When Netng reached out to veteran actor, Jide Kosoko, on the morning of April 1, 2022, to get his reaction to the passing away of comic actor, Kunle “Dejo Tunfulu” Adetokunbo, he expressed shock.
“I just learnt of his passing seconds before you called”, Kosoko told Netng reporter and then he went on to exalt his late colleague for his dedication to his craft and how he was committed to his art without getting involved in irrelevant issues.
Dejo was born on May 31, although the specific year is unknown. While many media report it as 1972, he has always been secretive about it. In his last birthday post, he jocularly mentions “19kinikan”
He was born in Idumota, Lagos Island area of Lagos State, although he hailed from Ikija area of Abeokuta in Ogun State.
He began his education at Ansar-Ud-Deen primary school in Lagos Island before attending Dolphin High School, Ebute Elefun, where he obtained his School Certificate.
He furthered his education by attending the Modern Way Nigeria School of Printing for a certificate in printing.
Dejo began acting when he was in secondary school as a member of his school’s drama club. There his love and passion for acting grew in the 80s. He also lived close to actors like Fausat Balogun (Madam Saje) and Kayode Olasehinde (Baba Ajirebi) and had the opportunity of receiving informal acting training from them as a young boy.
He joined Akuko Gagara Theatre Group and Kolawole International Theatre Group, where he received more training as an actor. His first television appearance was in 1987 in the drama series “Apere Ijongbon”.
It was in the movie titled: “Omo Oran” that he shot into fame. Since then, he has gone on to feature in several movies, usually as a stock character that became synonymous with him: Dejo Tunfulu. The character is portrayed as someone with down syndrome that stammers. His comic characterisation made him a household name in the Nigerian movie industry.
“He was a professional to the core. He goes about his trade with professionalism”, Kosoko told Netng and described him as a fine gentleman and of the quiet type. “He’s focused on his job and hardly gets involved in frivolous things, and was one of the old breeds.”
“We have various comics but he had his own type and was very good at it. Despite the challenges of the role he played, he did it well. He was a very fine young gentleman. He hardly engages in quarrels and fighting. His death is so painful.”
Following his death, interest in his name and work increased on the internet as many Nigerian searched for him to read more about his profile and work. This led to a spike in his name search on the internet and made him the most searched actor.
