Yemi Ajibade (28 July 1929''Africa Who's Who'', London: Africa Journal Ltd, for Africa Books, 1981, p. 82. – 24 January 2013), usually credited as Yemi Goodman Ajibade or Ade-Yemi Ajibade, was a Nigerian playwright, actor and director who, after settling in England in the 1950s, made significant contributions to the British theatre and the canon of Black drama. As an actor he is well-known for ''Dirty Pretty Things'' (2002), ''The Exorcist: The Beginning'' (2004) and ''Danger Man'' (1964). In a career that spanned half a century, he directed and wrote several successful plays, as well as acting in a wide range of drama for television, stage, radio and film.

Biography and education

Adeyemi Olanrewaju Goodman Ajibade was born a royal prince of the house of Ọ̀ràngún from Ìlá Òràngún, Osun State, in the south-west of Nigeria. He attended

Abeokuta Abeokuta is the capital city of Ogun State in southwest Nigeria. It is situated on the east bank of the Ogun River, near a group of rocky outcrops in a wooded savanna; north of Lagos by railway, or by water. , Abeokuta and the surrounding a ...

Grammar School – where his love for the theatre began – and later pursued studies in London, at Kennington College of Law and Commerce (1955), at The Actors' Workshop (1960), and from 1966 to 1968 at the London School of Film Technique (now the London Film School), where he was a contemporary of filmmaker

Horace Ové Sir Horace Shango Ové (born 1936) is a Trinidad and Tobago-born British filmmaker, photographer, painter and writer. One of the leading black independent filmmakers to emerge in Britain in the post-war period, Ové holds the ''Guinness World R ...

(who has recalled that they were the only two black students in the school at the time).

Career and works

From early in his stay in the UK, Ajibade acted in radio drama for the BBC African Service. As producer Fiona Ledger recalled in 2007: "It was back in 1960 that the late BBC producer John Stockbridge was asked by the Head of the African Service to devise some kind of drama for African listeners. He came up with a series, a soap opera set in London. No copy survives, but" Yemi Ajibade "took the role of a social worker, moving around England and settling quarrels." Continuing to develop his acting career, he was hailed in 1963 as "one of the most promising actors from West Africa"."The African Scene"
''

Negro Digest The ''Negro Digest'', later renamed ''Black World'', was a magazine for the African-American market. Founded in November 1942 by publisher John H. Johnson of Johnson Publishing Company, ''Negro Digest'' was first published locally in Chicago, Illi ...

'', October 1963, p. 32. Alongside performers who included Yulisa Amadu Maddy, Leslie Palmer, Eddie Tagoe, Karene Wallace, Basil Wanzira, and Elvania Zirimu, among others, Ajibade featured in a production of

Lindsay Barrett Carlton Lindsay Barrett (born 15 September 1941), also known as Eseoghene, is a Jamaican-born poet, novelist, essayist, playwright, journalist and photographer, whose work has interacted with the Caribbean Artists Movement in the UK, the Black ...

's ''Blackblast!'' filmed in 1973 for a special edition of the BBC Two arts and entertainment programme ''Full House'' devoted to the work of West Indian writers, artists, musicians and film-makers. Ajibade's acting portfolio would eventually encompass roles in television series such as ''

Armchair Theatre ''Armchair Theatre'' is a British television drama anthology series of single plays that ran on the ITV network from 1956 to 1974. It was originally produced by ABC Weekend TV. Its successor Thames Television took over from mid-1968. The Canad ...

'' (starring in 1963 in ''The Chocolate Tree'' by

Andrew Sinclair Andrew Annandale Sinclair FRSL FRSA (21 January 1935 – 30 May 2019) was a British novelist, historian, biographer, critic, filmmaker, and a publisher of classic and modern film scripts. He has been described as a "writer of extraordinary flu ...

, together with

Earl Cameron Earlston Jewitt Cameron, CBE (8 August 19173 July 2020), known as Earl Cameron, was a Bermudian actor who lived and worked in the United Kingdom. After appearing on London's West End stage, he became one of the first black stars in the Briti ...

and Peter McEnery), ''

Danger Man ''Danger Man'' (retitled ''Secret Agent'' in the United States for the revived series, and ''Destination Danger'' and ''John Drake'' in other overseas markets) is a British television series that was broadcast between 1960 and 1962, and again b ...

'' (1965), ''

Dixon of Dock Green ''Dixon of Dock Green'' was a BBC police procedural television series about daily life at a fictional London police station, with the emphasis on petty crime, successfully controlled through common sense and human understanding. It ran from 19 ...

'' (1968), Douglas Botting's ''The Black Safari'' (1972), '' The Fosters'' (1976), ''Prisoners of Conscience'' (1981), and '' Silent Witness'' (1996), and work on the stage – for instance, in "Plays Umbrella", a season of five specially commissioned new plays, at Riverside Studios (in association with Drum Arts Centre, London) in August 1980, and Nicholas Wright's plays ''One Fine Day'' (1980 at Riverside Studios) and ''The Custom of the Country'' (1983 at The Pit, Barbican Centre), and in

Lorraine Hansberry Lorraine Vivian Hansberry (May 19, 1930 – January 12, 1965) was a playwright and writer. She was the first African-American female author to have a play performed on Broadway. Her best-known work, the play ''A Raisin in the Sun'', highli ...

