Veteran Nollywood actor, Chief Deji Aderemi popularly known as Olofa Ina is dead.
The Herald reports that actor, Saidi Balogun, confirmed his passing in a post shared on his Instagram account on Thursday, January 4.
He wrote: “Goodnight legend Chief Deji Akinremi (Olofa Ina) RIP.
Film producer and Chief Executive Officer of Best of Nollywood (BON) also confirmed his demise
Aderemi who is the Sobaloju of Edeland, was 73.
Chief Aderemi is a renowned name in contemporary Yoruba theatre and film circle.
He is also famous for the rich Yoruba proverbs and idioms that punctuate his lines in various films and stage plays.
Deji Akinremi ‘Olofa Ina’ Biography
He was born into the family of the late Chief AbdulSalam Aderemi and the late madam Aisha Aderemi of Jagun- Olukosi compound, Ede in Osun State on 15th May, 1950 during the reign of the late Oba John Adetoyese Laoye, the then Timi of Ede.
He had his primary education at St. Peters Anglican Primary School between 1957 and 1962 and then proceeded to Baptist Secondary Modern School, Ode-Omu from 1963 to 1965.
He later had his vocational training in carpentry and joinery at Olukorede Furniture Industry between 1965 and 1970.
Prior to 1980, he had earlier floated the Olofa Ina Theatre Group in 1972 with the likes of Erinfolamin, Dasofunjo, Gbolagade Akinpelu and the late Oyetunji of Esinnla compound, Ede. He received his theatre training under the late Oyetunji.
The Olofa Ina Group recorded landmark achievements in the theatre industry by pioneering the staging of epical histories of the Yoruba warlords of the 18th and 19th centuries, including Basorun Ogunmola, Balogun Ibikunle, Ogedengbe Agbogungboro of Ilesha, Aare Kurunmi of Ijaye, Kakanfo Afonja and a host of others.
These productions were recorded by Nigerian Television (NTV) Ibadan in the 70s and were narrated by the late Dr. Babayemi then, of the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan who later became the Oba Olufi of Gbongan, Osun state.
Olofa Ina also recorded series of television productions among which are Odetedo, Lakaaye, Kogun Maja, and Ade Oba.