FOR sure, eulogies will pour out freely tomorrow for the iconic Olanrewaju Hassan Adesina as friends, family members, colleagues and fans of the veteran actress who is popular as Mama Awero, converge on the grounds of LTV 8 in Ikeja, Lagos for a grand reception to mark Mama Awero’s golden jubilee on stage and screen. Albasit, the communication outfit handling the golden jubilee shindig, say they have invited Mama Awero’s long-standing fans and colleagues from all over the country to join in the reception for the ageless actress of the stage and screen who is roundly considered a colossus.

A natural talent and a gifted actress who was born on October 3,1950 to the family of Alhaji Adisa Rufai Hassan and Alhaja Rafata Asake Hassan of Imaro compound Isale – Eko in the Lagos Island area of Lagos state, there are so many reasons why Mama Awero should be celebrated. Those who have followed what is widely considered to be her proliferate career as an actress—a career that has spanned five decades now—say the acclaimed quality and skillful theatre amazon whose passion for acting is glaringly boundless should be celebrated for her dexterity on the acting turf. Her many fans say that Mama Awero who earned that alias from her role as Mama Awero, in a production back in the late 80’s should indeed mount a raised platform and be celebrated for being a delight to watch on stage and screen, always. Most of those who have had the opportunity of working with her, say Mama Awero represents for them, a perfect example of who any actress should strive to be like both off and stage. They hold and rightly too that hers is a summation of hard work and an inalienable commitment to her first and what she says has remained her only love-acting.

A very likeable personality, Mama Awero’s professional career commenced five decades ago as a pioneer member of Young Stars Concert Party, a theatre company that later transformed into Ojo Ladipo Group. The group- Ojo Ladipo was then under the able leadership of the legendary Ojo Ladipo who was popular as Baba Mero. Ojo Ladipo it was who helped in shaping the career of most great Nigerian artistes including Chief Adebayo Salami who is popular as Oga Bello.

It was as a member of the Ojo Ladipo group that Mama Awero’s love for acting became immense.  Her quest to be grounded in the arts particularly dramatic arts made her enroll for formal training at the defunct Lagos School of Dramatic Arts run then by Chief Olude, a foremost drama scholar. This was between 1969 and 1971. When the legendary Ojo Ladipo died, the Ojo Ladipo Group was renamed Awada Kerikeri Organization (AKO) and Mama Awero stayed on and performed on stage and screen leaving positive impressions after impressions.

Mama Awero has not looked back since then and she has not done anything else apart from featuring in movies, television and stage productions. The actress with an unquenchable passion and unrivalled commitment to the theatre has remained relevant not just because of her believable artistic carriage of diverse characters, but because the actress whose tenacious perseverance, devotion to, and mastery of the art is unrivalled is blessed with the gift of make believe.

Married to Mr. Aliu Adeshina and blessed with children, Mama Awero had her early education at Saint Peters Primary School, Faji, Lagos between 1956 and 1963. It was while at Saint Peters that the talent of the likeable actress whose watchword is perseverance started manifesting.  She took her arts straight from early school to the field and still feels an overpowering nostalgia for her first acting appearance.

“The whole of my body was just shaking. Butterflies filled my stomach. I almost told them I could not face a crowd. But with some encouragement from the crew, I summed up courage and the rest is history,” she recalls her first’’

With the Ojo Ladipo group and later the Awada Keri Keri organization, Mama Awero reigned over the Nigerian stage and screen. Not only has she remained unshaken and unbeatable, Mama Awero has continued to reign and she seem, in the estimation of industry critics, to have outlasted many Nigerian actresses particularly her contemporaries in terms of sustained relevance and applause.