's '' Les Blancs'' ( Royal Exchange Theatre, 2001) – as well as film appearances including in

Terence Fisher Terence Fisher (23 February 1904 – 18 June 1980) was a British film director best known for his work for Hammer Films. He was the first to bring gothic horror alive in full colour, and the sexual overtones and explicit horror in his films, ...

's '' The Devil Rides Out'' (1968),

Monte Hellman Monte Hellman (; born Monte Jay Himmelbaum; July 12, 1929 – April 20, 2021) was an American film director, producer, writer, and editor. Hellman began his career as an editor's apprentice at ABC TV, and made his directorial debut with the ho ...

's '' Shatter'' (1974), Hanif Kureshi's '' London Kills Me'' (1991), ''

Skin Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation. Other animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have different de ...

'' (1995, written by Sarah Kane),'' Dirty Pretty Things'' (2002), '' Exorcist: The Beginning'' (2004) and '' Flawless'' with Demi Moore and

Michael Caine Sir Michael Caine (born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite; 14 March 1933) is an English actor. Known for his distinctive Cockney accent, he has appeared in more than 160 films in a career spanning seven decades, and is considered a British film ico ...

(2007). In 1966 Ajibade led a delegation of British, West Indian and African members to the

World Festival of Black Arts The World Festival of Black Arts (French: Festival Mondial des Arts Nègres), also known as FESMAN, is a month-long culture and arts festival that takes place in Africa. The festival features poetry, sculpture, painting, music, cinema, theatre, f ...

Dakar Dakar ( ; ; wo, Ndakaaru) (from :wo:daqaar, daqaar ''tamarind''), is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Senegal, largest city of Senegal. The city of Dakar proper has a population of 1,030,594, whereas the population of the Dakar ...

Senegal Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...

, directing a production of Obi Egbuna's play ''Wind Versus Polygamy''; at the 2nd World Black Arts Festival in

Lagos Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national capital of Nigeria until December 1991 fo ...

in 1977 Ajibade was supervisor of Drama Events. In 1975 he was appointed as a tutor by the

Inner London Education Authority The Inner London Education Authority (ILEA) was an ad hoc local education authority for the City of London and the 12 Inner London boroughs from 1965 until its abolition in 1990. The authority was reconstituted as a directly elected body corp ...

, and he also became artistic director of the Keskidee Centre in north London, where he directed a production of Wole Soyinka's ''The Swamp Dwellers'' (13–23 March 1975). Among Ajibade's best known work as a playwright is ''Parcel Post'', which had 29 performances by the

English Stage Company The Royal Court Theatre, at different times known as the Court Theatre, the New Chelsea Theatre, and the Belgravia Theatre, is a non-commercial West End theatre in Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England ...

at the

Royal Court Theatre The Royal Court Theatre, at different times known as the Court Theatre, the New Chelsea Theatre, and the Belgravia Theatre, is a non-commercial West End theatre in Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England ...

in 1976–77, directed by Donald Howarth, with a cast featuring the likes of

Rudolph Walker Rudolph Malcolm Walker (born 28 September 1939) is a Trinidadian-British actor, known for his sitcom roles as Bill Reynolds in '' Love Thy Neighbour'' (1972–76) and Constable Frank Gladstone in '' The Thin Blue Line'' (1995–96). Since 2001 ...

, Christopher Asante, and Taiwo Ajai (who has said that her own acting career started by chance "when she stumbled across Yemi Ajibade on a production"). Ajibade's subsequent plays included ''Fingers Only'' (originally entitled ''Lagos, Yes Lagos'' when it was broadcast by the BBC in 1971 and published in ''Nine African Plays for Radio'' in 1973), which in its 1982 production for the Black Theatre Co-operative (now NitroBeat) was directed by Mustapha Matura at The Factory Theatre, Battersea Arts Centre, and Albany Empire. ''Waiting for Hannibal'' opened in June 1986 at the

Drill Hall A drill hall is a place such as a building or a hangar where soldiers practise and perform military drills. Description In the United Kingdom and Commonwealth, the term was used for the whole headquarters building of a military reserve unit, ...

, followed by a national tour, with Burt Caesar and Ajibade directing a cast that included Judith Jacobs, Wilbert Johnson and others; and ''A Long Way From Home'' was produced by Nicolas Kent at the

Tricycle Theatre The Kiln Theatre (formerly the Tricycle Theatre) is a theatre located in Kilburn, in the London Borough of Brent, England. Since 1980, the theatre has presented a wide range of plays reflecting the cultural diversity of the area, as well as ...

in 1991, with Ajibade himself heading the cast. Ajibade also worked in

Ibadan Ibadan (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Oyo State, in Nigeria. It is the third-largest city by population in Nigeria after Lagos and Kano, with a total population of 3,649,000 as of 2021, and over 6 million people within its me ...

during the late 1970s, as a writer and director (1976–79) with the Unibadan Masques, the

University of Ibadan The University of Ibadan (UI) is a public research university in Ibadan, Nigeria. The university was founded in 1948 as University College Ibadan, one of many colleges within the University of London. It became an independent university in 19 ...

