Baba Sala: ‘We’ve lost another icon – Aregbesola

The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has commiserated with the Adejumo Abogunloko family of Ijoka Ilesa, on the passing of its patriarch, Apostle Moses Olaiya, aka Baba Sala.
Aregbesola said the death of Pa Adejumo, ends an era of flowing and successful theatre career.
The entertainer who was reported to have died of age-related illness, held the Nigerian theatre stage spellbound for more than five decades.
In a statement by his Media Adviser, Mr. Sola Fasure, Aregbesola said the death of the comedy legend would create a huge hiatus in the thespian trade in Nigeria.
The Governor said every Nigerian, who grew up in the South-West, would attest to the prowess and productivity of the late Pa Adejumo either on the television series and later the celluloid at the cinema.
Aregbesola noted that Adejumo was unarguably the greatest comedian around for more than 50 years, which made him the darling and delight of every home.
He said: “I received the news of the death of Pa Moses Olaiya aka Baba Sala, with a deep and irreplaceable sense of loss. He has been in our prayers since he battled with ailments arising from old age for some time now. His death is significant in here in that he has gone to rest with his Lord permanently.
“Nevertheless, his exit signified an end to his own brand of comedy, which no one can rival or beat. His death has therefore left a yawning gap in the theatre arena in the country.
“Pa Moses Olaiya Adejumo was undoubtedly a theatre veteran, a comedian par excellence and a humour merchant of no mean feat.
“He was a multi-talented artiste whose works straddle music, theatre and comedy. He had a travelling theatre troupe, performing in concerts, got his works recorded on vinyl and LP albums, cassettes, cartridge, celluloid, CD, video CD and DVD. He was also an entrepreneur, with significant investments in entertainment, hotels and recreation.
“He would forever be remembered for his creativity, dramatic simplicity, far-reaching and rib-cracking humour.
“His humour is clean, elevating, uplifting, philosophical and borne out of wisdom. You can hardly watch him without laughing and getting highly elated. He was a harbinger of good fortune: he made people forget their sorrows through his talent.
“His death certainly has left a gap too huge to be covered in the immediate subsequent years without him.