Ayodele Omidina, estranged wife of late actor Babatunde Omidina popularly known as Baba Suwe, has claimed that the comedian abandoned her and destroyed her acting career.
In an interview with actor Kunle Afod, Ayodele alleged that Baba Suwe left her without support after they separated, making it difficult for her to continue in the movie industry.
“He abandoned me and ruined my acting career,” she said.
Ayodele, who met Baba Suwe on a movie set, said she was passionate about acting but became discouraged after he left her. She explained that despite being trained by respected actors like Adebayo Salami and Yinka Quadri, her career suffered greatly due to Baba Suwe’s actions.
“I told him I loved acting. He said I should continue with it and I did. Alhaji Oga Bello and Alhaji Yinka Quadri trained me. I followed them about and was getting roles. But when he left me, I stopped acting because he discouraged me. I didn’t remarry or continue with acting,” she said.
Baba Suwe, known for his comic roles in Yoruba movies, died on November 22, 2021, at the age of 63 after battling health issues. His career took a major hit in 2011 after he was arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over allegations of drug trafficking. Although he was eventually cleared, the comedian said the incident damaged his reputation.
In a 2019 interview with The Punch, Baba Suwe said, “They said they saw cocaine in my stomach. They took me to their office, detained me for days and waited for me to excrete the cocaine but nothing came out. I was later released. I went to court, won the case and was awarded N25 million, but NDLEA never paid me.”
Following his death, fellow actor Bolaji Amusan, aka Mr Latin, who is president of the Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN), said the association supported Baba Suwe financially during his illness.
“We were responsible for his hospital bills in 2017, 2019 and 2021. We took him to LUTH, LASUTH and also paid for a trip to the US for treatment,” Mr Latin said.
Ayodele’s comments have sparked reactions on social media, with some users sympathising with her while others questioned why she chose to speak now.
Baba Suwe and Ayodele had a son together before their separation.