A veteran Yoruba actress, Folake Aremu, popularly known as Orisabunmi, has passed on.
She was 60.
The Kwara born thespian’s death comes only months after the death of her ex-husband Jimoh Aliu, better known as Aworo, who died on September 17, 2020.
The President of the Theatre Arts And Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN) Bolaji Amusan, aka Mr Latin, confirmed she died on Tuesday night. Another senior TAMPAN member, Tunde Ola-Yusuff, also broke the news of her death in a Facebook post.
Orisabunmi was famous for playing the role of a priestess with magical powers expressed in incantations and some other mysterious manifestations and these have endeared her to many viewers for many years.
The late actress achieved fame in the 80s when she starred in the TV series Arelu, alongside her ex-husband and the likes of Fadeyi Oloro. This was shortly after she was discovered by her ex-husband in the 80s while working as a teacher in Kwara State.
She first appeared in a stage play called ‘Ori Ma Binu’ but it was her role as ‘Orisabunmi’ in “Arelu” that made her a household name.
Some of her iconic roles include ‘Asabi’ in “Oluwerimagboojo” and the priestess in “Ayanmo Eda”.
Orisabunmi was born on October 10, 1960, in Ilu Ola, Kwara state.
She went to Ilu Ola Primary School and Secondary Commercial College.
She never attended university.
The veteran actress was discovered by her ex-husband in the 80s while working as a teacher in Kwara state.
Her ex-husband, Nollywood veteran, Chief Jimoh Aliu (Aworo) had first noticed her and expressed his interest in her.
After visiting him on set, Orisabunmi decided to try a role in a movie he was producing. He found that she was gifted in acting and decided to officially add her to the play.
She soon began her career appearing in movies produced by Aworo.
She first appeared on a stage play called ‘Ori Ma Binu’ but it was her role as ‘Orisabunmi’ in “Arelu” that made her a popular name in Nollywood in the 80s.
Her appearance in other movies like “Agbaarin” and soap opera, “Yanponyanrin” cemented her place in the movie industry.
She was trained by Chief Jimoh Aliu but her special ability to speak incantations comes from her upbringing.
She was born into a family with a masquerade lineage so she already knew some incantations before she had to start acting.
She married Chief Jimoh six years after she began her career but they are now divorced.
He claimed in an interview with The Sun that she had absconded with another man.
He said, “But when the devil struck, the agent that satan used to accomplish the mission was the man she eloped with.”
There were also rumours about her dating King Sunny Ade but Aworo quickly shut them down, clearing the air that it never happened.
Orisabunmi has been a part of the industry for 42 years
She has played some iconic roles like ‘Asabi’ in “Oluwerimagboojo”, and the priestess in “Ayanmo Eda”.
In more recent times, she played the role of ‘Eyegbemi’, a witch who tries to help her friend out of poverty in “Iya Alakara”.
Folake Aremu has also produced her own movies such as, “Atupa Imole”, “Ase Ilu”, and “Tani O”.
She looks up to other actresses like Iya Awero, Mama Efunsetan and Mama Ogunde.
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