Nigerian novelist Biyi Bandele is dead,
A statement released by his family on Monday said he died on Sunday in Lagos.[/i]

Novelist, playwright, and filmmaker, Biyi Bandele, has died.

A statement released by his family on Monday said he died on Sunday in Lagos.

He was 54.

Temi Bandele, the deceased’s daughter who issued the statement on behalf of the family, described him as “a prodigiously talented writer and film-maker, as well as a loyal friend and beloved father.”

“He was a storyteller to his bones, with an unblinking perspective, singular voice and wisdom which spoke boldly through all of his art, in poetry, novels, plays and on screen. He told stories which made a profound impact and inspired many all over the world. His legacy will live on through his work.

“He was taken from us much too soon. He had already said so much so beautifully, and had so much more to say.

“We ask everyone to please respect the privacy of his family and friends as we grieve his loss,” the statement read.

Biyi was born in Kafanchan, Kaduna State, to parents who were from Abeokuta, Ogun State.

He was studying Dramatic Arts at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile Ife, when he won the BBC Playwriting Competition, and thereafter relocated to England where he had a flourishing career as a writer.

He was a dedicated artist with a strong passion for life and a string of successes in his writing and filmmaking career. His latest work is Elesin Oba, the King’s Horseman (2022), which he adapted from Wole Soyinka’s classic drama, Death & The King’s Horseman, and directed for EbonyLife Films. The film is yet to be released but slated to be screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, TIFF, in September.

He had earlier co-directed Blood Sisters, a 4-part Netflix-original television drama series, also for EbonyLife Films. His earlier works include Half of a Yellow Sun (Shareman Media & State Films, 2013) adapted from Chimamanda Adichie’s novel of same title; Fifty (Ebony Films, 2015). He was also a director of the highly successful Television Series, SHUGA: What’s Your Reality. He directed FELA – Father of Afrobeat (2018), a TV special documentary for the BBC; and his self-produced TV-Movie documentary, Africa States of Independence (2010).

His fiction and non-fiction work include The Street, Burma Boy, a novel, a recreation of the story of his father and other veterans of the Second World War, who served in Burma, India, which he was working on to be adapted for Film. His other writing works include The Man Who Came in from the Back of Beyond, The Sympathetic Undertaker, and Yoruba Boy Running, which he recently concluded and submitted for publishing.

Biyi was a devoted father to his son, Korede and daughter, Temi.

PREMIUM TIMES

May his soul rest in peace

Heard about this last night, so so sad

For those that do not know him...

He is a writer and director... He directed the movie Half of a Yellow Sun adapted from the novel of the same name by Chimamanda Adiche and was also involved in MTV Shuga, Fifty the movie Blood sisters and many more...

Personally I've followed his works and have been looking forward to seeing his new work Eleshin Oba, (Death and the King's Horseman also an adapted work from Soyinka's book of same title) I can assure you he's a fine filmmaker.

RIP

Tomorrow is not promise to any human

Rip

Rest in peace legend

Sleep well the Legendary one.

RIP

Rest in Peace

RIP SIR

Don't really know this one, but the loss of a literary icon is a massive blow to the nation.

Rest well, Biyi Bandele

Wow. What a loss. One of the finest filmmakers around. RIP.

ok

54 damn

Rip.

dunno him but rest in peace

Ooooh my God

Not again


Plzz who is next

Rip

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Sancheez4:
dunno him but rest in peace

I swear, I never even hear him name for my life.

Rest easy

I still cant believe this

Rest on Sir!

Is his wife dead too?

Too bad.... So sad

Rest in peace

bmdmix14:
54 damn

Too young to die.

Life is tough just do the thing that make you happy

May your soul rest in peace, Biyi Bandele.

RIP