Famous comedian, Moses Olaiya popularly known as Baba Sala has been hit by stroke. The 80-years old veteran actor needs financial support from caring and well-meaning Nigerians to enable him take proper care of his health.
Baba Sala
Family members lamented that: “Baba Sala is not suffering from old age but lack of funds for medical treatment. Baba Sala’s investments have all been wrecked by circumstances and poor management. The Awada Spot in Ibadan; Alawada Standard Hotel, Ilesha; Alawada Records, Ibadan; and Ibukun Alawada Photo magazine.”
“He has investments but they have all been wrecked by mismanagement. He also had a three-storey building in Mushin, Lagos which he had to sell to offset debt incurred when his work, Orun Mooru, was pirated. We still have some of his recorded works not in public yet but machines that will be used to transform them to an acceptable format are not easily available. We do not have the kind of money they are charging us.”
“We have been told that baba needs a lot of money for medical treatment abroad. He is suffering from a stroke and other ailments. There are many people of his age who are not like this. We are trying our best as family members. We take him to the teaching hospital weekly but he needs proper medical attention.”
For those who don’t know, Baba Sala (Moses Olaiya) is born in 1936. He is a Nigerian comedian, dramatist and actor from Ijesha. Baba Sala is regarded as the father of modern Nigerian comedy, alongside other dramatists like Hubert Ogunde, Kola Ogunmola, Oyin Adejobi and Duro Ladipo popularized theatre and television acting in Nigeria.
He is a prolific filmmaker. Baba Sala started his career in show business as a Highlife musician, fronting in 1964 a group known as the Federal Rhythm Dandies where he tutored and guided the jùjú music maestro King Sunny Adé who was his lead guitar player.