Veteran Nollywood actor, Olumide Bakare, who has been ill for more than a year passed away in the early hours of Saturday.

Aside suffering low blood flow into the heart, the deceased also reportedly had a lung-related disease.

The death has been confirmed by actor Saidi Balogun.

“Yes, it is true Olumide Bakare is dead. He died on his way to his hospital.”

“When I called his number, his personal assistant picked his phone and told me he was dead.

“That’s how much I can say for now,” Balogun told Tribune.

Dele Odule reveals how fellow actor, Olumide Bakare, died

Popular Nollywood actor, Dele Odule, has revealed how his colleague Olumide Bakare died.

In a chat with The Nation, Odule said that he gave up the ghost on his way to the hospital.

“He was declared dead on arrival at UCH Ibadan,” he said, quoting a family source.

On rumours of a failed surgery as it is being peddled online, Odule said “It is not true that he went through surgery again. He did undergo a surgery, but that was a long time ago and it was successful.

“It will be recalled that he was very sick at one time, but he came out of it and he has been in his home,” he added.

Bakare had been ill for over three years, battling heart and lung illnesses.

Nollywood stars, Amata, Saka, others react

Fred Amata, President, Directors’ Guild of Nigeria (DGN), on Saturday said that the death a popular Nollywood actor, Olumide Bakare, would not stop his legacy from living-on in the minds of people, through the theatre.

Amata told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that thespians, even after death, were always remembered because of their contributions to the entertainment industry.

The Ibadan-based actor and former NTA staff, fondly called Chief Koko, on the heels of his role in a TV series, ‘Koko Close’, had been battling ill-health since 2013.

“It is sad that we have lost one of our veteran actors in the entertainment industry but we must give glory to God for He is the giver and taker of life.

“Although Bakare is dead, but he will continue to live on through his works and contributions to Nollywood, in the minds of his fans and friends,’’ he said.

Amata condoled with the family of the deceased and prayed that God would grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.

Emeka Ibeh, President, Actors’ Guild of Nigeria (AGN), said, “I really do not know the deceased in person but from his works and contributions to the development of Nollywood, he would be greatly missed by his fans.

“I pray that God grants his family members the strength to bear the loss, at a time like this,” he said.

Ibeh urged thespians in the country to continue to impact positively in the entertainment industry, saying that their good works would definitely outlive them.

Afeez Oyetoro, a Nigerian comic actor popularly known as ‘Saka’, said that Bakare’s death came as a shock to him, although he was aware that the deceased was very sick.

Saka said that Bakare would be greatly missed in the entertainment industry and prayed for the family to have the strength to bear the loss.

Tope Babayemi, Founder, Different Aesthetics, Arts and Culture Management, National Theatre, Lagos, expressed his condolences to the family of the deceased.

Babayemi said that the entertainment industry had lost “yet another veteran actor who had contributed greatly to the popularity of our local innovation through the theatre’’.