By Daniel Anazia and Shaibu Husseini
Light dimmed early yesterday on the popular octogenarian stage and screen actress Zainab Bukky Ajayi, who is popular as ‘Auntie Bukky’. Aged 82, the actress reportedly died in her family home in Surulere area of Lagos and was later buried at Atan Cemetery, Yaba, Lagos in accordance with Islamic injunction.
She is best known for her inimitable performance in the Andrew Dosumu’s well travelled film Mother of George and in some Nollywood movies including the 2004 feature Indecent Girl and the 1998 movie Witches.
Auntie Bukky began her career on screen as an announcer, presenter and newscaster with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). While at that, Auntie Bukky who studied drama at the prestigious Stanislavsky Institute of Drama, London found time to feature in some soaps and series produced on NTA, the now rested Village Headmaster series is one programme that benefitted from her expert rendering.
Her last public outing as a celebrity when she honoured the invitation of the organizers of the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award (AMVCA) to receive a life time achievement award.
She had said shortly after receiving the award “all these people (referring to the audience that all stood to also honour her). You mean you are all standing for me? Oh. Oh… please, if I have done anything wrong to you in the past, please forgive me… and I too have forgiven those who wronged me in the course of life and on this job.”
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