Immortalising Adebayo Faleti

I woke up on the morning of Monday 24th July, 2017 to hear the news on radio of the demise of another giant of broadcasting, Adebayo Faleti. I felt sad, not because Bayo was not old enough, by my reckoning at approximately 90 years, but because another bright light of broadcasting had dimmed. Immediately, my mind conducted a roll-call of our colleagues who had gone to the great beyond. The list includes Steve Rhodes, Banjo Solaru, Orlando Martins, Teju Oyeleye, Olu Hamilton, Remi Sokefun and Sam Adegbie. Others are Yomi Onabolu, Oladipo Robin, Tunji Senjobi, Nelson Ipaye, Segun Olusola, Yinka Johnson, Bayo Sanda, Victor Adeniyi, Ayo Mcgraph, Kehinde Adeosun, Bisi Mcgregor, Jaye Martins, Oluwole Dare, Ade Omo Oni, Tunji Mcquis, Alex Conde and Toun Adeyemi.

Bayo Faleti was a very versatile person. He was a broadcaster, a writer, an author, a playwright, a poet, an actor. He was so devoted to Yoruba culture that I cannot remember when last I saw him put on any other dress than the usual Yoruba outfit. Like the late MKO Abiola, the late Isiaka Adeleke and Governor Ibikunle Amosun, Faleti had a peculiar style of wearing the Yoruba cap, drawn out, pointing sideways, in his own case. He was so meticulous and thorough that he would translate Equatorial Guinea to “Guinea olooru”. We must immortalize him.

When we started television services in 1959, Bayo Faleti, like Bayo Sanda, was in the production unit section, processing and editing films. Segun Olusola, Anike Agbaje Williams, Julie Coker and I were in the Programmes Department. Olu Falomo was in the Audio Section, YInka Johnson and Bisi Mcgregor were in the Library where we kept records, tapes and films. Bayo left us to go to the University of Ibadan to take a degree in English. When I asked him why not in Yoruba, he replied that he had been so much involved in Yoruba that people no longer knew he could speak English. So to make a point, he opted to study English. He was that determined.

I commiserate with the Faleti family especially Bayo’s children on the loss of an iconic father. I also share the grief of those of us who remain among the old brigade, Anike Agbaje-Williams, Julie Coker, Olu Falomo, Bisi Rodipe, Ibidun Allison, Bola Alo, Rosemary Anieze – Adams, Lasisi Oriekun, Lateef Olayinka, Ayo Ogunlade, Vincent Maduka, Tunde  Oshobi, Yemi Farounbi, Kunle Adeleke, Bisi Adesola, Lateef Busari, Sam Ayo Vaughan, Deinde Dipeolu, Fabio Lanipekun, Bola Borisade, Kola Kolawole, Robert Akinowa, Bade Olayefun.

Kunle Olasope, Ekiti State.