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Final Curtain for Kola Oyewo: Three-Day Funeral Rites Set for Nollywood Legend
The family of veteran Nigerian actor and academic Kola Oyewo has announced a three-day funeral program to honor the 80-year-old theatrical icon.
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Jul 27, 2026
Updated Jul 27, 2026
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The Nigerian theatrical community is preparing a grand, multi-day farewell for one of its most distinguished founding fathers. The family of veteran actor, academic, and cultural icon Chief Dr. Gabriel Adekola Benedict Oyewo—universally revered as Kola Oyewo—has officially announced a comprehensive three-day burial program scheduled from Wednesday, August 5, to Friday, August 7, 2026. The towering figure of Yoruba cinema and stagecraft passed away on June 12, 2026, at the age of 80, leaving behind an unparalleled legacy that bridged the gap between raw folk theatre and rigorous academic drama.
Oyewo was not merely an entertainer; he was a foundational pillar of Nigeria’s cultural export machinery. His transition from the itinerant traveling theatre troupes of the 1960s to the highest echelons of the university lecture hall represents the very evolution of modern African performance art. As the Balogun of his native Oba-Ile in Osun State, his passing is being mourned not just as the loss of a celebrity, but as the departure of a custodian of traditional Yoruba heritage and language.
A Life Dedicated to the Stage and Classroom
Born on March 26, 1946, Oyewo’s artistic journey began in 1964 when he joined the legendary Oyin Adejobi Theatre Group. His raw talent quickly manifested in his debut role as Adejare in Orogun Adedigba. After nearly a decade of rigorous training in the populist Alarinjo tradition, he transitioned to the prestigious University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) theatre company in 1973, falling under the mentorship of the late dramatic titan, Chief Ola Rotimi.
Refusing to let his lack of early formal education limit his trajectory, Oyewo embarked on a remarkable academic pursuit. He secured a certificate in Dramatic Arts, followed by a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts in 1995. His insatiable intellectual curiosity drove him to the University of Ibadan, where he ultimately earned a Ph.D. in Drama. In 1996, he joined the academic staff of Obafemi Awolowo University, rising to the rank of Senior Lecturer before retiring in 2011. He subsequently served as Head of the Department of Dramatic Art at Redeemer’s University and as a performing arts lecturer at Elizade University in Ilara-Mokin.
The Three-Day Celebration of Life
To honor his dual identities as an academic and an artist, the Bangbola Oyewo family of the Ese-Ola Royal House, in conjunction with the Balogun Oyekola Oyewo Memorial Committee, has engineered a funeral protocol that spans both the university campus and his ancestral hometown. The rites commence on Wednesday, August 5, with a Wake-Keep and Service of Songs at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Igboya, Ile-Ife, running from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
Thursday, August 6, is designated as a day of high cultural tribute. Following a morning Commendation Mass, the theatrical community will converge at the iconic Oduduwa Hall at Obafemi Awolowo University for an Artistes’ Night from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM. This event will feature cultural displays, dramatic tributes, and a curated exhibition of Oyewo’s lifelong body of work housed at the Pit Theatre inside the African Studies Building. On Friday, August 7, a solemn motorcade will transport his remains to his hometown of Oba-Ile for a Lying in State at the Ese-Ola compound, followed by a Requiem Mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church and a strictly private interment at Labaluyege Villa.
Defining Roles and Enduring Legacy
Oyewo’s physical presence, booming vocal authority, and profound grasp of Yoruba idiom made him a director’s ultimate asset. He achieved continental immortality through his definitive portrayal of Odewale in Ola Rotimi’s tragic masterpiece, The Gods Are Not to Blame. In the cinematic realm, he transitioned seamlessly into the golden age of Nollywood, delivering iconic performances that shaped the moral consciousness of a generation.
- 1995: Starred as the unyielding protagonist Mako in Tunde Kelani’s anti-corruption classic, Koseegbe.
- 1997: Delivered a chilling performance as Oloye Ajasa in the highly acclaimed campus drama O Le Ku, and featured in the epic Sango.
- 1999: Cemented his legendary status as the deeply corrupt and tyrannical King Lapite in the political allegory Saworoide.
- 2015–2023: Continued to dominate the screen in contemporary works like Ayomi (2015), Oba Bi Olorun (2021), and Ogeere (2023).
Global Resonance of Nigerian Theatre
The passing of Dr. Kola Oyewo reverberates far beyond Osun State. For the vast Nigerian and West African diaspora residing in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia, Oyewo’s films served as a vital, umbilical connection to the homeland. His portrayal of complex traditional rulers and flawed modern patriarchs provided a cinematic anthropology that preserved Yoruba cultural philosophy in the digital age.
As younger generations of Nigerian filmmakers command global attention on streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime, they build directly upon the professional foundation laid by Oyewo and his contemporaries. By merging the discipline of the university with the soul of the village square, Kola Oyewo elevated Nigerian acting from a casual pastime to a globally respected intellectual profession. His final exit marks the end of an era, but his indelible performances will continue to instruct and entertain long after the curtains fall.
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- 01PMNewsNews report
Three-day funeral rites for veteran actor Kola Oyewo to commence August 5Published 27 Jul 2026Accessed 27 Jul 2026- • Kola Oyewo died on June 12, 2026 at age 80
- • Funeral rites run from August 5 to August 7 in Ile-Ife and Oba-Ile
- • He portrayed Odewale in The Gods Are Not to Blame and King Lapite in Saworoide
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