The late Bukky Ajayi
The late Bukky Ajayi

Seasoned Nigerian actress and one of the best known female faces in Nigerian dramatic art, Bukky Ajayi has died.

Family sources say she died this morning although the cause of her death is yet to be disclosed. She was aged 82.

A graduate of the Institute of Drama, London, Ajayi played roles in major soaps and films. She was a prominent character in the famous television series, ‘Village Headmaster’ and Amaka Igwe’s ‘Checkmate.’

The veteran actress was born a Christian but she later converted to Islam and began to bear the name, Zainab. Her working life in Nigeria began as a Presentation Assistant in the Nigerian Television Authoriy in 1966. She rose to become a presenter and news reader.

At this year’s Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards which was held on March 5 in Lagos, she was one of the two winners of the Industry Merit Award, the other winner being Mr Sadiq Daba.

Her speech at the awards was highly emotional and was one of the high points of the event. Sitting in a wheelchair and unable to control her feelings for getting the recognition, she sobbed. She asked forgiveness of all those she had offended and said she had forgiven those who wronged her. That event marked her last major public outing.