Yemi Ajibade facts for kids

Yemi Ajibade (born July 28, 1929 – died January 24, 2013) was a talented Nigerian playwright, actor, and director. He was also known as Yemi Goodman Ajibade or Ade-Yemi Ajibade.

In the 1950s, Yemi moved to England. There, he made a big impact on British theatre and helped create many important Black plays. As an actor, he was famous for his roles in movies like Dirty Pretty Things (2002) and The Exorcist: The Beginning (2004). He also appeared in the TV show Danger Man (1964).

Yemi Ajibade worked for over 50 years. During this time, he directed and wrote many successful plays. He also acted in a wide range of shows for television, stage, radio, and film.

About Yemi Ajibade's Early Life and School

Adeyemi Olanrewaju Goodman Ajibade was born a prince in Ìlá Òràngún, Osun State, Nigeria. This area is in the southwest part of the country.

He went to Abeokuta Grammar School. It was there that he first fell in love with theatre and acting. Later, he moved to London to continue his studies. He attended Kennington College of Law and Commerce in 1955. Then, he went to The Actors' Workshop in 1960. From 1966 to 1968, he studied at the London School of Film Technique. This school is now called the London Film School. He was one of only two Black students there at the time.

Yemi Ajibade's Career and Works

When Yemi Ajibade first arrived in the UK, he started acting in radio shows. These shows were for the BBC African Service. In 1960, he played a social worker in a radio soap opera. His character traveled around England helping people solve problems.

Becoming a Well-Known Actor

By 1963, Yemi was seen as a very promising actor from West Africa. He appeared in many TV shows and films. Some of his TV roles included Armchair Theatre (1963), Danger Man (1965), and Silent Witness (1996).

He also acted in plays on stage. For example, he was in "Plays Umbrella" in 1980. He also performed in One Fine Day (1980) and The Custom of the Country (1983). His film roles included The Devil Rides Out (1968), Dirty Pretty Things (2002), and Flawless (2007).

Leading Black Arts Events

In 1966, Yemi Ajibade led a group of British, West Indian, and African artists. They went to the World Festival of Black Arts in Dakar, Senegal. There, he directed a play called Wind Versus Polygamy.

Later, in 1977, he was in charge of the Drama Events at the 2nd World Black Arts Festival in Lagos, Nigeria. In 1975, he became an art director at the Keskidee Centre in London. He directed a play called The Swamp Dwellers there.

Writing and Directing Plays

Yemi Ajibade was also a well-known playwright. One of his most famous plays is Parcel Post. It was performed many times at the Royal Court Theatre in London in 1976–77.

Another play he wrote was Fingers Only. It was first a radio show called Lagos, Yes Lagos in 1971. His play Waiting for Hannibal opened in 1986 and went on a national tour. In 1991, his play A Long Way From Home was produced at the Tricycle Theatre. Yemi himself was the main actor in this play.

From 1976 to 1979, Yemi also worked in Ibadan, Nigeria. He was a writer and director for the Unibadan Masques. This was the acting group at the University of Ibadan.

In 2008, Yemi Ajibade was honored as a leader in British-African theatre. This happened at a special event celebrating 10 years of Tiata Fahodzi, a theatre company.

Yemi Ajibade's Family Life

Yemi Ajibade had three sisters named Arinade Victoria, Layo, and Janet. He also had two other sisters, Bolanle and Fadeke, who passed away. He had a brother named Sunday.

Yemi was married to an actor and poet named Ebony White. They had two daughters together, Adenrele and Mimi. He also had another daughter, Marigold, from a previous relationship. Yemi Ajibade passed away in the UK on January 13, 2013, when he was 83 years old.

Plays Written by Yemi Ajibade

• Award (this play was never performed)
• Behind the Mountain – first performed by Unibadan Masques, 1977
• Fingers Only – first performed at The Factory, Battersea Arts Centre, London, 1982. It was a radio play called Lagos, Yes Lagos in 1971.
• A Long Way from Home – first performed at Tricycle Theatre, London, 1991
• Mokai – first performed by Unibadan Masques, 1979
• Parcel Post – first performed at Royal Court Theatre, London, March 16, 1976
• Waiting for Hannibal – first performed at Drill Hall, London, 1986
• Para Ginto (a Black version of Peer Gynt) – performed at Tricycle Theatre, 1995