Actress, Orisabunmi Dies At 60, 3 Months After Ex-Husband Aworo Died At 86

Veteran Yoruba actress Folake Aremu, popularly known as Orisabunmi, has died. She was 60 years old. She reportedly breathed her last yesterday night in Ibadan, oyo state after a brief, undisclosed ailment. Orisabunmi’s sudden death came barely 3 months after the death of her former husband, veteran actor, Jimoh Aliu’s death.

Late Chief Jimoh Aliu, popularly called Aworo, died on September 17 last year at the age of 81 at the Ekiti State University Teaching hospital, Ado-Ekiti, after an undisclosed illness.

Orisabunmi was born on October 10, 1960, in Ilu Ola, Kwara state. She went to Ilu Ola Primary School and Secondary Commercial College. She never attended university. The veteran actress was discovered by her ex-husband in the 80s while working as a teacher in Kwara state. Her ex-husband, Nollywood veteran, Chief Jimoh Aliu (Aworo) had first noticed her and expressed his interest in her. After visiting him on set, Orisabunmi decided to try a role in a movie he was producing. He found that she was gifted in acting and decided to officially add her to the play. 

She soon began her career appearing in movies produced by Aworo. She first appeared on a stage play called ‘Ori Ma Binu’ but it was her role as ‘Orisabunmi’ in “Arelu” that made her a popular name in Nollywood in the 80s. Her appearance in other movies like “Agbaarin” and soap opera, “Yanponyanrin” cemented her place in the movie industry. She was trained by Chief Jimoh Aliu.

 She married Chief Jimoh six years after she began her career but they parted ways after twenty years together. He claimed in an interview with The Sun that she had absconded with another man. He said, “But when the devil struck, the agent that satan used to accomplish the mission was the man she eloped with.”

When her ex-hubby died 3 months ago, Orisabunmi was full of good words about him. In an interview, she said “No matter how old your friend or associate might be, you would never want them to die. We thank God for his life. He was a good man; he was a father to me, not a husband. He was my mentor. After God, he was responsible for my progress. I pray to the Lord to accept him. May his good works never be wasted!”

When asked what really happened between them that led to their separation, She said “my master, Jimoh Aliu, trained me and we later became husband and wife. He stood by me on the journey. We separated as a couple more than 20 years ago. But, all the way, he was very supportive. We were on good terms. I always pray for him because he was good to me”.