The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Victor Olaotan

  • When Femi Otedola lifted a soul

    When in October news went round that Actor Victor Olaotan, popularly known for his role in the television series Tinsel, was involved in an accident, many did not know how bad the accident was. But weeks after, it was obvious that, the ghastly accident had left the popular veteran actor gasping for survival.

    Olaotan suddenly needed a whopping $50,000 to correct a nervous system injury; something that has to do with neuro-rehabilitation. Even if many politicians and highly placed people could afford to come to his help, only few indicated intention.

    So, Olaotan’s family members waited and waited but only peanuts were dropping into the offering box. But thank God for good friends in the movie industry, one person contacted the other and somehow, actor Richard Mofe-Damijo got involved and we hear he contacted Billionaire Femi Otedola. And before one could say Jack Robinson, the billionaire had sent his people to the financial rescue of the ailing actor.

    So, it was such a relief when friends of the actor who were hitherto running helter-skelter looking for help heard that the billionaire businessman had come to the rescue.

  • Veteran actor Victor Olaotan seeks $50 000 for treatment abroad

    Two years after a tragic accident, popular actor, Victor Olaotan, has reached out for financial help to enable him travel abroad fo treatment to prevent his two legs from being amputated.

    The treatment which involves neuro-rehabilitation will require the sum of $50, 000.

    Ireti doyle, a colleague took to her Instagram a day ago to ask for help to make his recovery a success. She wrote, “2years ago… my friend, colleague and tv husband, Victor Olaotan aka Fred Ade-Willams was involved in a ghastly motor accident that has left him bedridden ever since…The family has done all that can be done here and have been advised to seek further options outside these shores… to this end I appeal to everyone who feels led, to please help make this happen.

    “The link to the gofund me acct set up for this purpose is in my bio… for those who would like to give in naira, pls send your donations to: Standbic IBTC Acct Name: Julia Olaotan, Acct No: 00011011396 may we find help in our time of trouble”.

    The Gofundme page went live on Sunday, December 2. The message on his Gofundme page, which was created by Emmanuel Ajibade reads; “Victor Toye Olaotan has brought Joy to teeming viewers on stage, Television and the big screen through his solid work as a professional actor. For the last two years he has been incapacitated following an accident. Victor is still fighting and he has been advised to seek medical attention outside our nigerian shores. We implore your help in raising the funds. For the naira account, here is his wife’s info since he can’t go to the bank 0001101396 Stanbic bank, Julia Olaotan.”

    Other enterainers have since been uploading the message to spread the news to make the funds get in quickly.

    The actor, best known for his role in ‘Tinsel’ and in ‘Three Wise Men,’ alongside Richard Mofe-Damijo and Zack Orji, was involved in a car crash in Lagos in 2016, and was placed in a medically induced coma as he was treated for months.

  • 80 DAYS AFTER CAR CRASH, VICTOR OLAOTAN STILL IN HOSPITAL

    80 DAYS AFTER CAR CRASH, VICTOR OLAOTAN STILL IN HOSPITAL

    SINCE surviving a ghastly motor accident in the early hours of October 31, 2016, popular Nigerian actor Victor Olaotan is still in hospital.

    Olaotan, who played one of the fun-loving trio in Opa Williams’ latest movie, ‘Three Wise Men’, was returning to a movie set in Festac, Lagos,   when the accident happened around Apple Junction, Festac. He was the only occupant of the car at the time of the accident.

    Olaotan was rushed to a hospital in Surulere where he was place in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and has been there ever since. Though Olaotan was induced into a coma for treatment, he had since come out of it.

    His publicist, Demola Sanyaolu, in a telephone call put to him on Wednesday said that the actor is ‘recovering’ and ‘will be discharged from the hospital soon.’

    But he is not certain of when he will be discharged.

    The actor was notably absent at the premiere of ‘Three Wise Men’ in Lagos, last December.

    The film tells the story of 64-year-old Irikefe (Richard Mofe-Damijo) and his two friends, Timi (Zack Orji) and Tobore (Victor Olaotan), all retirees, who become playboys.

    Produced by Opa Williams and directed by Patience Oghre-Imobhio, the film got funding from Nollyfund, a Bank of Industry (BoI)’s intervention for movies.

    Other cast of the movie are Ebere Okaro, Tina Mba, Thelma Nwosu, Uche Nwaefuna, Akunna Nworgu and Stanley Edirin Isokoh

    Olaotan who started acted in 1959, played Fred Ade-Williams, the lead role in the Nigerian TV drama, Tinsel. He had kick-started his stage career when he represented his school in the play, Gods Are Not To Blame.

    In 1974, Olaotan starred in a soap opera by Laolu Ogunniyi called ‘Candles in The Wind’. Olaotan also worked at NTA Ibadan where he produced Yoruba and English dramas. And in 1981, he accompanied former president Shehu Shagari to the United States to have a meeting with President Ronald Regan.

  • Actor Victor Olaotan stable, following auto crash

    Actor Victor Olaotan stable, following auto crash

    Colleagues and fans of popular Nigerian TV star, Victor Olaotan, had sought fervently for prayers to help the entertainer come through coma, following reports of his involvement in an auto crash, early Monday morning, around Apple Junction, Festac Town, Lagos.

    The actor was said to be the only occupant in the car when the Police found him, and rushed him to a hospital in Ajegunle, then, the General Hospital, Lagos Island, from where he was taken to a private hospital in Bode Thomas, Surulere.

    Relief came few hours later with news that the actor had regained consciousness in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where a C-Scan was also conducted on him.

    A woman who picked the actor’s call around 2:30pm told The Nation he was in stable condition.

    There are indications his left leg was badly affected in the accident.

    A notable stage and television actor, Olaotan played the lead in the popular Nigerian TV drama, Tinsel.

    His latest feature film, The Three Wise Men, in which he stared alongside RMD, Zack Orji, Tina Mba and Ebele Okaro is a Bank of Industry (BoI)’s NollyFund support project, produced by Opa Williams and due for release on December 2, 2016.

  • Why I left the Catholic Church —Victor Olaotan

    Why I left the Catholic Church —Victor Olaotan

    ALL roads led to Troy Lounge Ogba as V-Channel, an entertainment cable channel on Star times, hosted ace actor Victor Olaotan at its bi-weekly ‘V-Night Out’ party.

    The event which started with red carpet by 10pm was a fun-filled atmosphere as guests and fans alike trooped in to have a wonderful time with the respected Nollywood star. It was a night of excitement and merrymaking.

    Olaotan, who plays the role of Fred Ade-Williams, the patriarch on the popular TV series Tinsel, relieved his youthful days as he danced to his favourite oldies with astonishing dance moves, much to the surprise and excitement of all in attendance. He rounded the dancing session by ‘digging’ it to the latest single from Davido, Gobe.

    Engaging guests in a question and answer session, Olaotan who used to be a staunch member of the Catholic Church revealed he left the faith because the problems in Africa require a more spiritually fervent handling.

    “I grew up in a Catholic setting and was a committed member till I left for a pentecostal church. The problems in Africa require more spiritual fervency than what the Catholicism was giving me, so I had to leave,” the veteran actor said.

    Victor also spoke about his family abroad and leaving America because of tax miscalculation. “I was running a business and paying personal tax only for the authorities to come and said I ought to have been paying company tax as well. By the time they were done with calculation I had $4 million to pay. I had to leave because I couldn’t afford that amount,” he revealed.

    There were also various music performances, comedy acts and dance routines, to thrill the crowd.