The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Fadeyi Oloro

  • DON’T COME TO CRY AT MY GRAVE, HELP ME NOW–AILING NOLLYWOOD ACTOR FADEYI OLORO

    It is no longer news that famed Yoruba actor, Ojo Arowosafe, who is more popularly known as Fadeyi Oloro, is sick and in need of medical attention. In this interview with DUPE AYINLA-OLASUNKANMI, the actor, who is down with complications resulting from tuberculosis and presently staying in Ado-Odo, Ogun State, away from the buzz surrounding him, speaks on his state of health and other issues.

    HERE have been lots of reports on your death?

    Emi ma re o (this is me). I am not dead o.

    How are you feeling?

    I am not okay, that is because I have exhausted all the money with me for treatment. This is not my house. It was when the whole thing started that my family brought me here to keep a low profile. I used to stay at Meiran, Lagos State. And I have been reaching out to the public, but I had to face my God. I was not like this before, I could not walk. But I am better now. Right now, I don’t have enough money for the treatment I need. I cannot work at the moment; my shoulder, hand and legs are not responding well. I cannot stand on my own, I am usually assisted whenever I want to stand or use my walk (ing) stick as support. I am just pleading with my fans and lovers to continue and stand up for support, some people have tried, but I need more financial support.

    Why are you just reaching out to the public?

    I didn’t want to at first because I thought it was something I could take care of. I was paying for my drugs and treatment all by myself. It is because I don’t have the capacity anymore that is making me reach out to the public. I sold my car but the money was not enough, and I became handicapped. That was when I reached out to the public for assistance.

    When did the ailment start?

    It was about five years ago if I am not miscalculating.

    You are reaching out to the public for support but what exactly is wrong with you?

    My doctor is the one in the right position to tell what the ailment is. He has been discussing with some foreign doctors on my case. I have been treated, but there is no difference. If there is money, the ailment is something that can be treated here in Nigeria. There will be no need to waste money travelling abroad for treatment.

    Could this be a spiritual attack, being a prominent actor?

    I can’t really say. I have been instructed not to take any herbal medicine, except the drugs being given to me at the clinic. And with the way things are, the drugs are not working as expected. By now, I should be walking unassisted. And I have discussed this with my doctor; I was given drugs, but no changes.

    Have you considered all you described as aging symptoms?

    Excuse me, I am a young man. I am not old.

    What is the next thing for you?

    I plan to continue seeing my doctor. But I have to also consider alternative treatment now; herbs. I am not feeling fine.  I just started talking and I was not like this before. If I can be walking unassisted and the parts of my body that are not responding well get back to their normal condition, I will be okay.

    What do you want from the public and have your colleagues reached out?

    No, I haven’t heard from them. And I do not blame them. They did the same to Baba Suwe and Alabi Yellow.  Who am I to complain? It was when I saw that I might be dying that I called out to the public.

    You are a known actor, but  why is getting help taking so much time?

    Yes, I am a known actor and I have worked with so many politicians while acting. If I could walk, I could have gotten into my car and gone to meet them. But I don’t even have a car anymore. There is no politician that I will stand in his presence and will say he cannot recognize me. I have also stopped producing movies too, because of the market we have. Movies are no longer sold out at the marketer’s places.

    Why did you stop producing?

    I had stopped producing about five years ago because of the high rate of piracy then. And also nobody could pay my money, just like the likes of Jide Kosoko, Taiwo Hassan. We are only being called to help them feature in movies. And because I was so passionate about my job, and the name I wanted to make, I had no choice but to help them. Some would come and say they want to pay me 50,000 or 100,000 for a week job. And I am a socialite.

    Before I leave location, I have people who will come that they want to eat and it is out of that money that I will give to them. How many people do we tell this to? But the job continues. The market was what actually made me to  stop working. It is my own job that I can say is working for me.  I call people to come on set and I pay them off. And you cannot expect someone like me to produce a movie with N500,000. If I struggle to spend like millions on a movie, I am likely to go bankrupt because of  piracy.

    Let’s talk about your character, Fadeyi Oloro. What is the good and bad side of it?

