Salute to 10 legends of Nollywood still working

Adebayo Salami
THE spotlight this week is on the oldest Nollywood actors and actresses that are still working. Moviedom curated a long list of notable actors who are 60 and above who have continued to take on challenging and impressive acting roles both on the big and small screens.

But to qualify for this diet, the actor or actress had to be at least 65 and should either had to have been in a film in the past year or be working on one currently. The focus is on those who are still putting in the work in their later years.

Taiwo Ajai-Lycett – The Africa Center

Taiwo Ajai-Lycett
THERE is no stopping the stage and screen goddess Taiwo Ajai-Lycett at 81. Auntie TAL, as the actress is simply called by younger colleagues, is still very active as a performer. A trained photojournalist and a member of numerous professional organisations, TAL who was in 2006 awarded the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), started her acting career on stage at the prestigious Royal Court Theatre London. She has also appeared in numerous UK Television drama productions.  Back home in Nigeria, TAL found home on the live stage and on screen.

Some of her stage and screen appearances include Song of a Goat, Death and the King’s Horseman, Winds Against My Soul, Dazzling Mirage and more recently Kemi Adetiba’s King of Boys.

Lanre Hassan
AT 71, veteran actress Lanre Hassan aka Iya Awero is still working and leaving memorable impressions. An indigene of Lagos Island (Isale-Eko), Lagos State, Olanrewaju Adesina Hassan earned the alias Iya Awero, because of her role in the defunct television comedy series Comedy Half Hour, produced by the Ojo Ladipo theatre group.

Iya Awero has so far featured in countless movie production with the most recent being her appearance as Iya Loja’ in Kemi Adetiba’s crime blockbuster movie, King of Boys.

Chief Pete Edochie
THERE is no stopping veteran actor and broadcaster Chief Pete Edochie at 75. The holder of the national honour award of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) is still grabbing roles in moviedom.

Described as one of Africa’s most talented actors, Ebubedike as the actor is simply called, rode into prominence in the 1980s when he played the lead role of Okonkwo in an NTA adaptation of Chinua Achebe’s all time classic, Things Fall Apart.

He joined Nollywood from television and he has so far featured in over 200 movie productions and still counting. Some of his most recent movie appearances include Lion Heart (2019), Night Bus to Lagos (2019) and Unroyal (2020)

Chief Lere Paimo
VETERAN Yoruba movie actor Chief Lere Paimo is still working at 83. Just last month, the actor of vast credit spent two weeks on location in Ibadan portraying the late controversial Ibadan based politician Lamidi Adedibu in a new biopic, Adedibu, Alagbara Ibadan, produced by Publisher of Best of Nollywood Magazine Seun Oloketuyi. The movie is scheduled to hit cinemas in July 2022.

A recipient of several awards, including the award of the national honours of Member of the Federal Republic (MFR), Chief Paimo has been able to cut across both the Yoruba and the English genre.

Kareem Adepoju
VETERAN actor, producer and writer Alhaji Kareem Adepoju aka Baba Wande is still working at 72. Star of the 1993 classic, Ti Oluwa Nile and the 1994 classic, Ayo Ni Mofe, Baba Wande began his acting career in 1962 and he has remain relevant till date.

An award winning actor and movie producer, some of his most recent movie credits include Fate of Alakada (2020) and Oba Bi Olorun (2021).

Chief Bayo Salami
AT 69, veteran actor and producer Chief Bayo Salami aka Oga Bello is still relevant in the movie industry as butter is to bread. An actor and producer of vast credit, Oga Bello began his acting career in 1964.

He has continued to produce and or feature in movie productions since then with the latest being an appearance in the epic feature, King of Boys, produced by his son Femi Adebayo.

Kosoko

Prince Jide Kosoko
THE busiest of them all, grabbing both English and Yoruba movie roles, Prince Jide Kosoko is still very much active at 68.

An actor and producer, Prince Kosoko has featured in over 300 movie productions with the most recent being Shadow Parties (2020), Breaded Life (2021) and Love Castle, (2021)

Kola Oyewo
A veteran actor, dramatist and scholar, Kola Oyewo is still active in moviedom at 76. The University lecturer began acting as a professional in 1964 after he joined the Oyin Adejobi theatre group. He has since then featured in countless stage and screen productions including Ofeefe (2019), Oba Bi Olorun (2021) and Olukoti (2022)

Peter Fatomilola
VETERAN stage and screen actor Peter Fatomilola is 76 and he still working. A dramatist, poet and prolific playwright, the actor who is best known for playing a priest in most Yoruba movies has been grabbing roles with ease since he began acting over five decades ago. His most recent acting credits include Gold Statue (2019), Rise of the Saints (2020) and Love Castle (2021)

Chinwetalu Agu

Chinwetalu Agu
THERE is no stopping Ichie Chinwetalu Agu at 66. The actor of many credits who is best known for his usage of specific language slangs, phrases or clichés as refrain in movies has remained a constant visitor in homes.

Agu began his acting career on television before joining the home video industry where he is still either playing the lead or supporting role.

The star of Abba Makama’s 2020 feature Lost Okoroshi and Genevieve Nnaji’s 2019 feature Lion Heart is among the few practitioners who transited easily from television to Nollywood and are still holding on the ace.