Anybody that attended this year’s Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Award (AMVCA) staged at the Expo Centre, Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, would confidently tell you that the highpoint of the evening was the presentation of Industry Merit Award to late Bukky Ajayi alongside veteran actor, Sadiq Daba. The 82-year-old Mother of George actress cried during her acceptance speech.
As soon as the show hosts, IK and Minnie announced Bukky Ajayi for the award, the whole hall, which was filled with celebrities and stakeholders in motion picture industry, gave the veteran actress a standing ovation, as she was wheeled into the rostrum. Beaming with smiles, she was supported by some backstage members of the production crew, amid resounding applause from audience.
Clutching the microphone, everyone waited for Mama’s acceptance speech, but she took her time, as if trying to gather her thoughts. Even as she squinted her eyes to know who and who were in the audience, the stage lights were all focused on her aged face, even as paparazzi came flashing from different corners.
Notwithstanding, Mama was able to speak to the expectant audience, who just wanted to hear the old woman speak to her community. “I just want to say to all of you, to all my friends, even my non-friends. I say, ‘thank you.’ You don’t know how much this means to me,” she started amid rounds of applause.
Then she took everyone by surprise saying, “I want to say again, perhaps, there are some of you that I might have offended, please forgive me. And there are some people, who have offended me; I don’t have any grudge in my mind. I’m grateful, I’m…” she said, as she started crying, wiping the tears with her palms.At this point, the hosts had to help her with the microphone.“I want to say ‘thank you very, very much. I’m very, very happy from the bottom of my heart. Don’t mind that I’m crying; this is the first time that I see the people I’ve really… Oh God,” she said, sobbing.
“Thank you, I wish I could stand up, but if I stand up, I will fall down; that’s why I’m sitting down. Are you all standing for me,” she quizzed, as the audience responded in affirmation. “Thank you, I’m very, very happy. May God bless you and peace,” she concluded, as she raised two fingers in the air.
So, when the new of Bukky Ajayi’s death filtered in on Wednesday, it looked like she had the premonition that the end was near; she prepared for transition. That she died after ending her Ramadan fast was also another pointed to the fact that Mama was ready to meet her creator.
MEANWHILE, the grounds of Atan Cemetery in the Yaba area of Lagos couldn’t contain the large crowd of family members, close relations and members of the creative industry, who turned up on Wednesday, July 6, to witness the interment ceremony of popular octogenarian stage and screen actress Zainab Bukky Ajayi.
The actress, who is popular as ‘Auntie Bukky’ reportedly died in her family home in Surulere area of Lagos and was laid to rest same day at Atan Cemetary, in accordance with Islamic injunction. She was aged 82. Close family members say it was Auntie Bukky’s wish to be buried as soon as possible at a nearby cemetery. “So, we merely kept to her wish and Atan was the closest cemetery to where she resides,” a close relation said at her Aguda, Surulere home, which has continued to play host to hordes of mourners.
A devout Muslim and thespian, who is roundly regarded as a core professional, Auntie Bukky as younger colleagues call her is a veteran actress of vast credit. She has hugged both the stage and screen and she is best known for her inimitable performance in the Andrew Dosumu’s well travelled film Mother of George and in some Nollywood movies including the 2004 feature Indecent Girl and the 1998 movie Witches. Her last major television appearance would be playing a leading role in the soap Hotel Majestic.
Clearly, a living legend of the stage and screen, Bukky began her career on screen as an announcer, presenter and newscaster with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). While on the job, Bukky, who studied drama at the prestigious Stanislavsky Institute of Drama, London, found time to feature in some soaps and series produced on NTA. The now rested Village Headmaster series is one programme that benefitted from her expert portrayal.
A mother, grandmother, great grandmother and acting auntie to a lot of young people, the iconoclastic actress had what is perhaps her last public outing as a celebrity when she honoured the invitation of the organisers of the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award (AMVCA) to receive a life time achievement award.
