A veteran actor and dramatist, Jimi Solanke, is dead. The folk singer, poet, and playwright died on Monday, just 59 days to his 82nd birthday.

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State confirmed the development in a statement.

Born on July 4, 1942, in Ipara Remo, Jimi Solanke’s artistic journey began as a pioneer member of the Orisun Theatre Group, founded by the renowned Wole Soyinka, in 1961.

His contributions to the global entertainment industry spanned seven decades, leaving an indelible mark on various platforms, from Western Nigeria Television in the 1960s to international festivals in Senegal and Algeria during the 1970s.

Solanke’s versatility shone through epic performances such as “Death and the King’s Horseman,” “Kurunmi,” “Kongi’s Harvest,” “The Divorce,” and “Ovaramwen Nogbaisi.”

The Oxford Times hailed him as a “Skilled Nigerian Actor,” and the New York Times recognized him as the star of an “Excellent Troupe” during a performance of Wole Soyinka’s “Kongi’s Harvest.”

The late Solanke was also a songwriter, performer, visual artist, and storyteller.

‘A great Ambassador’
While mourning Solanke, who hails Ipara-Remo in Remo North Local Government Area of the Ogun State, Governor Abiodun condoled with the family, describing the death as a colossal loss to the theatre community in the state.

In a statement, Abiodun said the late Solanke had “consistently put the name of the state in the limelight for very good reasons, especially in the arts right from his days at the University of Ibadan School of Drama”.

The governor urged relatives and other loved ones of the late poet to celebrate his life and ensure that the many legacies he left behind.