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And Death came calling…
No matter how you think through or try to rationalize somethings,they just drain you emotionally.
Death is one of them.
It is still a mystery.
Biyi dead?
How?
Why?
But then,why not?
Its death afterall!
We were all born to die.
Its a call we must all answer to.Only at different times.
I had late night musings,
casually checked up Facebook,to relax and sleep.Then got jolted by the announcement of Biyi Bandele’s death.!
Haaa
Sleep comot for eye!one time.
Thinking,
pondering…
wondering…ki lo n se le?
O gi ni na po tu?
When you say, a creative has a restless spirit? Thats Biyi.
A few things I know about Biyi that may be news to some in our creative community:
He was originally Biyi Bandele Thomas.
Sometime in 1988/89, he was a 200 level Dramatic Arts student in the University of Ife, There,Biyi wrote a two man play -RAIN. He won a BBC prize as best young writer in Africa.
He was invited to collect his award in UK.
He must have been spotted as a possible genius.
That marked his rellocation to UK.
He never returned from that trip.So never completed his study in Ife.Not a few of his friends were concerned.
He poured himself into writing.
He established himself as a notable African Author
We all lost touch.
He must have studied to improve his craft with some top rate courses.
He wrote superb novels too.
Many years later,
He adapted Things Fall Apart for stage to be performed by a 12 man cast, looked unachievable but it happened.
On the invitation of United States Information service.It was a Collective Artistes project directed by his former teacher Chuck Mike.(Chuck is an American ,retired teacher in the Dramatic Arts Dept in Unife , a refined Theatre director with specialisation in acting and speech)
Later years,
I was selected by British Council to attend a writers workshop in Jos Nigeria.
Guess who the lead facilitator was?
Biyi Bandele!(at this time he had dropped Thomas in his name)
I just thought,whao…Biyi was on fire.Brilliant class.My younger “brother”
Now my “teacher”.
I learnt a lot from his class.
We could not talk much as he was flying back to UK the next day..so no time to connect or catch up.
Next meeting,I was on a screen writing course in Nairobi.Yes ,you guessed right.Biyi was in charge!
His focus had then changed significantly.
He wanted to make films.Films that can travel,films that will speak Africa.
Later, I was reading up that he was to direct Half of a yellow sun.
Haaa,from what experience was the only thing I could say…but he did good.
Though could have been a lot better.The Producing and its marketing was tarky,but thats a conversation for another time.
Biyi Bandele wields admirable body of works ,he quickly established himself as an important stakeholder in the creative sector in Nigeria.
Half of a Yellow Sun, then Fifty, Blood Sisters and Elesin Oba from the stable of Ebony Life studios who gave verve to his goals.
Biyi lived a life of fulfilment as a notable creative in UK and Africa.
If there be story telling and filmaking on the other side,He will surely sign off on the big projects there.
Goodnight Biyi..travel safe
