Light dims on Basi and Company Star, Ethel Ekpe

The motion picture industry was thrown into deep mourning on Wednesday, when news broke that one of the esteemed members of the tribe and foremost television star, Ethel Aderemi nee Ekpe, has passed on. Popularly known as Ethel Ekpe, the actress and later day clergy, public speaker, trainer and entrepreneur, reportedly died of cancer on Monday in Sacramento, California, USA, where she resides. A close family source revealed that the screen beauty who delighted fans playing the role of Segilola or Segi for short in the long rested Situational comedy by Ken Saro Wiwa, titled, Basi and Company, marked her 60th birthday “on November 30, 2023 but she was admitted to a medical facility here in the USA shortly after and was diagnosed of cancer.”

Ethel became a household name when she was cast to replace Affiong Usani, as Segi in the drama, which ran for four years—between 1986 and 1990 on the network service of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). Usani was a pioneer cast member of the sitcom, which also had as cast members, the veteran actor Albert Egbe (Mr. B), Aso Douglas (Madam the Madam), Tekena Harry-Macdonald (Alali) and Lasa Amoro (Dandy) but she didn’t impress as much as Ekpe did when she assumed the role of the sensible, somewhat vain and devious ‘Lady with the beautiful eyeballs,’Segi, who was the love interest of almost all the male characters of the series. Ekpe interpreted the role of Segi delightfully. The University of Calabar graduate of theatre arts and one time host of the 700 Club Nigeria played the role to the hilt. Indeed, Ekpe put up an inimitable and riveting performance that made it look as though the role of Segi was created with her in mind. When Ekpe left the sitcom for some other endeavour, it took sometime for her third and fourth replacement on the sitcom- Mildred Iweka (Segi number 3) and Timi Zuofa (Segi number 4) to find their rhythm.
Condolence messages have continued to pour in, from home and abroad for the actress, model and clergy who also featured in critically acclaimed movies such as, Amaka Igwe’s Forever, Heartbeats and Sons of the Caliphate. Veteran actor and broadcaster Patrick Doyle shared an image of a burning candle on his Facebook account shortly after news broke, in which he described Ekpe as a friend and beloved sister.

“There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother”… In this case, this person was both my friend and beloved sister. Adieu Ekeng Eyen Ekpe aka Segi with the sexy eyes. I am gutted,” he wrote. Also, filmmaker and CEO of Teens Television Africa, Charles Novia, described the actress as a beautiful soul and one of the prettiest to grace the Nigerian screens. Novia wrote: “A beautiful soul and a beautiful woman; one of the prettiest to grace our screens. She worked with me in my movie, A Christmas Passion, in 2004. A very staunch Christian and a pastor, she once presented for the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), America-based network for years in Abuja. May her soul find rest.”

Similarly, Director general of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Dr Shaibu Husseini, who mentioned the news of her death in a Facebook post, wrote: “(Ethel Aderemi nee Ekpe), the screen beauty that delighted fans with her inimitable interpretation of the role of Segi in the defunct sitcom on Nigerian Television Authority by Ken Saro Wiwa titled ‘Basi and Company’ has passed on. The actress and later day pastor reportedly died of cancer. She will be sorely missed. My family will particularly miss her because we named my second daughter Ethel, after her. Good night good woman!”
Ekpe will also be remembered for starring and playing a high wire game in movies such as, Aquila Njamah’s Heartbeat, Tchidi Chikere’s Speak the Word and Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen’s Traumatised.