More details have emerged on how popular playwright, actor and broadcaster, Pa Adebayo Faleti, died.
Adeniyi, one of Faleti’s sons, said his father observed the early morning devotion with family members when he woke up and soon after told them that he prayed to God to send someone else to continue his mission as he was tired and longing for home.
Adeniyi said: “After the morning devotion, I helped him to the bathroom as I normally did.
“He said he wanted God to send someone else to come and complete his work because he had done all he could do.
“He also said that he wanted to go home.
“Suddenly, I noticed that he was not breathing again.
“We took him to the University College Hospital, Ibadan, where he was confirmed dead.
“We shall miss him greatly.”
Moteniola, one of the wives of the deceased, said: “I knew him as a loving husband and I will always remember how well he catered for the family. He prepared the children for a good future by ensuring that they got good education.”
While celebrating the octogenarian, another of Faleti’s children, Gbemi, said: “He reached the peak of his career in life. As an actor, he was a celebrated artiste. As an administrator, he headed the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) and Oyo State office of Mass Mobilisation for Self Reliance, Social Justice, and Economic Recovery.
“He fitted into every good role that a father and a friend could play.
“We are sad about his demise but we are grateful for the fulfilled life he lived.
“He is survived by children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, that is the grace anyone should be thankful for.”
Faleti was 86 when he died on Sunday morning.
He is survived by three wives, including Moteniola and Olubunmi, his current wife and has about 15 children.
Pa Faleti was a Yoruba translator, TV exponent and a pioneer staff of the first television station in Africa, Western Nigeria Television.
He was responsible for translating Nigeria’s anthem from English to Yoruba.
He also translated speeches by former Military President of Nigeria, Ibrahim Babangida, and Chief Ernest Shonekan, the Head of National Interim Government of Nigeria, from English to Yoruba.
Faleti published a dictionary containing the formal or official use of Yoruba names.
He received many awards, both locally and internationally, including the national honour of the Officer of the Order of the Niger, the Festival of Arts award with Eda Ko L’aropin and the Afro-Hollywood Award for Outstanding Performance in Arts.
Faleti, the first son of his father, late Joseph Faleti, and the only child of his mother, Ayinke, was born in Agbo-Oye.
He was from a humble background.
He had to put on hold his primary education because his father was so poor to send him to school.
In 1949, he founded a theatre group called Oyo Youth Operatic Society.
After working for some time, he went back to school and completed his primary school education and in 1966, he gained admission to the University of Dakar in Senegal where he later obtained a Certificate of proficiency in French Language and Civilization.
Two years later, he graduated from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, with an honours degree in English.
In 1971, he attended the Radio Netherlands Training Centre in Hilversum, the Netherlands, and received a certificate in Television Production.