Nigeria’s creative community mourns the loss of Wole Oguntokun, a distinguished playwright and theatre director, who passed away at the age of 56 on Wednesday.
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His close friend and film director, Kayode Peters, shared the news of his passing through a heartfelt tribute on social media.
Peters reminisced about their collaborative journey, highlighting Oguntokun’s pivotal role in his early career as a theatre director. He recalled directing Oguntokun’s first-ever performance story, ‘Who is Afraid of Wole Soyinka’, at prestigious venues including the Muson Centre, which the renowned Wole Soyinka himself graced. Additionally, they collaborated on DBN TV’s comedy series ‘Crossworld Blues’, where Oguntokun served as a producer and Peters as a director.
Born on July 15, 1967, Oguntokun was an alumnus of Obafemi Awolowo University and later served as a board member of Theaturtle, a Canadian theatre company. He was known for his creative prowess, having produced and written TV sitcoms like ‘Crossworld Blues’ on DBN TV in 1999 and ‘Living Free’ on MBI television in 2002.
Ozzy Agu, a popular actor, fondly recalled his collaboration with Oguntokun on theatre plays, including ‘The Red’, based on the story of Little Red Riding Hood, in a 2016 interview.
Oguntokun’s legacy extends beyond his artistic contributions; he was revered as a mentor, friend, and visionary within Nigeria’s artistic circles. His passing leaves a void in the creative landscape, but his impact will be remembered and cherished by all who knew him.
Oreoluwa is an accountant and a brand writer with a flair for journalism.
