By Uche Amunike
Shortly after Nollywood diva, Ada Ameh passed on, another veteran Actress Sola Onayiga has kicked the bucket, leaving her fans , friends and family, in shock over her demise.
The late actress, Sola Onayiga, who played the character, Ireti, in the iconic Television series, ‘Fuji House of Commotion’, also acted in ‘Checkmate’ and so many other Nollywood movies.
She started her acting career as an amateur actress. Her very first professional job, being when she acted in ‘The King Must Dance Naked’ by Fred Agbeyegbe. In that drama, she played the part of Queen Odosun, which was one of its major roles. According to her, she was paid what she described as a professional fee for that role. It was the role that made people to start calling her ‘Queen Odosun’.
The late actress, Sola Onayiga, apart from being an accomplished thespian, was truly a woman of many parts. She was actually a politician and was the Social Democratic Party candidate that ran for the Lagos State House of Assembly election for Ikorodu Constituency 1.
Recall that as an accomplished actress, Sola Onayiga, worked with the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), shortly after her secondary school education.
Hear her speech in an interview conducted in 2016: ‘I was employed as an interviewer; that is, I interviewed those who went around the country to sample opinions about the suitability of Abuja as the Federal Capital Territory. This was around 1976 and 1977. I was posted to Dodan Barracks to interview the soldiers.
She was also a student of the National Institute of Internal Auditors for two years before she dropped out to study Theatre Arts at the University of Ife (OAU).
Unfortunately, the talented actress got admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, two weeks ago and eventually gave up the ghost.
Nigerians have taken to social media to mourn her demise, since her passing. Film critic, Shaibu Husseini wrote on his Facebook wall about the late actress, Sola Onayiga: ‘I have just been informed that the accomplished Stage and Screen Actress and Fellow of Theatre Arts, Auntie Sola Awojobi Onayiga, has passed on.’
‘Auntie Sola, who is best known for living the role of Ireti, Aka, ‘Catering Practical in the defunct television sitcom ‘Fuji House of Commotion’, delightfully, reportedly passed on this morning. Journey well, Ma!Journey well!’
Another twitter user, @folakemiajayi_ said : I didn’t expect waking up to the News of the death of Sola Onayiga ( Ireti of Fuji House of Commotion and Ada Ameh of The Johnsons). Their deaths hit me in the chest. These are two actresses who made me love the popular TV shows they appeared in.’
On his part, @trendinginfo9ja tweeted: ‘Two great losses in a day. Sola Onayiga and Ada Ameh. May God rest your souls in peace. For many years, you both graced our screens and put smiles on our faces, we will always remember you’
