Ace singer and film executive, Obafemi Lasode has passed away on months to his 70th birthday.
Omatshola ‘Tee Mac’ Iseli, the former president of the Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria (PMAN), confirmed Lasode’s death.
According to Tee Mac, a close family member notified him that Lasode passed away in the early hours of Friday after a prolonged illness.
“Yes I got a message from a close family member of Mr Lasode that he has joint his ancestor’s today. Obafemi had been sick for quite some time,” he said.
Born on December 4, 1955, in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, Lasode hailed from Abeokuta, Ogun state.
He was a versatile creative — film director, producer, songwriter, music producer, and playwright — best known as the CEO of Even-Ezra Nigeria Limited, the production company behind the award-winning 1997 film ‘Sango’.
Lasode attended St. Gregory’s College, Lagos, for his secondary education before earning a BSc in Business Administration from Kogod School of Business, Washington, D.C., and an MSc in Communication Arts from City University of New York.
He began his professional journey in the U.S., working as a promotions coordinator for Inner City Broadcasting Corporation in New York. In 1984, he made history by hosting Nigerian music legend Sonny Okosun at the iconic Apollo Theatre in Harlem.
Upon returning to Nigeria, Lasode produced Afrika in Vogue, a pioneering African music programme on Radio Nigeria 2, which aired from early 1989 for a year. In 1995, he founded Afrika ‘n Vogue/Even-Ezra Studios, further cementing his legacy in entertainment.
He also authored Television Broadcasting: The Nigerian Experience (1959–1992), a seminal book adopted by Nigerian universities.
Meanwhile, tributes have started pouring in from colleagues and fans, celebrating his immense contributions.