Viewed generally especially by industry observers and critics as remarkably versatile and roundly admired for her simplicity despite her fame, Mama Awero has not only been recognized at home and abroad for her acting prowess, but has also received awards for costuming several stage, films and television productions.  A member of the Board of Trustee of the embattled Association Of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioners (ANTP) and an Environmental Ambassador of Lagos State, films produced on celluloid that have benefited from Mama Awero has been an enduring feature on many celluloid flicks like Omo Orukan by Awada Keri Keri, Aropin Teniyan by late Chief Hubert Ogunde, Ija Orogun, Ogun Ajaye by Awada Keri Keri, Kadara by A Productions, the two part Taxi Driver by the late Chief Adeyemi Afolayan and Kona Kona by Abayo Aderonmu. She has her name on the credit lines of over 200 home video productions including Ayookan, Ebun- Igbeyawo, Omorewa, Eti Ikun, Asewo To Re Mecca, Bo Otitife, Back to Africa, Majata and lately Tade Ogidan’s Wahala Kunle.

Star of memorable stage productions like Ayanmo on stage, Ilu Le and Ogun Awoyaya and a recipient of many industry awards including the Orlando Martins Award of Excellence, Arts and Culture Ambassador of Nigeria, Life Time Achievement Award and the ANTP Ever Green Award, Mama Awero has performed in countless television productions including the long rested Awada Keri Keri comedy series, Wale Adenuga’s Super Story, Apreel Ventures Dear Mother and Tajudeen Adepetu’s Family Circle.

Chairperson Indigenous Language Female Artistes of Nigeria and member of the Board of Albasit Communications, the firm managing her career, Mama Awero says there is no retirement for her as long as she can still breathe.

“Actors don’t retire. They play on until the body retires,’’ she quips. Witty and very generous, Mama Awero expressed optimism about the future of the Nigerian theatre and motion picture industry. She craves for a situation where government will get well involved in the affairs of the industry, which she describes as a gold mine. She also wants government to invest in provision of the kind of infrastructure that will attract proper investment in the sector whether internally or externally.

“We were not lucky during our time to get the kind of attention from government that the industry is receiving. Now that they seem interested, they must help the industry grow by providing the enabling environment and for providing the needed infrastructure like electricity, monies to make films and film villages so that people can be sure that whatever money they put into a film they will get it back and also gain,” she surmises.

Celebritygist… Mercy Johnson Thanks All, Returns To The Screen

POPULAR Nollywood actress Mercy Johnson is back to work after the mandatory maternity leave.  This is MJ’s fifth job after giving birth in December. She sent a note to celebritygist during the week to say thank you to her fans for waiting patiently for her. “I want to say thank you to the fans, friends, colleagues and producers who were there for me. Many of them proved to be friends on and off work,” she noted. “Many adjusted their schedules for me and sent in their greetings during the child dedication. I am back with grateful heart and understanding that I am here because God through the help of people made it possible. Or how could I explain the overwhelming votes I got at AMVCA despite being away and inactive on social media (she won the Best Actress in comedy at the maiden edition of Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards- AMVCA-)? How could I explain the numbers of producers and scripts waiting for my return? How could I explain the overwhelming love and gifts while I was away? I am very grateful and here to say a big thank you to everyone who played a role and those who as much as had good wishes in their hearts.”

That Toyin Adegbola Prison Story On Odua TV

LOOKING at popular actress, Toyin Adegbola on the hot seat of Odua TV last Sunday, there were no tell-tale signs that she has been arrested or incarcerated ever in her life but by the time the celebrity known as Ashewo to Re Meca opened up on her 10 days behind bar, guests at the popular celebrity hangout, Troy in the Ogba area of Lagos, knew they were in for a long and memorable night.

Ibadan-based Toyin Adegbola who left NTA as an editor cum producer was in Lagos to be part of the special celebrity night out programme on the cable television station on Startimes, Odua TV (Channel 112).

The actress who gave a brief account of how it all started for her, was surprised at the depth of the clips that the Odua TV crew put together on her. Her face lit up when she disclosed that the happiest day of her life was the graduation of two of her children from the university.

“I was so happy that day. It was the happiest day of my life. I was emotional about it because since my husband died 13 years ago, I have been playing the role of father and mother to the kids. So to see them graduating was very gratifying, I was happy,” she said.

Her most trying period? She disclosed that it was when someone used her car to kill a pedestrian and the police detained her for 10 days!