Veteran Nollywood actor and professor Kola Oyewo has died at 80. From Saworoide to academia, his 6-decade legacy shaped Nigerian theatre.
The lights have dimmed on one of Nigeria’s greatest storytellers. Kola Oyewo, the veteran Nollywood actor and university professor who brought royal wisdom to screens and classrooms for over six decades, passed away peacefully on Friday night, June 12, 2026, at the age of 80.
Just months after celebrating his 80th birthday with President Tinubu calling him a “national treasure,” Oyewo has taken his final bow.
His death leaves a void in Yoruba theatre, Nollywood cinema, and Nigerian academia that will never truly be filled.
Oyewo’s journey began in 1964 when he joined the legendary Oyin Adejobi Theatre Group as a young man from Oba-Ile, Osun State. His debut role as Adejare in Orogun Adedigba was the first step on a path that would see him become one of Nigeria’s most recognised faces.
Nine years later, he joined University of Ife Theatre and worked with chief dramatist Ola Rotimi. There, Oyewo achieved legendary status delivering a definitive portrayal of “Odewale” in Rotimi’s masterpiece The Gods Are Not to Blame.
His commanding screen presence later made him vital in foundational Nollywood classics including Saworoide, Sango, Koseegbe, and the popular TV series Super Story.
A Professor Who Bridged Two Worlds
What made Oyewo extraordinary was how seamlessly he balanced stage excellence with scholarly mentorship. When university policy required formal degrees for theatre staff, he didn’t quit, he earned them.
He obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts from Obafemi Awolowo University in 1995, followed by a Master’s and PhD in Drama from University of Ibadan. He rose to Senior Lecturer at Obafemi Awolowo University before retiring in 2011, then continued serving as Head of Dramatic Arts at Redeemer’s University and lecturer at Elizade University.
Actor Kunle Afod broke the news on Instagram, writing: “Tonight, we lost a true legend. Kola Oyewo has taken his final bow. His remarkable talent, timeless performances, and immense contributions will never be forgotten”.
President Tinubu had celebrated him in March as a “worthy ambassador of Yoruba theatre and Nigerian storytelling” whose contributions left an “indelible mark on generations.”
Born into royal lineage on March 27, 1946, Oyewo perfectly bridged traditional Yoruba travelling theatre, modern Nigerian cinema, and rigorous academia. He is survived by his wife, children, and grandchildren
Over six decades, Professor Kola Oyewo did something few artists ever manage, he lived fully in two worlds and mastered both. The stage and the lecture hall. Performance and scholarship. Tradition and modernity.
Nigeria has lost a rare kind of person. The kind whose absence you feel deeply, precisely because their presence meant so much.
