Veteran actor and former Tinsel’ star, Victor Olaotan, popularly known as Big Daddy, has died.
His wife, Julia Olatan, confirmed the death to The PUNCH on Friday.
In an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, Olatan, who had been relentlessly seeking support for the actor, said her husband died on Thursday night in Lagos State.
Julia appreciated The PUNCH and donors for helping her husband while battling for his life in a Turkish hospital.
“Victor Olaotan has passed on, I don’t take the help rendered us for granted. Sadly, Olaotan had to come back to Nigeria because we could no more raise the money to continue treatment, so the hospital sent him back. I’m grateful for my husband’s life and I know all is well.
“Despite the challenges, God has been good to me and my family. He was there for five years,” she said tearfully.
The deceased had suffered a traumatic brain injury after a ghastly car accident in October 2016.
The veteran actor had celebrated his 69th birthday on Wednesday, February 17, 2021, in a Turkish hospital battling with the effects of a traumatic brain injury he suffered after the ghastly car accident in October 2016.
Julia and some other ace actors had been soliciting support on Olaotan’s behalf.
In 2019, billionaire businessman and philanthropist, Femi Otedola, donated N30m to the actor.
Julia, who often spoke with her husband via video calls, had said whenever they spoke, she could see that he was “fighting for his life”.
Victor Olaoluwatoyefunmi Olaotan who hails from Ilesa, in Osun state was born on
17th February 1952 in Lagos, Nigeria. He studied at the University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University and Rockets University, United States.
He was born in Lagos, Nigeria in 1952. He studied at the University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University and Rockets University, United States.
He began his career as an actor when he joined the University of Ibadan theatre group, where he met other artistes, such as Professor Wole Soyinka and Jimi Solanke among others. He became an actor at the age of 15 years through a teacher who was a member of the Ori Olokun Theatre group in the early 70’s, prior to the death of his father. After his father died, he traveled to the United States of America in 1978 but returned to Nigeria in 2002 to continue his career in acting. He became more popular in 2013 after his leading role in a Nigerian Soap opera, Tinsel that began airing in August 2008. The veteran actor was involved in a motor accident in October 2016 and suffered nervous system injury . He was driving to a movie set when the accident took place around Apple Junction, in Festac, Lagos.
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