What! Mama Biodun Duro Ladipo?
Yes
Moremi Ajasoro
The daughter of Chief Asao
Of Epe Ekiti
I am talking about the strong woman
Who proved to the world that Nigerian women are imbued with humongous acting talents
The woman who identified, suffered, laboured and stood by with her husband trade –
Who
44 years ago
Lost her golden husband
That spectacular Nigerian Theatre Legend
The late Duro Ladipo
To the grim palm of death
The man who shattered the traditional theatre world with his epic stage plays Obakoso, Oba Moro, Moremi
Obakoso
The play which won Gold Medals at Berlin and the Commonwealth Theatre Festival
The man who was not acting like the Sango
But who was Sango himself
The man who spits fire out naturally and blows out flames effortlessly.
The man who endeared Nigerian theatre to the global consciousness, recognition, acceptance and embracement
The man who performed Obakoso in Germany rain-drenched the audience at a very unusual time when rain was not expected
The man whose charisma and spectacular commands on the stage warranted a special invitation to the Buckingham Palace, the abode of the Queen of England
The man who was not only commended by the Queen of England but who the Queen hosted, had a special dinner with him, he and his wife, Biodun spent a whole night at the Palace educating the Queen and her family on the uniqueness and niche of the Nigerian Theatre
The man who encapsulated his stage plays exhibiting the rich cultural values, ethics, mores, art, and artefacts of Yoruba
The man who selflessly promoted, sold, marketed, showcased, exhibited and endeared Nigerian traditional theatre to 16 countries in the world.
The man whose singular acts and plays stimulated ignited and stoked the embers of embracing theatre as a worthy profession in thousands of Nigerians
The man whose death was announced by the sporadic shattering of the cloud by thunder and heavy rainfall
The man who died in his prime when he had catapulted Nigeria theatre practising from domestic affairs to intercontinental acclamation
He was arrested by death when he was supposed to be reaping the fruit of his labour
Left behind a house at Bode Wasim, Ibadan, Oyo State.
A house and a compound where most of his TV series were acted.
A house where all his materials of acting are still kept
A house which if it is planted in a country where arts icons, arts, cultural. artefacts, heritage items are valued would have been turned into a museum or a National Monument
A house which is silently crying for attention and renovation.
He left a wife, a dedicated wife, a woman of virtue who has refused any man to lay upon her or beside her since the man left her at age 40.
And at age 80, Chief Mrs Biodun Duro Ladipo is not only alive but very hale, happy, healthy and joyful.
So you are expecting bad news from her……
Chai!
She is alive
‘ Nothing do her.’
Signed
Wale Ojo- Lanre
Usi- Ekiti
0803359098