By Adedayo Odulaja
When the death of Femi Robinson, one of Nigeria’s most popular names in the world of theatre and TV soaps, was announced days ago, it signalled the end of an era for those who know what he represents.
Femi, whose baritone voice and deep knowledge of the English Language resonate with viewers in the now rested popular soap opera, ‘Village Headmaster’ in the 70s and early 80s, died on Thursday, May 21, 2015. Popularly known as ‘Ife Araba’, his death was announced by his family although the cause of death has not been revealed.
The late thespian, a pioneer of the soap opera, effectively married his acting prowess with his other activities as a director of programmes on TV and was passionate about the promotion of arts and culture in Nigeria and Africa right until his death. By his gestures and words, it was never difficult to note how effortlessly committed he was to anything that has the imprint of culture and theatre in Nigeria and beyond.
He became the headmaster of ‘Oja Primary School’ after the departure of Ted Mukoro in 1973 and successfully connected well with both the young and the old with the near perfect delivery of his lines and sound diction.
Along with his peers in the popular Village Headmaster series like Dejumo Lewis, Lari Williams, Jab Adu (Bassey Okon), and the late Funso Adeolu aka Eleyinmi who later became the Alaye Ode of Ode Remo in Ogun State; the late Wole Amele, who also became the traditional ruler of Aramoko Ekiti; Joe Layode, Justus Esiri, Sisi Clara and others, he registered the series in the minds of the audience with his raw talent.
Even without the current level of technology now available to today’s actors, the soap created by the late Amb. Segun Olusola was a veritable platform for the deceased and his peers and they left an enduring legacy behind.
Speaking with the NET on the death of Robinson, Mufu Onifade, a former chairman of NANTAP in Lagos State, said the Nigerian acting setting has lost the last of the special breed of theatre and culture advocates.
Mufu, a Special Assistant to Abdulahi Muku, DG of the National Gallery of Art, described the death as very painful because the late thespian was working on a special project close to his heart.
‘He was the last of his generation, of course, he was the village headmaster and he had a dream which he shared with us, focusing on community theatre and in tandem with the development of theatre on community basis. He was looking at putting structures in place to ensure that theatre flourishes in communities and that people do not have to come to the National Theatre before they can enjoy plays,’ he said.
Onifade added that the late Robinson organised an awards event a few years ago, designating people as ambassadors of culture, and urging them to go back to their communities and replicate the vision.
‘Now that he is gone, who will carry on with the vision?’ he asks rhetorically.
Also reacting to his demise in the The News, one of his contemporaries, Lari Williams said: ‘I am totally overwhelmed by this development because we talked recently and I discussed about my coming production that I want to play him in. He was hale and hearty; there was no sign that he was ill, so I’m shocked.’
The late Robinson studied Botany at the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University but chose acting above his course of study, playing his first role as Odewale in Ola Rotimi’s The gods are not to blame.
He started the Shopper’s Guide on TV and was also the pioneer Director of Programmes of Ogun State Television.
The man, who staged a big theatre production in Lagos titled Ajan’tala sponsored by the Lagos State Government 5 years ago, died at Ayodele Hospital, Fagba, Lagos. He would have been 75 in September.