The veteran broadcaster and actor Sadiq Daba is dead.ย
The artist passed on Wednesday evening, after having been poorly since 2017 from leukaemia and prostate cancer.ย
A top official of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), where Mr Daba retired, confirmed his passing.
When he relapsed in 2019 and called for help, Nigerians, including billionaire Femi Otedola rallied to his aid.ย
ย The 70-year-old had been carefully managing his health until his passing on Wednesday evening, eliciting Nigeriansโ grief.ย
Filmmaker Kunle Afolayan, who featured him in โOctober 1stโ, wrote on The Culture People, the WhatsApp platform of TCN: โUncle S, as I call him, has gone to rest. May his soul rest in peace.โ
The Chief Executive of the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) also wrote on the platform, โRest well, Uncle Sadiq. You are a superstar.โ
Born in Sierra-Leone to a father from Kano, the late Daba didnโt come to Nigeria until his early 20s in 1968 and didnโt start out life in television.
His first job in Nigeria was with the Government Coastal Agency. Later, the Nigeria Customs, before a chance encounter with the late Alifah Baba Ahmed, changed his life course.ย
Ahmed, who had noticed his excellent diction, facilitated his audition and eventual employment at Radio Television Kaduna (RKTV) in 1973.
He transitioned from radio to TV after meeting a former DG of the NTA, Peter Igho, who introduced him to drama when he started โCock Crow at Dawn.โ
ย The late Daba played Bitrus in the popular series and featured in other productions, including โMasqueradeโ, โMoment of Truthโ, โSowetoโ and โOctober 1stโ, which earned him AMAAโs Best Actor Prize in 2015. He also started โAM Expressโ on the NTA with the late Uncle Yinka Craig
A wife and four children survive Daba.
