By Deji Elumoye in Abuja
Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has described the late ace comedian, Moses Olaiya a.k.a. Baba Sala, as a prolific artiste who contributed immensely to the development of the nation’s movie industry in particular and arts and culture in general, during his lifetime.
Saraki in a statement by his Media Adviser, Yusuph Olaniyonu, said: “Baba Sala was a legend who through dint of hard work, tenacity and creative inventiveness, pioneered comedy and made theatre and television sitcoms and skits a culture embraced by the masses”.
He noted that the comedian’s regular dose of hilarity and wisecracks enlivened households across the country in unquantifiable ways as “he was pivotal to making comedy a major art form in Nigeria, and we are seeing his impact in the comic superstars we have today”.
“Baba Sala brought laughter into people’s lives. He was a true hero who embodied the quintessential Nigerian spirit of growing from obscurity to stardom. He lived an impactful life and helped to discover and groom talents – some of whom are today leading lights in the Nigerian music and film industries.
“I join millions of fans to mourn the passage of this comic genius whose movies served as a forerunner to Nollywood. He was a prolific artist and left his footprints on the sands of time. He shall be missed,” he stated.
Saraki called on the federal government to immortalise the late Baba Sala by naming a befitting national monument after him as a mark of honour and encouragement to both present and future artistes in the country.
