Ibadan based Veteran actor, Alhaji Tajudeen Oyewole, popularly known as Abija, has reflected on his remarkable 52-year career in acting, expressing heartfelt gratitude to God for his life and success.
The 66-year-old iconic actor, renowned for his memorable roles in Yoruba war films, remains active in the industry, regularly attending movie sets and recently featuring in a Kunle Afolayan film.
Despite his accomplishments, Abija mentioned that a movie he has been planning is yet to be produced due to funding constraints. As he looked back on his career, he shared the origin of his famous name and his journey into the film industry.
Abija’s acting career began in 1972 when he joined Chief Akin Ogungbe’s theatre troupe, touring with the group for four years and facing numerous challenges as a theatre artist.
His breakthrough role came in the movie Opa Aje, where he was cast as Abija, a character that became synonymous with his name. Oyewole has acted as Abija in over 50 movies, including ‘Opa Aje’, ‘Koto Orun’, ‘Aro Meta’ and his self-produced ‘Ipadabo Abija’, ‘Ija Eleye’, and ‘Eyinju Akoni’.
He attributed his longevity and success to divine protection, crediting God for keeping him safe throughout the years. His remarkable career and contributions to the film industry will be remembered for generations to come, and he will be celebrated for entertaining millions of Nigerians.