Photo: Ogundaisi
By Shaibu Husseini
LIGHT has dimmed on veteran artiste, culture and entertainment public policy architect, media analyst, administrator and consultant Olayinka Ogundaisi.
The Oyo born entertainer and administrator who is best known for starring as ‘Baba Eleran’ (Meat Vendor) in the original version of the defunct television drama series, Village Headmaster, reportedly died on Wednesday, after battling with a prolonged illness.
A consummate stage and screen practitioner, Ogundaisi, who according to reports has been buried in his native town of Oyo in Oyo State, was diagnosed with twisted intestines, a hernia, and an enlarged prostate in 2013. Before he passed on, Ogundaisi was unable to walk and was confined to a bed. He had complained that apart from the complications of twisted intestines, hernia and enlarged prostate, his illness was as a result of intermittent back pains he has had for more than 30 years.
“Whenever I experienced it, I usually took it as a sign of stress to take things easy. Now, the back bones have collapsed to trap the nerves and I must have immediate financial support to undergo the urgent surgery while the nerves and back bones could still be repaired,” he said in an interview in 2020.
Reputed as the second actor to play the iconic role of Sango in the epic film Oba Koso, several attempts by friends, colleagues and well-wishers to raise funds for a major surgery didn’t yield much.
However, help came for Othe deceased late last year, when Ogundaisi and 50 other beneficiaries of the social intervention programme of the Lagos State government met with Governor Babajide Sanwoolu. The Governor offered financial support to him and others after listening to their plights and the governor also promised to take care of his needs, pre and post-surgery and ultimately get him back on his feet again. But the actor, writer and director of films and TV and Radio programmes, has passed on.
A workaholic, Ogundaisi will be remembered for his effort in resuscitating and repackaging the longest- running Yoruba TV drama programme Feyikogbon. Author of the crime fiction novel, The Charmed Lock (Agadagodo), Ogundaisi was the architect of the National Film and Video Censors board’s New Distribution and Exhibition Framework. He also made name for packaging the Annual Legacies Carnivals for Oyo State to solve the perennial communal violence that attended the yearly masquerades festivals celebration in Oyo State.
Also in the year 2000, Ogundaisi launched the three- pronged ART – African Repertoire Theatre, comprising the staging of epics particularly of the late theatre fathers; Global Children Theatre as an art and cultural platform for children from all parts of the world to meet and interact, and Big Screen to premiere new movie releases. His direct movie productions are: Give and Take – 1990 (pre Nollywood), Destiny – 1995, Hostess – 1999, Omoge (Damsel) – 2007, Pardonable, Unforgiveable – 2016, and Happy Homes.
https://guardian.ng/saturday-magazine/light-dims-on-veteran-actor-olayinka-ogundaisi/
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…A man of many parts, his was an enviable legacy of service and dedication to humanity — Ibadan Film Circle
(Being text of a statement by the Ibadan Film Circle, IFC, to which the late Ogundaisi was an eminent member. The IFC announced that the 7th day prayer for the deceased was held Wednesday, June 22, while the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners, NANTAP, “is working hand in hand with the family to organise an ‘artiste night of tribute’ for him on the 29th of June”)
WITH a heavy heart and total submission to powers beyond us, we announce the death of Yinka Ogundaisi, our friend, colleague, companion, and banter-mate at the Ibadan Film Circle (IFC). He had been with us from the start of the IFC journey in 2016 till the cold hands of death snatched him away on June 15, 2022, in LUTH Lagos. Before then, he had put up a stellar fight against a crippling ailment for years.
OLAYINKA OGUNDAISI, born on the 18th of February, 1953, hailed from Okaka in Itesiwaju Local Government of Oyo State. A true proverbial man of many parts, he was an actor, writer, theatre and film director, public policy analyst (Arts & Culture/Entertainment),communications & corporate marketing/business development consultant. He was a Member, Nigerian Institute of Management, an accredited Management Trainer by Centre for Management Development (CMD) and a psychologist.
From a humble beginning in Okaka, he went on to work with Train-The-Trainer (TTT); Xerox International in 1982 after his school GCE certification in 1976. By 1984 he was in the Communications Arts unit of Xerox Nigeria from where he went on to occupy the position of the Country Champion; Total Quality Management, TQM – Xerox International between 1985 and 1986. Between 1986 and 1989, he secured a diploma in Marketing Management as one of the pioneer graduates of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM). Again, as part of a pioneer graduating set, he earned a Master’s in Managerial Psychology from the University of Ibadan in 1999.
In a period of 19 years between 1980 and 1999 when he was at Total Quality Management (TQM), he went through the ranks from Sales Executive in 1980, Field Trainer in 1982, to Country Champion in 1986 and thereafter all the strategic senior management positions in Sales, Human Development, Marketing and Customer Accounts.
In the course of his eventful life, he was an independent television, radio and film producer and contents developer and supplier to broadcasting channels. He also functioned as management trainers of blue chips companies, banks and the NNPC.
Between 2000 and 2004, he was the National Sales Manager of PANABIZ/PANASONIC with responsibilities covering key accounts and direct sales with supervisory management of the national sales structure. In the two years that follow, 2004 – 2006, he was Commercial Manager, CFAO Technologies.
For five years, 2006 – 2011, he served as Technical Consultant to the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB). In this position, he was involved in the conceptualisation, design and technical supervision of the Board’s New Distribution and Exhibition Framework, including staff support to the Director General on Public Policies Analysis and Industry-related matters.
Recently, before his demise, he was the Chief Executive Officer: Universal Films & Communications Limited, a motion pictures productions and contents supply company. He was the Principal Consultant: Y.O. & Associates Consulting, a management training and business consultancy outfit, specialising in designing and implementing clients’ business development, consultancy assignments and overall day-to-day supervisory management. He was also a vibrant member of Ibadan Film Circle (IFC)
Notable among his lifetime achievements are:
- Development of a new drama series for family cohesiveness; Happy Homes
- 2015 production of a new English movie on family sustainable happiness; Pardonable Unforgiveable
- 2014 resuscitation and development of the longest-running Yoruba counseling drama series, Feyikogbon, (aka ‘Learn-From-This’) into a global brand, broadcasting on local terrestrial television as well as cable channels (DSTV and Skyy in Europe)
- 2006 conceptualisation and development of the New Distribution and Exhibition Framework, (NDEF) to streamline the distribution of movies and music with global best practices and eliminate piracy for National Film & Video Censors Board, (NFVCB);
- 2004 re-publication of his novel on African Hypnotism as a modern thriller, The Charmed Lock, first published in 1992;
- 2004 introduction of the first national sales structure and the first Sales Management Diary (SMD) at CFAO Technologies;
- 2002 revival of the late Chief Duro Ladipo’s group to stage the epic play, Oba Koso to introduce his concept African Repertoire Theatre, Art and Global Children Theatre
- 1999 writing and directing another English movie, Hostess, featuring Gloria Anozie, Clarion Chukwurah and Yomi Obileye;
- 1995 writing and directing Destiny with Olu and Joke Jacobs in the lead roles;
- 1993 introducing Nigerian version of Sales Activities Management Diary (SAMD) in Xerox;
- 1992 developed strategies for managing global accounts in Nigeria for Xerox;
- 1990 writing and directing Nigeria’s First English video movie titled Give and Take
- 1986 – till death: regular articles in national newspapers in policy analysis on arts, information, cultural and entertainment affairs.
The wisdom of our forebearers maintains that the only antidote against death is a good legacy. We are happy that our friend and colleague is survived by children, grand-children and above all an enviable legacy of service and dedication to humanity.
*Ropo Ewenla, for Ibadan Film Circle
