoro popularly known as Saka is a famous Nollywood comic actor, lecturer, MC, model and stand up comedian. He is known for his down role in movies and has featured in several English and Yoruba movies. He is also a Senior Lecturer of Theatre Arts Department at Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education.
Yemi Shodimu is a renowned Nigerian dramatist, television presenter, filmmaker and director. He started acting in 1976, featured in Village Headmaster. He also starred in Yoruba movie “Ajani” a movie directed and produced by Tunde Kelani in 1997.
Grace Oyin Adejobi alias Iya Osogbo though has quit acting after spending 67 years in the industry. At age 90 years. She retired from the make believe industry. Many will always still remain her as “Iya Osogbo” in Yoruba epic movie.
Adebukola Mosoba better known as “Amina Eleha” is an actress known for movies like “Irunmole”, but her role in the movie “Amina Eleha” shot her to limelight.
John Arowosafe popularly known as Fadeyi Oloro is known for his powerful charms, and incantations in movies. He became known from the fiece anti hero he played in the old Yoruba soaps “Arelu & Yanponyanrin” amongst others.
Charles Olumo popularly known as Agbako is presently one of the oldest veterans in the industry, he is close to 100 years and still active in the industry.
Solomon Abiodun Majekodunmi is among the veterans that rocked the movie scene alongside his wife, years back. Ever since the death of his wife. He has maintained a low profile.
Lets not forget Margaret Bandele Olayinka popularly known as “Iya Gbonkan”. She often interprete the role of a witch in Yoruba epic movies.
Her acting is so real that many started seeing her like that for real. She is no doubt one of the veterans that made epic movies very interesting in the 90s.
Peter Fatomilola, he is a dramatist, actor, poet and prolific playwright. He is known for his unique knowledge of herbs and Yoruba tradition. He often plays the role of herbalist or Ifa Priest in movies.
Yetunde Ogunsola is a popular actress and movie producer. One of the wives of the late I Show Pepper. She has equally featured in lots of Yoruba movies in the 90’s too.
Bolatito Ogunsola popularly known as Aina Orosu, is the youngest wife of the late actor. She also featured in lots of Yoruba movies alonside other wives in the industry.
Tunbosun Odunsi is one of the veteran Nollywood stars, who have rocked the entertainment industry for more than 5 decades. He is one actor who has the ability to cry easily in movies, and often interprete emotional roles.
Yemi Solade is another brilliant and pioneer of the Yoruba movie industry. He began acting after he left his lecturing job for acting and despite spending so many years in the industry. He is still very relevant and still feature in award winning movies back to back.
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