Adebayo Salami widely known by his stage name Oga Bello, is a veteran Nigerian actor, filmmaker, movie producer, and director.
Early Life/Education
Adebayo Salami, popularly known as Oga Bello, was born in Lagos, Nigeria on May 9th, 1953 into an Islamic family of Kwara origin. Bello grew up in Lagos where he had his primary and secondary education. While gwoing up, he watched the programme titled, Village Doctor, which motivated him to acting.
Career
He started acting with Young Stars Concert Party in 1964 when he was 12 years old. The group metamorphosed to Ojo Ladipo Theatre. He was in school when he joined them. However, his parents were not interested in the path he had chosen and they went as far as threatening to curse me. He left home and lived with a friend who had a church until his parents came for him.
Bello is one of the oldest actors in the Yoruba arm of Nollywood has been in the business for over five decades. He started movie production and acting side by side with legends. When Oga Bello got his first movie role, he acted with legendary Ade Afolayan. Late Ade Afolayan is known to the older generation as Ade Love and to the younger generation as famous filmmaker, Kunle Afolayan and actor Gabriel Afolayan’s dad. During a stage production at the Lagos State Festival of Arts in 1970, he played a lead role in a play called Ogbon Gbemiga.
Bello has produced dozens of movies some of which including Ogun Ajaiye under the stable of Awada Kerikeri in 1985. In 1987, he produced Omo Orukan and in 1989, Eri Okan and all of which were on celluloid. He joined the home video industry reluctantly as he knew it was not accepted internationally. Unfortunately, the economy was not stable and there were no equipment to produce films in Nigeria.
Movie
https://youtu.be/HymtXt21r1U
Oga Bello has starred in over a thousand movies including the following;
- Ajani Ogun
- Omo Orukan
- Ogun Ajaye
- Ija Orogun
- Ilari
Awards
The Nollywood veteran won the ‘Best of Nollywood (BON) Award in 2014. He has also copped different plaques of various awards in Nigeria. He was also nominated for the AMVCA Awards in 2018 for the best indigenous movie actor.
Personal Life
Oga Bello is a devote Muslim, she is married to at least 2 women (first is Alhaja Ejide) and has exactly 18 children including Femi Adebayo (also an actor) and Kemi Adebayo. He loves to listen to apala, sakara and Fuji.
Social Media
Instagram: @adebayo.salami