How Bukky Ajayi battled breast cancer, cerebral malaria —
Children
On Wednesday, July 6, Nollywood was thrown into mourning
when the news filtered out that veteran actress and
broadcaster, Ma Bukky Ajayi has passed on. It was a rude
shock but not one too difficult to understand given that the
legendary thespian has been battling ill-health for sometime.
What will however be difficult to appreciate is the vacuum she
has left behind. Because, she was undeniably one of the best
and greatest talents to have ever graced the Nigerian creative
arts screen.
As a Muslim, she was buried the same day she died. In fact
one of our neighbours confided in Potpourri that she gave the
instruction that she should be buried same day she dies. But
she wasn’t born a Muslim, she converted to Islam in 1965 and
adopted the name ‘Zainab’.
Since the news of her death broke, there have been nothing
but ovation for the late actress. Actors Guild of Nigeria
declared two-day mourning, just as her colleagues, friends,
neighbours and well-wishers are full of praises for her.
How she died: Her last moments
According to Claudius Akinwade Peter-Thomas, a musician
and second son of the late icon, “There aren’t enough words
to quantify Mama. She was an independent woman who
shouldered the responsibility of raising three lions (sons)
without raising her brows. I see her as a lioness. She was
also able to combine and manage her situation (single
motherhood) and her career. She was a good planner.
To that effect, my elder brother is nine years older than me,
and I am 11 years older than my younger brother. A good
planner she was. Despite being in the public glare, she
ensured her private life remained private. Many of my friends
didn’t know I was the daughter of the popular actress. This is
not because she wasn’t proud of her children, but because
she was able to draw the line between her career and her
family. People relate with me as Raz CPT and not the
daughter of a celebrity, so to say. Mummy has been struggling
with her health, she had cancer of the breast, diabetic and
was also hypertensive.”
Kunle Fawole, popularly known as Abounce and the last child
of the family spoke about her last moments.
“I and mama were in the living room with some of my friends
when I noticed that her heart wasn’t moving, I mean like she
stopped breathing. Immediately, I checked her pulse and
called my elder brothers. We felt her pulse and heartbeat, did
everything possible. But alas, she has passed on. And that
was at about 11:23 am on Wednesday. She was a bit ill
before this happened. She had been ill for a number of years
now. She had stroke some couple of years back. There was a
time she also had cerebral malaria. She became diabetic,
hypertensive and also suffered breast cancer before now”, he
explained mournfully.
Mr Alfred Oluwole Shoga was Bukky Ajayi’s first son, a 60-
year old man said they were shocked but thankful they are
alive to bury her and not her witnessing their deaths. “At 60,
my mother still gives me money each time I visit her and I will
say, `Mum I’m suppose to give you money’ and she will say I
should use it for transportation” he said, speaking as if she
were still alive.
Children
On Wednesday, July 6, Nollywood was thrown into mourning
when the news filtered out that veteran actress and
broadcaster, Ma Bukky Ajayi has passed on. It was a rude
shock but not one too difficult to understand given that the
legendary thespian has been battling ill-health for sometime.
What will however be difficult to appreciate is the vacuum she
has left behind. Because, she was undeniably one of the best
and greatest talents to have ever graced the Nigerian creative
arts screen.
As a Muslim, she was buried the same day she died. In fact
one of our neighbours confided in Potpourri that she gave the
instruction that she should be buried same day she dies. But
she wasn’t born a Muslim, she converted to Islam in 1965 and
adopted the name ‘Zainab’.
Since the news of her death broke, there have been nothing
but ovation for the late actress. Actors Guild of Nigeria
declared two-day mourning, just as her colleagues, friends,
neighbours and well-wishers are full of praises for her.
How she died: Her last moments
According to Claudius Akinwade Peter-Thomas, a musician
and second son of the late icon, “There aren’t enough words
to quantify Mama. She was an independent woman who
shouldered the responsibility of raising three lions (sons)
without raising her brows. I see her as a lioness. She was
also able to combine and manage her situation (single
motherhood) and her career. She was a good planner.
To that effect, my elder brother is nine years older than me,
and I am 11 years older than my younger brother. A good
planner she was. Despite being in the public glare, she
ensured her private life remained private. Many of my friends
didn’t know I was the daughter of the popular actress. This is
not because she wasn’t proud of her children, but because
she was able to draw the line between her career and her
family. People relate with me as Raz CPT and not the
daughter of a celebrity, so to say. Mummy has been struggling
with her health, she had cancer of the breast, diabetic and
was also hypertensive.”
Kunle Fawole, popularly known as Abounce and the last child
of the family spoke about her last moments.
“I and mama were in the living room with some of my friends
when I noticed that her heart wasn’t moving, I mean like she
stopped breathing. Immediately, I checked her pulse and
called my elder brothers. We felt her pulse and heartbeat, did
everything possible. But alas, she has passed on. And that
was at about 11:23 am on Wednesday. She was a bit ill
before this happened. She had been ill for a number of years
now. She had stroke some couple of years back. There was a
time she also had cerebral malaria. She became diabetic,
hypertensive and also suffered breast cancer before now”, he
explained mournfully.
Mr Alfred Oluwole Shoga was Bukky Ajayi’s first son, a 60-
year old man said they were shocked but thankful they are
alive to bury her and not her witnessing their deaths. “At 60,
my mother still gives me money each time I visit her and I will
say, `Mum I’m suppose to give you money’ and she will say I
should use it for transportation” he said, speaking as if she
were still alive.