    See, acting is my passion and is still my passion. The good part is that it gave me name, money and fame. And I was also able to teach people that being wicked is not good to humankind. The character came to place when I acted the role of Fadeyi Oloro in the popular Jimoh Aliu’s TV production, ‘Yanpon Yanrin.’ He was my master. The character is actually the story of a man in his hometown in Oke Mesi, who was very popular for his wicked acts. One of his acts was going to the bush to pooh, and whenever he is coming back or going, and steps on anybody’s pooh, he would  pack it bring it home and sprinkle charm on it and the person would  die. All he did was to tell me the story of the man and I put in more efforts by bringing it into life and that was how the name stuck till date. One bad part was in the 80s, when some fans tore my cloth at Mushin, because of my character thinking I am a wicked person. I am a Christian.  I attend Cherubim and Seraphim at Abule Egba, Divine Parish. If not that I am sick, during the week I might not have time to attend service, but Sundays I don’t miss service. I have had a young man in my church dumbfounded because he could not believe that I was in a church. It took him like a minute, before he could talk. I am only using my character in movies to teach, which is also my profession.

    As a socialite, how many wives did you have and how many are with you presently?

    I don’t have more than a wife.

    Are you saying you have been married to one woman all your life?

    No, I have married other women, but they usually leave me. But I am proud of just one who had children for me.

    Why did they leave?

    I don’t know why they left.

    Tell us about your costumes, who does it?

    I do my painting and costume myself. We are talking freely with each other now. But if I excuse myself and ask you to give me some time, by the time I go in and come back, you will run away. I will have to be the one to call you back, that it is still the same person that excused himself. That is what is being called a professional. The character has done a great deal for me, as an actor. Most people do not even know my name. Sometimes I challenge them whenever they call me Fadeyi Oloro. When I put on my costume, I am another person.

    Do you plan to return to acting when you fully recover?

    I have not quit acting. As I am now, not being able to walk, if I have people call me and say I don’t need to walk about, I will gladly put on my costume and get into character.

    We are yet to see anybody take up your character since your absence?

    It is God’s gift. If I am coming back again and  it will be my own production. I will not be coming under any group. It will be a personal production and will be telling people I am back again. I am not dead. This I believe will pull more crowd.

    How much are you looking at for you treatment?

    Even If I am given a million, I cannot really say this is the amount I need. The call I received some minutes ago is from a doctor who is based abroad and presently in Nigeria. He said he is in Osun State at the moment, but will send me a message to go to a hospital in Ogun State. He asked what the cause of my sickness is and I said tuberculosis, which can cause a whole lot of other things. And I asked him about the cost, he said I should forget about money for now and go there first. He said I should forget about the past treatment that they will have to start all over again. That they will treat me  until I am back on my feet and then money can be discussed.

    What is your wish?

    I want people to stand up and help me now that I need help. I don’t want people to come to my grave when I am no more and come and be crying. It is now that they should come out and help me financially because I want to be back on my feet. I have a long way to go in this industry.

  • Fadeyi Oloro is alive, say manager, wife

    Contrary to the news going round that actor Ojo Arowosafe, popularly known as Fadeyi Oloro, has died, his manager and wife have confirmed that he is still alive and doing fine.

    The manager who spoke to The Nation said the news is fake.

    “I was with him this evening,” he said.

    “While leaving, he escorted me to the gate and went back into the house. He is much better. The news is fake please.”

    His wife, simply addressed as Alhaja, also confirmed that her husband is hale and hearty.

    “Iro ni won pa o. Oloro o ku o,” she said in Yoruba, meaning “they are lying. Oloro is not dead.”

    The actor became popular in Jimoh Aliu’s production, ‘Yanpon Yanrin.‘

    Some weeks ago, it was reported Fadeyi Oloro was battling an undisclosed ailment and had been admitted in a General Hospital for some weeks.

    However, he was later discharged and declared be fit to go home.

    The tale of his bedridden state was first brought to the attention of the public by a younger colleague, Ibrahim Chatta.

    Speaking on the development, Chatta appealed to fans to support the ailing actor financially.

    Chatta went on to appeal to his colleagues to also donate generously to the treatment of the actor.

  • FADEYI OLORO discharged from hospital

    VETERAN Yoruba actor, Ojo Arowosafe, also known as Fadeyi Oloro, was discharged from the hospital on Friday.

    In a chat with The Nation, the actor’s manager, Mr Makinde confirmed that doctors said he is fit to go back home and his medical bills have been settled.

    “We are clearing his bill. He has been discharged and fit to go home by the doctor. But he will be coming once in a while to the hospital to see the doctor and also collect his drugs.”

    The actor was reported to have been taken to Orile Agege General Hospital, Lagos on March 3 on complaints of an undisclosed ailment.

    The actor who has been off the screen for a while is well-known for his portrayal of a dreaded movie character in the 80s and early 90s.

  • Fadeyi Oloro down with undisclosed ailment

    As Nigerians have risen to the cry of comedian Babatunde Omidina, aka Baba Suwe, who appears set for medical treatment abroad, fans of another veteran Yoruba actor, Ojo Arowosafe, aka Fadeyi Oloro can’t wait for the same gesture, as the latter lies critically ill in a Lagos hospital.

