Foremost comedian and singer, Moses Adejumo, popularly known as Baba Sala, is dead.
He died in his Ilesa hometown in Osun State on Sunday evening.
His body has been deposited at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex Annex, (Wesley Guild Hospital) in Ilesa.
The comedian’s son, Emmanuel Adejumo, confirmed the death in a Facebook post on Monday morning.
“My Daddy is gone. Finally gone home to glory. King of Comedy finally says bye-bye to this world. I will miss you so much Daddy. I love you so much but God loves you more. Good night my mentor, father, teacher, gist partner. My daddy is gone,” the younger Adejumo wrote.
Baba Sala’s media assistant, Isaac Hastrup, also confirmed to a PUNCH correspondent on the telephone on Monday morning.
Mr Hastrup said, “Baba has died. He died some minutes to 10pm on Sunday night. His remains had been taken to the morgue. He died of old-age related sickness.
“He came to church two Sundays ago and he was the one that said the benediction. Baba has gone to be with the Lord and he will be missed by many people including his fans.”
Regarded as the father of modern Nigerian comedy, Baba Sala, alongside other dramatists like Hubert Ogunde, Kola Ogunmola, Oyin Adejobi and Duro Ladipo, popularised theatre and television acting in Nigeria.
Some of his productions are Orun Mooru, Aare Agbaye, Mosebolatan, Obee Gbona and Agba Man.
Significantly, Baba Sala started his career in show business as a highlife musician, fronting in 1964 a group known as the Federal Rhythm Dandies where he tutored and guided the juju music maestro, King Sunny Ade, who was his lead guitar player.
