Jimoh Aliu

{{Infobox person

| name = Jimoh Aliu

|image=Jimoh Aliu.png

| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NGA|MFR|size=100%}}

| other_names = Aworo

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1939|11|11}}

| birth_place = Okemesi, Nigeria

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2020|9|17|1939|11|11}}

| death_place = Ado Ekiti, Nigeria

| occupation = {{Hlist|Actor|dramatist|producer }}

| yearsactive = 1959–2020

| notable_works = Ajalu

| father = Aliu Fakoya

}}

Jimoh Aliu {{post-nominals|country=NGA|MFR}},{{Audio|Yo-Jimoh Aliu.ogg|listen|help=no}} ( November 11, 1939 – September 17, 2020), also known as {{Audio|Yo-Aworo.ogg|Listen|help=no}}Aworo, was a Nigerian dramatist, sculptor, film writer, playwright and director.{{cite web |url=http://www.naijarules.com/xf/index.php?threads/my-life-at-70-–-jimoh-aliu-veteran-actor-producer-director-scriptwriter.19545/ |title=My life at 70 – Jimoh Aliu, veteran actor, producer, director, scriptwriter {{!}} Naijarules.com |website=www.naijarules.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216121910/http://www.naijarules.com/xf/index.php?threads/my-life-at-70-%E2%80%93-jimoh-aliu-veteran-actor-producer-director-scriptwriter.19545/ |archive-date=2015-02-16}}{{Cite web |last=Yinka |first=Ade |date=2020-09-17 |title=Another veteran Nollywood actor, Jimoh Aliu is dead |url=https://www.kemifilani.ng/entertainment/another-veteran-nollywood-actor-jimoh-aliu-is-dead |access-date=2022-03-12 |website=Kemi Filani News |language=en-GB}}

Early life

He was born on November 11,1939 at Okemesi, a city in Ekiti State southwestern Nigeria.

His father, Aliu Fakoya, was an Ifa priest who hailed from Oke-Imesi while his mother hailed from Iloro-Ekiti.{{cite web|url=http://www.nigeriafilms.com/content.asp?contentid=8528&ContentTypeID=6|title=MY DIVORCE WITH ORISABUNMI WAS DESTINED----Chief Jimoh Aliu a.k.a. Aworo MFR — nigeriafilms.com|author=Administrator|work=nigeriafilms.com|accessdate=16 February 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.punchng.com/entertainment/arts-life/from-stage-to-traditional-medicine/ |title=From stage to traditional medicine |work=The Punch — Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper |accessdate=16 February 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216160001/http://www.punchng.com/entertainment/arts-life/from-stage-to-traditional-medicine/ |archivedate=16 February 2015 }}

Career

Aliu began acting in 1959 when Akin Ogungbe, a Nigerian veteran dramatist visited his hometown, the same year he joined the Akin Ogungbe theatre group where he gained some experience in drama.{{cite web|url=http://www.punchng.com/news/veteran-actor-ogungbe-dies-at-78/|title=Veteran actor, Ogungbe, dies at 78|work=The Punch — Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper|accessdate=16 February 2015|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216155956/http://www.punchng.com/news/veteran-actor-ogungbe-dies-at-78/|archivedate=16 February 2015}}

In 1966, after he spent seven years with the Ogungbe troupe, he established "Jimoh Aliu Concert Party", a group based in Ikare in Ondo State southwestern Nigeria.{{cite web|url=http://www.punchng.com/entertainment/arts-life/for-ogungbe-dramatists-besiege-abeokuta/ |title=For Ogungbe, dramatists besiege Abeokuta |work=The Punch — Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper |accessdate=16 February 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216160005/http://www.punchng.com/entertainment/arts-life/for-ogungbe-dramatists-besiege-abeokuta/ |archivedate=16 February 2015 }}

He later joined the Nigerian Army in 1967 but retired in 1975 with the aim of focusing on drama as well as promoting independent artists under the platform of Jimoh Aliu cultural group.{{cite web|url=http://www.punchng.com/feature/strangers-to-their-mother-tongues-home-bred-nigerians-who-dont-speak-their-native-languages/ |title=Strangers to their mother tongues: Home-bred Nigerians who don't speak their native languages |work=The Punch — Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper |accessdate=16 February 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216160011/http://www.punchng.com/feature/strangers-to-their-mother-tongues-home-bred-nigerians-who-dont-speak-their-native-languages/ |archivedate=16 February 2015 }}

He had produced several television drama series such as Iku Jare Eda Yanpan yanrin and Fopomoyo that featured king Sunny Ade, a good friend of Jimoh Aliu's. It was later learned that his good friend, Sunny Ade, slept with his wife, Orisabunmi. Jimoh Aliu ultimately forgave his friend but eventually divorced Orisabunmi.

The major character, Fadeyi Oloro, played by Ojo Arowosegbe became a significant part of Jimoh Aliu's production. This Fadeyi Oloro was originally played by another member of the Jimoh Aliu group (in defunct Ondo State) before Ojo Arowosegbe later joined the group. The wife of the original Fadeyi Oloro also played the original Orisabunmi character before the last (widely known chactacter) featured Orisabunmi.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kRR2fBv2NhUC&q=King+Sunny+Ade+featured+in+Fopomoyo+by+Jimoh+Aliu&pg=PA152|title=African Cinema|via=google.nl|isbn=9780865436978|accessdate=16 February 2015|last1=Harrow|first1=Kenneth W.|year=1999}}{{cite web|url=http://www.mydailynewswatchng.com/?p=99066&wpmp_switcher=mobile |title=How I lied to become music star – KSA |author=BOLDWIN ANUGWARA |work=Newswatch Times |accessdate=16 February 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216123902/http://www.mydailynewswatchng.com/?p=99066&wpmp_switcher=mobile |archivedate=16 February 2015 }}

Death

Aliu died at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital in Ado-Ekiti on September 17, 2020 after a brief illness. He was 80 years old.[https://tribuneonlineng.com/breaking-veteran-yoruba-actor-jimoh-aliu-is-dead-to-be-buried-on-friday/ BREAKING: Veteran Yoruba Actor, Jimoh Aliu, Is Dead, To Be Buried On Friday]