    The actor who has been off the screen for a while is well-known for his brilliant portrayal of a dreaded movie character in the 80s and early 90s.

    Actor Ibrahim Chatta posted a video of the ailing actor on Instagram few days back, urging the public to donate money to save the actor’s life.

    He wrote: “I am beginning to be scared right now. Posting this really breaks my heart. This is the legendary Fadeyi Oloro, down with kidney illness and needs urgent attention. I learnt is in a general hospital somewhere around Ile epo, I haven’t gone to see him yet. I will post his account details as soon as it’s made available. Nothing is too small, God bless you.”

    The Nation can confirm that the actor is currently on admission at Orile Agege General Hospital (OAGH), even though the hospital management would not let our reporter in on Tuesday.

    His wife, simply known as Alhaja, who would not disclose the nature of his ailment, said to us on telephone: “Something happened, which led to some sort of problem.  So if you want to speak to him, you have to involve the management of the hospital, because he is not allowed to speak to anyone now.

    “His manager is also one person you can speak to, but he is not around. He is being sent on errand by baba,” she added.

    The Nation had earlier called to speak with the actor on Monday, and his daughter said at the receiving end that, although he was being attended to, he would require more medical care and funds.

    “He has been attended to and taken to the ward. But it will be nice if you can come over and see him. He cannot say much, but whoever is with him can be of assistance with any question you may want to ask,” she said.

    Sources reveal that the actor is presently being isolated in the hospital due to the nature of his ailment.

  • Fadeyi Oloro down with undisclosed ailment

    As Nigerians have risen to the cry of comedian Babatunde Omidina, aka Baba Suwe, who appears set for medical treatment abroad, fans of another veteran Yoruba actor, Ojo Arowosafe, aka Fadeyi Oloro can’t wait for the same gesture, as the latter lies critically ill in a Lagos hospital.

    The actor who has been off the screen for a while is well-known for his brilliant portrayal of a dreaded movie character in the 80s and early 90s.

    Actor Ibrahim Chatta posted a video of the ailing actor on Instagram few days back, urging the public to donate money to save the actor’s life.

    He wrote: “I am beginning to be scared right now. Posting this really breaks my heart. This is the legendary Fadeyi Oloro, down with kidney illness and needs urgent attention. I learnt is in a general hospital somewhere around Ile epo, I haven’t gone to see him yet. I will post his account details as soon as it’s made available. Nothing is too small, God bless you.”

    The Nation can confirm that the actor is currently on admission at Orile Agege General Hospital (OAGH), even though the hospital management would not let our reporter in on Tuesday.

    His wife, simply known as Alhaja, who would not disclose the nature of his ailment, said to us on telephone: “Something happened, which led to some sort of problem.  So if you want to speak to him, you have to involve the management of the hospital, because he is not allowed to speak to anyone now.

    “His manager is also one person you can speak to, but he is not around. He is being sent on errand by baba,” she added.

    The Nation had earlier called to speak with the actor on Monday, and his daughter said at the receiving end that, although he was being attended to, he would require more medical care and funds.

    “He has been attended to and taken to the ward. But it will be nice if you can come over and see him. He cannot say much, but whoever is with him can be of assistance with any question you may want to ask,” she said.

    Sources reveal that the actor is presently being isolated in the hospital due to the nature of his ailment.

  • Fadeyi Oloro headlines ACN rally

    Fadeyi Oloro headlines ACN rally

    FANS of frontline Yoruba actor, Ojo Arowosafe, popularly known as Fadeyi Oloro, may have been wondering what their one-time veteran actor has been up to in recent times. We can authoritatively tell you that the man, who earned a name for himself for his valiant acts in movies, is at the moment in the forefront of the ACN governorship campaign in Ondo State.

    Among other entertainers within the Yoruba genre, Fadeyi’s face has become a regular feature in all the rallies by the ACN in the sunshine state.

    For example, the rally at Ore, Ondo State witnessed a large turnout of party faithful and supporters who clutched bundles of brooms, with which they hoped to sweep the state clean of the memories of the Labour Party government.

    Fadeyi stole the show at the rally as he became the cynosure of all eyes when he took the microphone to plead with the multitude to make way for the stakeholders to come on stage. In his words: “Ejo esu se yin ki awon Oludari wa ki won le bawa so ro.”

    Looking at the faces of the people at the campaign ground, it was evident that the actor and his colleagues not only added colour to the campaign, they also brought truck loads of excitement that enveloped the atmosphere at the campaign ground.