The family of veteran Nollywood actor and theatre icon Chief Dr. Adekola Gabriel Oyewo, popularly known as Kola Oyewo, has announced that he will be buried on Friday, August 7, 2026, in Oba-Ile, Osun State.
According to the funeral programme released by the Bangbola Oyewo family of the Ese-Ola Royal House, the late actor, who died at the age of 80, will be honoured with a three-day series of events celebrating his life and contributions to Nigerian theatre and academia.
The family described Oyewo as a devoted father, grandfather, respected traditional ruler and one of Nigeria’s most accomplished theatre practitioners, whose impact spanned the stage, television and the classroom.
Funeral activities will begin on Wednesday, August 5, with a wake-keep and service of songs at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Igboya, Ile-Ife.
On Thursday, August 6, a commendation mass will take place at the same church, followed later in the day by an artistes’ night at Oduduwa Hall, Obafemi Awolowo University, featuring tributes and cultural performances in his honour.
An exhibition showcasing Oyewo’s photographs and notable works will also open on Thursday at the Pit Theatre, African Studies Building, Obafemi Awolowo University, and continue through Friday.
The final rites will be held on Friday, August 7, when his funeral cortege departs his residence at Ese Ola’s Compound in Oba-Ile before a requiem mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Oba-Ile.
Beyond his acting career, Kola Oyewo was the Balogun of Oba-Ile and an Associate Professor of Drama, widely admired for his lasting contributions to the growth of theatre arts in Nigeria.
