Popular Yoruba movie actress, Moji Olaiya, has passed on in Canada barely two months after she welcomed a child.
She died on Wednesday night after she reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest.
Although her family is yet to issue an official statement, her colleagues have taken to social media to express their grief.
The 42-year-old star actress was the daughter of legendary Nigerian highlife maestro, Victor Olaiya.
She welcomed her first child in Canada a few months after she officially divorced her first husband.
She was previously married to Bayo Okesola.
Her death comes as a rude shock because her last post on Instagram was less than 24 hours ago.
It read, “Allhamdulilahi to you Allah I give all the glory for all you have done. I will forever praise and worship you. It’s not by power but the Grace of Allah. Thank you for the gift of life. Thanks also to all my friends and family my fans for your supports and prayers. Love you all.”
Several reports claim she might be buried in Canada as her aged mother lives in Nigeria and it is a taboo in Yoruba land to see the corpse of one’s child.
Her shocking death has further thrown the Yoruba movie industry into mourning having lost two popular actors, Olumide Bakare, and Pastor Ajidara, a few weeks apart.
Moji began her acting career with Wale Adenuga’s production, Super Story, and starred in several Nollywood movies and Yoruba films.
She is best known for her roles in films such as No Pains No Gains, in which she played Ireti, Sade Blade (2005), Nkan adun (2008) and Omo iya meta leyi (2009). She also starred in the Agunbaniro.
In 2003 she was nominated for the Reel Award Best Supporting Actress of the Year, and she won the Best New Actress Award.
In 2016 she released a film, Iya Okomi, starring Foluke Daramola and Funsho Adeolu which was scheduled to premiere in Lagos on July.
She converted to Islam in 2014.
Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility
Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.
For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.
By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.
TEXT AD: To place an advert here . Call Willie - +2348098788999
JOIN THE CONVERSATION