Veteran Actor, Baba Suwe dies at 63

Veteran Nigerian comic actor, Babatunde Omidina popularly called Baba Suwe is dead.

Baba Suwe died today, November 22, 2021 following a battle with an undisclosed protracted illness.

The president of the Theatre Arts and Motion Picture Producers Association of Nigeria, (TAMPAN) Bolaji Amusan aka Mr Latin confirmed his death.

Mr Latin said, “It has been confirmed that Baba Suwe is dead. I just got off the phone with his son who confirmed that the actor is dead. I don’t have much details about his death.”

Baba Suwe hails from Ikorodu Local Government Area of Lagos State. He was born on August 22, 1958, in Inabere Street on Lagos Island where he grew up.

Omidina had his primary education at Jamaitul Islamial Primary School in Lagos and Children Boarding School, Osogbo before he proceeded to Adekanbi Commercial High School in Mile 12, Lagos.

He obtained the West African School Certificate from Ifeoluwa Grammar School in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, southwestern Nigeria.

Omidina began acting in 1971 but came into the limelight after he featured in a movie titled, ‘Omolasan’, a film produced by Obalende.

He became more popular after he featured in Iru Esin, produced by Olaiya Igwe in 1997. He had also featured in and produced several Nigerian movies such as Baba Jaiye Jaiye, a movie that featured Funke Akindele and Femi Adebayo.

According to reports, Baba Suwe had battled an undisclosed illness over the past few years.

The actor’s health condition was made public in 2019.

In 2019, Mr Latin said TAMPAN had been taking care of the veteran actor’s medical bills since 2017, under the administration of immediate-past President, Dele Odule.

Baba Suwe’s ailment landed him at Lagos University Teaching Hospital in Idi Araba, Lagos and according to Mr. Latin, the development was as a result of the approval of the association’s appeal to the Federal Government to foot the medical bill of the veteran.

Mr. Latin said the ailing veteran comedian was promised first-class treatment by the Federal Government at LUTH.

The actor also spent a month in a hospital at Rhodes Island, near New York, in the United States, where he received treatment for complications arising from diabetes and other ailments.

Punch/Hauwa Abu