He is the father of award-winning director and filmmaker Akin Omotoso. Professor Bankole Ajibabi Omotoso, also known as Kole Omotoso, has died at the age of 80 in Johannesburg after a long battle with illness.
REST IN PEACE
Professor Kole Omotoso became famous and his face warmed many hearts when he appeared in the Vodacom advert with the tagline 'Yebo Gogo.' His family confirmed his passing, stating he had passed away after a period of illness in Johannesburg on 19 July. "We are mourning the loss of our father, husband, and grandfather Prof. Bankole 'Kole' Omotoso, who passed away after a long period of illness in Johannesburg on July 19. A born scholar, he never missed an opportunity to engage in new topics. An astute socio-political critic, his criticality never got in the way of his belief in humanity. We will miss him," the family said in a statement.
A LIFE WELL LIVED
His family documents his legacy in the tribute. "Omotoso's extensive work, in particular, the 1988 publication of 'Just Before Dawn', often put him in conflict with belligerent powers. From 1989, he was forced to work mostly outside of Nigeria and in the interest of reuniting the family. In 1992, the Omotosos relocated to Cape Town where Kole Omotoso held professor positions at the English Department of the University of the Western Cape and the Drama Department of the University of Stellenbosch," the family writes. "Though he left Akure at an early age, his Yoruba heritage greatly influenced his view of the world and his work. A couple of years before his passing, he realised his dream of building a homestead there, designed by Yewande. Here he was able to live and work with his wife Bukky and her children, Taiwo and Olamiposi, from 2016, until his return to South Africa in 2019 for medical treatment. He kept up a weekly column in the Sunday Guardian and worked with Elizade University. Author, Playwright, Teacher, Critic, Actor, Colleague, Mentor, Friend, Prof Kole Omotoso lived a rich life with meaning and purpose. A born scholar, he never missed an opportunity to engage in new topics."
