Tunde Kelani Mourns Kola Oyewo: 'I Missed Him Then, I Miss Him Again'

Veteran filmmaker Tunde Kelani has written a farewell letter to late actor and scholar Kola Oyewo, and it hits like a scene from one of their films.

"Once he was publicly executed by Lagata, I couldn't bring Kola Oyewo back into the narrative. I missed him then. Today, I miss him again," Kelani wrote in a tribute titled "Farewell, Professor Kola Oyewo, Farewell, Oba Lapite."

Kelani and Oyewo worked together on classic Yoruba films like Koseegbe, Oleku, and Saworoide. In Saworoide, Oyewo played Oba Lapite, a role Kelani says he brought "depth, dignity and humanity" to — so much so that the character became one of the film's most unforgettable.

Oyewo died on Friday at age 80. Actor Kunle Afod broke the news on Instagram, praising his contributions to Nigerian entertainment. The cause of death hasn't been officially announced, but Oyewo had spoken publicly in April 2026 about struggling with prostate enlargement, which he said limited the acting roles he could accept.

Born on March 27, 1946, in Oba-Ile, Oyewo started acting in 1964 with the Oyin Adejobi Theatre Group. He became one of the most respected figures in Yoruba theatre and Nollywood. He was known especially for playing Odewale in Ola Rotimi's The Gods Are Not to Blame — a role that won him acclaim across African theatre.

Over six decades, he appeared in productions like Sango, Super Story, and many Yoruba-language films that helped shape Nigeria's movie industry.

But Oyewo was more than an actor. He earned a doctorate in Drama from the University of Ibadan and taught at Obafemi Awolowo University, Redeemer's University, and Elizade University. As a lecturer and mentor, he trained generations of actors, playwrights, and scholars.

Kelani praised him for successfully combining scholarship with performance, calling him a cultural ambassador who dedicated his life to learning, theatre, film, and preserving Nigerian culture.

"Kola Oyewo belonged to a rare generation that successfully bridged scholarship and performance. He inspired countless students, actors and audiences through his talent, humility and lifelong commitment to learning, culture, theatre and film," Kelani wrote.