Family, colleagues and fans of actor Bamidele Saint, better known as Okemesi, gathered in Lagos on Friday to lay the comic actor to rest, three days after his death.
Okemesi died on Tuesday, at a hospital in Lagos after slipping into a coma linked to complications from medication he was given during treatment. He was pronounced dead at 11:50 a.m. that day.
The actor’s sister broke down in tears at the burial service at Ayobo Cemetery, demanding answers about his death. In a now‑widely shared video from the graveside she cried, “If it is someone that did this to my brother, may the person pay. I am the last born. If it is someone that did this, in one month time let the person pay.”
Okemesi became known for his roles in Yoruba films and comedy skits. He drew attention for his humour and his use of his native Ekiti dialect in performances that won him a devoted following online and in cinemas.
In the weeks before his death, the actor had spoken publicly about his health struggles and financial difficulties. He appeared on a colleague’s podcast where he said he had been homeless and was fighting what he described as a spiritual attack that had at one point left him unable to walk.
His colleague, Jeff Owolewa, announced details of his final days, saying Okemesi had deteriorated after being discharged from hospital when complications arose from the drugs he was given. Owolewa said efforts to admit him to some facilities were hampered by a lack of available space before he was eventually taken to a private hospital and placed on oxygen.
“We have taken the body to the morgue, and I will communicate the rest of the arrangements to you guys,” Owolewa said in a video announcing the death, thanking everyone who supported the actor during his illness.
