Popular Yoruba Icon, Adebayo Faleti Is dead

Ace broadcaster, poet, journalist, writer and actor Adebayo Faleti is dead.

An old students of Ibadan Boys High School passed on this morning at the famous University College Hospital, Ibadan at about 6a. am.

The  Yoruba translator, TV exponent and a pioneer staff of the first television station in Africa, Western Nigeria Television (WNTV) died at the age of 86.

He was responsible for translating Nigeria’s National Anthem from English to Yoruba.

He also translated speeches being made by military president of Nigeria Ibrahim Babangida and Chief Ernest Shonekan, Head of National Interim Government of Nigeria, from English to Yoruba.

Faleti has published a dictionary containing the formal or official use of Yoruba names.

He has received many awards, both locally and internationally, including the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) the Festival of Arts award with Eda Ko L’aropin and the Afro-Hollywood Award for Outstanding Performance in Arts.

A family source who confirmed the incident told journalist that his body has been taken to anatomy section at the UCH.

Source Lanre Ogundipe