More tribute from home and abroad for Veteran stage and screen actress Bukky Ajayi

By Husseini Shaibu

Bukky Ajayi on the AMVCA stage

The grounds of Atan Cemetery in the Yaba area of Lagos couldn’t contain the large crowd of family members, close relations and members of the creative industry who turned up on Wednesday to witness the interment ceremony of popular octogenarian stage and screen actress Zainab Bukky Ajayi. The actress who is popular as ‘Auntie Bukky’ reportedly died in her family home in Surulere area of Lagos and was laid to rest same day at Atan Cemetary, Yaba, Lagos in accordance with Islamic injunction. She was aged 82. 

Close family members say it was ‘Auntie Bukky’s wish to be buried as soon as possible’’ at a nearby cemetery. ‘’So we merely kept to her wish and Atan was the closest cemetery to where she resides’’ a close relation said at her Aguda, Surulere home that has playing host to hordes of mourners.

A devout Muslim and thespian who is roundly regarded as a core professional, Auntie Bukky as younger colleagues call her is a veteran actress of vast credit. She has hugged both the stage and screen and she is best known for her inimitable performance in the Andrew Dosumu’s well travelled film ‘Mother of George’ and in some Nollywood movies including the 2004 feature ‘Indecent Girl’ and the 1998 movie ‘Witches’. Her last major television appearance would be playing a leading role in the soap Hotel Majestic.

Mama Bukky Ajayi

Clearly, a living legend of the stage and screen, Auntie Bukky began her career on screen as an announcer, presenter and newscaster with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). While at that, Auntie Bukky who studied drama at the prestigious Stanislavsky Institute of Drama, London found time to feature in some soaps and series produced on NTA. The now rested Village Headmaster series is one programme that benefitted from her expert portrayal.

A mother, grandmother, great grandmother and acting auntie to a lot of young people, the iconoclastic actress had what is perhaps her last public outing as a celebrity when she honoured the invitation of the organizers of the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award (AMVCA) to receive a life time achievement award. The actress who attended the event on a wheel chair made a moving speech that is now termed her farewell speech to the industry. She had said shortly after receiving the award ‘’all these people (referring to the audience that all stood to also honour her). You mean you are all standing for me? Oh..oh..Please, if I have done anything wrong to you in the past, please forgive me…and I too have forgiven those who wronged me in the course of life and on this job’’.

photos from Mama Bukky Ajayi 82nd Birthday

Condolence messages has continued to pour in from home and abroad for the actors’ actor who will be remembered for her total commitment to the acting vocation. Popular stage and screen actress and a long time associate of the deceased actress Joke Silva struggled to describe the late actress in the past. She said in a tribute to the theatre Amazon ‘’we started working together in the early 90’s. Her sense of humour was beautiful. She will look like she is really mad at you then she will break out with an infectious smile. Auntie Bukky was your typical jobbing actor. What that means is that she was not ‘star status’ conscious. She just loved to work. Lufudo productions performed Ahmed Yerima’s ‘The Sisters’ five times and she was in all of them including the one at Hackney Empire Stratford East London, which we produced in partnership with ZMirage. Auntie Bukky had really bad arthritis at the time but she would insist on going round with us to publicize the play and we played to a full house each time.  She loved the experience. I am glad that The Theatre Advocates visited her before she died and spent quality time with her. One thing she harped on was that it was important to set up a pension and insurance scheme for the industry. She has gone to a well-deserved rest’’ she said.

The National President of actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) Ibinabo Fiberisima has commiserated with the family of the late actress. The actors President says the actress will be fondly remembered for her numerous contributions to the guild and the society in general.

Information and Culture Minister Alhaji Lai Mohammed has also condoled the family of the actor whom he described as an Amazon and worthy thespian. Speaking through his Special Assistant on Media Segun Adeyemi, the Minister said the elder artiste lived an exemplary life and exhibited sterling qualities through out her lifetime. In condolence message, which Adeyemi later issued on behalf of the Minister Alhaji Mohammed said despite her advance age, it was still with a sense of sadness and great loss that he received the news of the death of the veteran actress and broadcaster. ‘’Her journey in the Nigerian Creative industry spans decades of amazing performances in classic productions such as the unforgettable Village Headmaster and a number of critically acclaimed stage and screen productions like Thunderbolt, Oduduwa, Women’s Cot, Mother of George and The Sisters. Her name will be etched in the minds of her colleagues and fans in Nollywood because of the memories she gave all of us to cherish. There is no doubt that she will forever be an inspiration to generations of people in the creative industry’’ Alhaji Mohammed said.

Also, President of the Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN) Fred Amata in a condolence message described the late Bukky Ajayi as ‘a core and total professional of theatre and screen whose exemplary lifestyle both on and off set is worthy of emulation by younger actors’. Amata also said ‘’Bukky Ajayi’s death has left a huge gap difficult to fill in acting, yet her life and work is a huge contribution to resource and annals of Nollywood’’.

In a tribute too, popular actor Bimbo Manuel described her as an Amazon who enjoyed her craft. ‘She enjoyed her craft, delivered every time she was on call. She was an icon’’ he said.

The last time Auntie Bukky Ajayi spoke to the Guardian was the week after she received the AMVCA award. She spoke of her career and one of the best decisions that she took in life. She said ‘’I would say it is the day I decided that I was going to become a Muslim. From that moment, I experienced peace and everything started running smoothly for me…I must say that I am fulfilled. I am have seen the good, the bad and the ugly but I have mostly experienced the good. I am celebrated everywhere I go.  Acting has made me a celebrity even though I don’t feel like one. I just see myself as an instrument in the hands of almighty to change lives through my work as an actor. And I hope I have been able to touch and affect lives. If I haven’t done much, I will try and do more when next I come around (loud chuckle). Of course I am no longer as strong as I used to be…I hardly can stand unaided so I cant promise that I will do much now again. But I thank my fans for standing by me and my colleagues too and family for being so caring and accommodating. They have been coming here to see me and it keeps me going and makes me feel loved and appreciated. I pray for them to achieve more than I have achieved. I also pray for the right structures to be put in place for the industry. We should be more organized and we should have a pension plan for retirees like us (chuckles) and insurance in case of eventualities. But things will get better. I am hopeful’’