Veteran actress Bukky Ajayi dies at 82

Legendary Nollywood actress, Bukky Ajayi has passed on. The actress died on Wednesday, July 6th.

She was aged 82.

The actress had been ill for some time now.

She made her last public appearance at the 2016 AMVCA in March where she won the AMVCA Merit Award.

Speaking at the event, she said “I just want to say to all my friends and non-friends thank you very much, you do not know how much this award means to me. If I have offended in one way or another please find it in your heart to forgive me and if you think you have offended me, don’t worry I have forgiven you a long time ago.”

“I am very happy from the bottom of my heart. I wish I could stand up but if I do I will fall but you all standing for me I say thank you.”

On Monday, February 2, Bukky Ajayi clocked 82-years and was hosted to a small celebration by her children at her home, in Lagos.

Bukky Ajayi was born into a  christian family but converted to Islam in the early eighties and chose the name Zainab.
Her love for the theatre started as a young girl when her father used to take her to the cinemas.
Opportunity came for her to study in England as a Federal government scholar.

She was abroad for six years.
On her return to Nigeria after her education in 1965, she started out working in Nigeria Television Authority(NTA) as a presentation assistant in 1966.
Afterwards, she became a presenter and then a news reader

She started her acting career in the 70s  in the series titled ‘Village Headmaster’ and she later got a role in Amaka Igwe’s ‘Checkmate.’

Bukky Ajayi’s popular movies include Mother of George, Indecent Girl, Diamond Ring, Witches, Thunderbolt, international film ‘Critical Assignment’ in South Africa among others.
She’s Jazzman Olofin’s grandmother-In-law.