By Gloria Drealomalicha
Veteran Nollywood actor Adebayo Salami, popularly known as Oga Bello, has spoken candidly about the heartbreaking events that nearly brought his illustrious acting career to an abrupt end.
The 73-year-old screen legend revealed that the deaths of his mentor, the late Ojo Ladipo, widely known as Baba Mero, and his wife left him emotionally devastated and seriously contemplating walking away from the theatre profession.
Speaking in an interview with Feel Right News TV, Salami described the loss of Baba Mero in 1978 as the darkest moment of his life, recalling that the prolonged illness leading up to his mentor’s death made the experience even more painful.
“The saddest day of my life was when my boss died, Baba Mero,” he said. “It wasn’t just the day he died; everything that happened before then, especially his illness, was deeply painful.”
According to the veteran actor, the emotional wounds were reopened seven years later when Baba Mero’s wife also passed away, plunging him into another difficult period that almost forced him to abandon acting altogether.
“The suffering was overwhelming, and I told myself I was no longer interested in theatre,” he recalled. “Exactly seven years after my boss died, his wife also passed away. At that time, I felt I had had enough.”
Salami also revealed that he became the subject of damaging rumours following the deaths, with some people accusing him of being responsible.
“There was nothing people did not say about me. Some even claimed I was the one killing them. It was a very painful period,” he said.
Despite the emotional turmoil and public accusations, Salami chose to remain in the profession out of respect for his late mentor. As Baba Mero’s deputy at the time, he stepped into a leadership role to ensure the theatre group survived.
“When my boss died in 1978, I was next in line. We had to continue because we wanted to preserve his legacy,” he explained. “I was reluctant because of everything that happened, but we carried on. We faced many challenges, but I would rather not discuss them for the sake of peace.”
Salami began his acting career in 1964 with the Young Concert Party, led by Baba Mero. Over the years, the troupe evolved into the Ojo Ladipo Theatre Group before later becoming the Awada Kerikeri Theatre Group.
Following Baba Mero’s death, Salami took over the leadership of the group, a decision that marked the beginning of his rise as one of the most influential figures in the Yoruba film industry.
He made his film debut in Ajani Ogun, regarded as the first Yoruba-language film, which starred the late Adeyemi Afolayan in the lead role.
In 1985, he produced his first movie, Ogun Ajaye, under the Awada Kerikeri banner. Since then, he has built an enduring career as an actor, producer and director, becoming one of Nollywood’s most respected veterans.
His passion for filmmaking has also been passed on to his children. His sons, Femi Adebayo, Tope Adebayo and Sodiq Adebayo, have all established successful careers as actors and filmmakers, continuing the family’s rich legacy in the Nigerian entertainment industry.
Last year, Salami announced plans to release a special film to commemorate his 60 years in the entertainment industry, celebrating a remarkable career that has endured personal loss, public scrutiny and decades of transformation in Nigerian cinema.
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