Since her death, condolence messages have continued to pour in from home and abroad for the actors’ actor, who will be remembered for her total commitment to the acting vocation.
Popular stage and screen actress and a long time associate of the deceased actress Joke Silva struggled to describe the late actress in the past. “We started working together in the early 90’s. Her sense of humour was beautiful. She will look like she is really mad at you, then she will break out with an infectious smile. Auntie Bukky was your typical jobbing actor. What that means is that she was not ‘star status’ conscious; she just loved to work. Lufudo productions performed Ahmed Yerima’s The Sisters five times and she was in all of them, including the one at Hackney Empire Stratford East London, which we produced in partnership with ZMirage.”
Silva also noted that, though Auntie Bukky had really bad arthritis at the time, she would insist on going round with the team to publicize the play.“We played to a full house each time; she loved the experience. I’m glad that The Theatre Advocates visited her before she died and spent quality time with her. One thing she harped on was that it was important to set up a pension and insurance scheme for the industry. She has gone to a well-deserved rest,” she said.
In her tribute, actress Ibinabo Fiberisima commiserated with the family of the late actress, saying she will be fondly remembered for her numerous contributions to the guild and the society in general.
Meanwhile, the Information and Culture Minister Alhaji Lai Mohammed has also condoled the family of the actor whom he described as an Amazon and worthy thespian. Speaking through his Special Assistant on Media Segun Adeyemi, the Minister said the elder artiste lived an exemplary life and exhibited sterling qualities through out her lifetime.
In condolence message, which Adeyemi later issued on behalf of the Minister, Mohammed said despite her advance age, it was still with a sense of sadness and great loss that he received the news of the death of the veteran actress and broadcaster.“Her journey in the Nigerian Creative industry spans decades of amazing performances in classic productions such as the unforgettable Village Headmaster and a number of critically acclaimed stage and screen productions like Thunderbolt, Oduduwa, Women’s Cot, Mother of George and The Sisters. Her name will be etched in the minds of her colleagues and fans in Nollywood because of the memories she gave all of us to cherish. There is no doubt that she will forever be an inspiration to generations of people in the creative industry,” Alhaji Mohammed said.
Also, President of the Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN) Fred Amata in a condolence message described the late Bukky Ajayi as “a core and total professional of theatre and screen whose exemplary lifestyle both on and off set is worthy of emulation by younger actors.”
Amata also added, “Bukky Ajayi’s death has left a huge gap difficult to fill in acting, yet her life and work is a huge contribution to resource and annals of Nollywood.”In his tribute, popular actor Bimbo Manuel described Late Bujjy Ajayi as an Amazon, who enjoyed her craft. “She enjoyed her craft, delivered every time she was on call. She was an icon,” he said.
Meanwhile, the last time Auntie Bukky Ajayi spoke to The Guardian was the week after she received the AMVCA award, where she spoke of her career and one of the best decisions that she took in life. “I would say it is the day I decided that I was going to become a Muslim. From that moment, I experienced peace and everything started running smoothly for me…I must say that I’m fulfilled. I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly, but I have mostly experienced the good. I’m celebrated everywhere I go. Acting has made me a celebrity, even though I don’t feel like one. I just see myself as an instrument in the hands of Almighty to change lives through my work as an actor. And I hope I have been able to touch and affect lives,” she said.
She continued: “If I haven’t done much, I will try and do more when next I come around. Of course, I’m no longer as strong as I used to be…I hardly can stand unaided, so, I cant promise that I will do much now again. But I thank my fans for standing by me; and my colleagues and family for being so caring and accommodating. They have been coming here to see me and it keeps me going and makes me feel loved and appreciated.”
Then she prayed for the younger generation of actors saying, “I pray for them to achieve more than I have achieved. I also pray for the right structures to be put in place for the industry. We should be more organised and we should have a pension plan for retirees like us, and insurance in case of eventualities. But things will get better, I’m hopeful.”
