Again, mourning in theatre industry, as former Mama Ajasco dies

Updated: Tuesday 03-02-2009

Late Iyabo MomohAdewale Oshodi writes on the death of Iyabo Momoh, a.k.a. Mama Ajasco, and how it has, once again, thrown the theatre industry into mourning.

Iyabo Momoh, a.k.a. Mama Ajasco, popular for her role in Wale Adenuga’s television com
edy series, papa Ajasco and Company, bade this world farewell last Wednesday, January 28, 2008, after a brief illness.

The former Mama Ajasco had been ill for a while, and this had limited her role in movies. She was widely known as Mama Ajasco before the cast was replaced with a new one.

The reason why she, alongside other former casts were dropped was as a result of a stage performance in which the old cast featured in. The production company they were under contract with, the Wale Adenuga productions (WAp) claimed the group ought to have taken permission before embarking on the job, as they had no right over the characters.

Aside from Iyabo Momoh (Mama Ajasco), others affected were Abiodun Ayoyinka (papa Ajasco), Bayo Bankole (Boy Alinco), and others.

However, Abiodun Ayoyinka (the first papa Ajasco) was recently recalled to his role and a close source said the decision to recall only Ayoyinka, might have aggravated Momoh’s illness.

The source said the laid-off cast had promised that if the production outfit must take anyone back, then it must be all of them.

Before she found fame as Mama Ajasco, the late actress was also popular in Yoruba movies. Her role as Aworuru in the drama series, Bata Wahala, was exceptional. She had also starred in a number of Yoruba home videos. Late Iyabo Momoh was 53 and had since been buried.

Also last week, the death of a female fuji musician, Iyabo Osanle, was announced.

Osanle was also reported to have been ill for a while and her ill-health could be attributed to stress.

As a fuji musician, she performed at shows a lot and this might have contributed to why her health deteriorated rapidly.