TAFA OLOYEDE: THE JOURNEY OF PASSION THROUGH SANCTUARY, STREET AND SCREEN

A veteran Nollywood Yoruba actor, John Adewunmi Adewoye popularly known as Tafa Oloyede passed away on Tuesday, 1st February, 2022 at the age of 69 at his residence, Arowomole, Kajola area Osogbo, Osun state.

His fans across the country doubted the breaking news of the veteran’s death, until it was officially confirmed by Ademola Oyedokun, the Osun state Secretary of  Theater Arts and Motion Picture Producers Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN).

Late John Adewunmi was a fantastic performer and well known for his rib cracking characterization in Yoruba movies. He was once tagged as the stage twin of ‘Baba Wande’, the legend of ‘TI Oluwa N’ile’.

The late veteran attended B.C Primary Schools, Olodan, Osun state. He later proceeded to Baptist Model School, Ode Omu but could not complete his secondary education at the school. Therafter, he moved to African Modern School to complete his secondary education. When he finished at African Modern School, he enrolled at L.A Modern School, Ede due to what he called “poor result” from his former school.

 His Childhood

Tafa Oloyede was born in Iseki Oloro, Olodan in Ede, Osun state. While growing up in a rural African setting, he had passion for singing, traditional dancing, drumming and playing football. A testimony to the fact that, Tafa was a gifted personality. Outside Performing Art, leather game was also a choice for the actor.

His love for stage play and acting led him to joining his church drama group, Iseki Oloro Baptist Church, Ode Omu, Ede, Osun state. This accorded him lead roles in many drama sessions in the church performances, especially during the end of the year celebrations. Whereas, he was being watched, monitored and cherished by a female admirer, Taiba Oyetunji who was then working with the late Oyin Adejobi. Versatile John was later invited to join a formal and established theatre group, but he stylishly turned down the offer.

The Transformation: Passion Turns Profession  

It has been documented that John Adewunmi Adewoye ventured into acting in 1974, after being sharpened as an actor by  late Oyin Adejobi.

Please, follow my ink path to know the genesis and exodus of how his passion turns to career.

After many days of hiding and avoiding the invitation of Mrs Taiba Oyetunji, he was finally pressured into honouring and appearing at a rehearsal with the aim to join the Oyin Adejobi’s theatre group in Osogbo. His performance was satisfactory and he was given the opportunity to showcase his God given talent.

This caused him to relocate from Ede to Osogbo. He chose career over home.

His sojourn to Osogbo provided the opportunity for him to meet with the late Samuel Alabi Oludayo Akinpelu, popularly known as ‘Alabi Yellow’. The duo lived in the same room as a drama apprentice under the tutelage of the late Oyin Adejobi in Osogbo. He made it known in one of his interviews that, he taught the late ‘Alabi Yellow’ the act of drumming. Other well-known veterans in the same Oyin Adejobi Theatre Group with him were Kareem Adepoju (Baba Wande), the manager of the group, Grace Oyin-Adejobi- the famous iya Osogbo in ‘Eran Iya Osogbo’  and a host of others.

Tafa Oloyede as fondly called by his fans was a sobriquet from late Oyin Adejobi’s drama- ‘Kootu Asipa’ (Asipa’s Court). In an interview with Ojopagogo TV, Tafa remarked that, his first monthly salary was #200 compared to Alabi Yellow’s #150. He was able to earn that much because of his fluency in typical Yoruba language. He was rated above Alabi Yellow, but “I was always scared and lost whenever I’m on stage, acting with baba Wande”, he said.

He was a star actor in movies like ‘Laniyonu’, ‘Folajiyo’, ‘Jaiyesimi’, ‘Ese Maalu’, ‘Iyekan Soja’, ‘Ayanmo’, ‘Ekuro Oloja’, ‘Orogun Adedigba’, ‘Akanji Oniposi’, e.t.c. The late Osun indigene acted as ‘Lagunna’ in ‘Afonja’ (2002). He also featured in Alani Kanselo (2002), a movie directed by Korede Soyinka. He usually played lead roles in ‘Orogun Adedigba’, a film that projected the biography of the late Oyin Adejobi; and ‘Folajiyo’, in which he acted as the king.

While developing as a young actor, there were challenges that could serve as lessons to the upcoming and star actors in Nollywood. One of such is placing money or fame before passion and professionalism.

Though, lack of financial supports from government, philanthropists and fans affected productivity and creativity of actors, except those that have dedicated passion for acting. “If there were no stage plays in schools and absence of theatre tours, there would not be income for us. We usually urge our boss to stage plays in schools for survival”, he exposed.

Tafa Oloyede, born in 1953 was one of the greatest actors that many would love to feature on stage and screen because of his professional deliveries. He lived to impart through acting, using his God-gifted passion to entertain, educate, inform and positively influence the lives of many Nigerians.

No doubt, John Adewunmi Adewoye, A.K.A Tafa Oloyede – a consummate actor, thespian and Yoruba cultural ambassador has created a lacuna in Nollywood, particularly among his fans, associates and Osogbo TAMPAN.

He was survived by wife and children.

Picture credit- Internet