The lights dimmed too soon for Solomon Akiyesi.
The ace Nigerian actor and producer, whose steady presence graced over 100 films in two decades, passed in his sleep on Sunday, leaving colleagues stunned and fans heartbroken.
Abubakar Yakubu, president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, confirmed the painful news to TheCable Lifestyle on Monday. His voice was heavy.
“Yes, it is true. He died yesterday. Slept and did not wake up from sleep,” Yakubu said. “We await further details from the family. His body is in the morgue in Abuja where the sad incident happened.”
For many, Akiyesi was the face you trusted on screen — the father, the elder, the friend who carried scenes with quiet dignity. Born and raised in Ososo, Akoko-Edo, Edo State, he broke into Nollywood in the late 1990s and never looked back. Film after film, he built a career on reliability and craft, from Marry Who You Love and Kiss My Pain to Joy of Nakasha, Heart of a Saint, Deadly Affair, Gen Z Wife, Olaedo The Fisher Girl, Pretty Liars, The End Is Near and Desperate Ladies.
He didn’t chase noise. He delivered.
Now social media is filling with tributes — clips of his most moving lines, photos from set, prayers from fans who grew up watching him. Colleagues are calling it a “gentle exit” for a gentle man, but the ache is loud.
The guild says it is still awaiting word from his family on burial arrangements.
Nollywood has lost a workhorse, a mentor, a piece of its heart. Solomon Akiyesi slept, and the industry woke to silence.
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