Friday 22 June 2012

Africa's pioneer TV broadcaster, Segun Olusola passes on at 77

Africa's First TV broadcaster, Chief Segun Olusola
The patriarch of Nigerian culture and pioneer TV broadcaster, Chief Segun Olusola passed on yeserday, at 6 p.m. on Thursday June 21, 2012. A very active culture activist, he suffered a brief illness until yesterday.  Born March 18, 1935, and living a life full of activities in the entire culture sector and other branches of endeavour, he passed on at 77.

  Chief Segun Olusola will be remembered for four major achievements: in broadcasting, he became the first African television broadcaster when TV debuted in Africa with its first transmission in Nigeria at the Western Nigeria Television (WNTV), Ibadan in 1959; he was an actor, playwright and a founding member of The Players of the Dawn, an amateur theatre outfit that held sway until 1959, prior to the emergence of the 1960 Masks, a more professional theatre outfit established by Prof. Wole Soyinka; in Diplomacy, he was the longest-serving Ambassador of Nigeria to Ethiopia (1987 - 1993).
 He was reputed as a Culture Ambassador who employed the instrumentalities and functionalities of  arts and culture to drive Diplomacy. In Humanitarian circle, he was moved by his experiences as a diplomat when he dealt with many critical refugee issues, to eventually found the African Refugees Foundation in 1993 shortly after his service as Ambassador.
 
 Chief Segun Olusola at a culture function
Olusola was an art connoisseur whose family gallery, Ajibulu-Moniya Gallery transformed into a full-blown commercial gallery open to public to date.  
  He is survived by his wife, Chief Mrs. Beatrice Fehintola Olusola; his children: Ms. Aderonke Ajibulu-Moniya, Mr, Jimi Olusola III, Mrs.Toyin Laditi, Mr. Sabitu Olusola, Mrs. Toyin Adejumo and Mr. Samuel Olusola; his immediate younger sister, Chief Mrs. Biodun Kehinde and others. Burial arrangement will soon be announced by the family.  

2 comments:

  1. May his gentle soul rest in peace. He lived an impactful life.

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  2. With very heavy heart and the feelings of loss, we write to notify you of the passing on of the Chairman, UPF Board of Trustees, Ambassador Chief Segun Olusola, Thursday June 21, 2012 Chief Segun Olusola was the first Nigerian and among very few Africans who was appointed by the International Body as a member of the Global Peace Council (GPC). He was also the first African to be given the Crown of Peace award which took place in Seoul, South Korea in 2004. Chief Segun Olusola was also Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Inter-religious and International Federation for World Peace.

    We hereby notify all Ambassadors for Peace, friends, well wishers and the public that a condolence register has been opened at the National Headquarters, The Peace Embassy, 25 Bujumbura Street off Libreville Street by Aminu Kano Crescent, Near Mr. Biggs, Wuse II, Abuja and Lagos State UPF office at the Old Secretariat by AREF office, GRA, Ikeja.

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