Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has mourned the late Maroof Afolabi, a popular Yoruba actor, who died on Sunday and also commiserated with Nollywood fans, friends and families.
Adeleke, in a statement by his spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, on Monday in Osogbo, described the late Afolabi as a “passionate and ingenious Nollywood actor who stood firm in promoting the culture and tradition of the Yoruba through his God-given talent.”
The governor stated that he was a good ambassador of Osun who dedicated his life through his acting prowess to upholding the ethos of Omoluabi.
He said, “I remember the last time he visited me at the Country home. We discussed issues bordering on development of the entertainment industry.
“We agreed on plans to make Osun the cultural and tourism centre of Yorubaland.
“We can only be proud that he lived a life of grace and glory by successfully putting Osun in the frontline within the Nollywood film industry.
“We hereby condole his numerous fans across the world, his colleagues, friends and families on the demise of a wonderful personality.
“We take solace in the fact that Afolabi lived a fulfilled life of showcasing his talent to the outside world while earning applause from all and sundry.”
The governor prayed to God to grant his families and friends the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
Born on May 5, 1974, Afolabi, an indigene of Osun got into the movie industry in 2001.
The graduate of Iree Polytechnic, Osun appeared in over 60 movies before his death.
His film credits included ‘Ifa Olokun’, ‘Omowunmi’, ‘Jimi Bendel’, ‘Wasila Coded’, ‘Olokiki Oru’, and ‘Idera’, among others.
