My father died of diabetes, not witchcraft, Ajileye’s son reveals

Veteran Yoruba filmmaker and actor, Yekini Ajileye, did not die as a result of witchcraft or any spiritual attack as widely speculated, according to his son, Wasiu, who has dismissed the claims as false and misleading.

Speaking during an interview on Biola Adebayo’s Talk To Biola podcast, Wasiu set the record straight, insisting that his father passed away after a prolonged battle with diabetes.

He noted that contrary to circulating rumours linking the filmmaker’s death to his involvement in traditional-themed movies, there was nothing mystical or spiritual behind his passing.

“There were stories going around that my father died because of witches or because of the kind of films he produced. That is not true at all,” Wasiu said during the interview.

He explained that his father, popularly known for classic Yoruba movies such as Koto Aye and Koto Orun, lived a largely peaceful life centred on his faith and generosity.

According to him, “My father was a very prayerful man. He believed strongly in God and was never someone who joked with spiritual matters in the way people are saying.”

Wasiu also described the late filmmaker as a kind-hearted man whose generosity often extended beyond his immediate family.

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“He was so accommodating and giving that sometimes it affected us as his children. He would take care of other people’s children more than his own,” he revealed.

He further alleged that while Ajileye was known for sponsoring the education of several children outside his home, his own children did not always receive similar support.

“My father sponsored many people’s children through school, but he didn’t really do the same for his own children,” Wasiu said.

He added that the responsibility of raising and supporting the children often fell more on their mother than on the late actor himself.

“If any of us made it in life, it was more because of our mother’s effort. My father was not really the type that focused on that aspect,” he explained.

Wasiu maintained that it was important to correct public misconceptions surrounding his father’s death, stressing that diabetes was the confirmed medical cause.

He concluded by describing Yekini Ajileye as a passionate filmmaker whose legacy should be remembered for his contribution to Yoruba cinema rather than unfounded spiritual claims.