's School of Drama acting company.Review of Ade-Yemi Ajibade, ''Fingers Only and A Man Names Mokai'' and ''Parcel Post and Behind the Mountain''
(Ibadan: Y-Book Drama series, 2001), in Ernest Nneji Emenyonu (ed.), ''New Directions in African Literature: A Review'', 25; p. 161. In February 2008, at an All-Star Gala held at Theatre Royal Stratford East on the 10th anniversary of Tiata Fahodzi, Ajibade was honoured as a leader of British-African theatre, alongside Taiwo Ajai-Lycett, Dotun Adebayo, Dona Croll,

Femi Oguns Olufemi Temitope Ogunsanwo (born 28 October 1977), known as Femi Oguns, is a prominent British agent and former actor who founded Identity School of Acting and Identity Agency Group. Background Femi Oguns obtained a joint honours degree in R ...

Chiwetel Ejiofor Chiwetel Umeadi Ejiofor ( ; born 10 July 1977) is a British actor. He is the recipient of various accolades, including a BAFTA Award, a Laurence Olivier Award, an NAACP Image Award, and nominations for an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awa ...

Hugh Quarshie Hugh Anthony Quarshie (born 22 December 1954) is a Ghanaian-born British actor. Some of his best-known roles include his appearances in the films ''Highlander'' (1986), '' The Church'' (1989), ''Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace'' (1 ...

and others."Tiata Fahodzi"
Naija Konnections, Volume 5, Issue 1, February 2008.

Personal life

Ajibade, who had three sisters (Arinade Victoria, Layo and Janet),he has two sisters that were late (Bolanle and Fadeke) and a brother Sunday was married to actor and poet Ebony White, with whom he had two daughters, Adenrele and Mimi, and from a previous relationship he had another daughter, Marigold. He died in the UK on 13 January 2013 at the age of 83.

Plays

* ''Award'' (unproduced) * ''Behind the Mountain'' – first produced: Unibadan Masques, 1977 * ''Fingers Only'' – first produced: The Factory, Battersea Arts Centre, London ( Black Theatre Co-operative, directed by Mustapha Matura), 1982. As ''Lagos, Yes Lagos'', BBC Radio, 1971. * ''A Long Way from Home'' – first produced:

, London (directed by Nicolas Kent), 1991 * ''Mokai'' – first produced: Unibadan Masques, 1979 * ''Parcel Post'' – first produced:

, London, 16 March 1976 * ''Waiting for Hannibal'' – first produced: Drill Hall, London (Black Theatre Co-operative, directed by Ajibade with Burt Caesar), 1986 * ''Para Ginto'' (black version of '' Peer Gynt'')Yemi Ajibade at Dollee.com
/ref> – Tricycle Theatre, 1995

Bibliography

* ''Fingers Only and A Man Names Mokai''. Ibadan: Y-Book Drama series, 2001, 142 pp. * ''Parcel Post and Behind the Mountain''. Ibadan: Y-Book Drama series, 2001, 147 pp. * Gwyneth Henderson and

Cosmo Pieterse Cosmo George Leipoldt Pieterse (born 1930 in Windhoek, Namibia) is a South African playwright, actor, poet, literary critic and anthologist. Education and career Cosmo Pieterse went to the University of Cape Town and taught in Cape Town until lea ...

(eds), ''Nine African Plays for Radio'' (includes "Lagos, Yes Lagos" by Yemi Ajibade), Heinemann Educational Books, AWS, 127, 1973.

Partial filmography

*1962: ''The Sword in the Web'' (TV Series) - Jean *1963: ''Suspense'' (TV Series) - Joshua *1963: ''

'' (TV Series) - Jacob Jones *1964: ''

Festival A festival is an event ordinarily celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, mela, or eid. A festival ...

'' (TV Series) - Aide to Lichee *1964: ''

Espionage Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information (intelligence) from non-disclosed sources or divulging of the same without the permission of the holder of the information for a tangib ...

'' (TV Series) - Sergeant *1965: ''

The Wednesday Play ''The Wednesday Play'' is an anthology series of British television plays which ran on BBC1 for six seasons from October 1964 to May 1970. The plays were usually original works written for television, although dramatic adaptations of fiction ...

'' (TV Series) - Rebel soldier / Man in pub *1965: ''

'' (TV Series) - Barman *1966: '' The Witches'' - Mark (uncredited) *1967: '' Theatre 625'' (TV Series) - Tsilla Mamadou *1967: ''

Thirty-Minute Theatre ''Thirty-Minute Theatre'' was a British anthology drama series of short plays shown on BBC Television between 1965 and 1973, which was used in part at least as a training ground for new writers, on account of its short running length, and which t ...

'' (TV Series) - Observer *1968: '' 30 Is a Dangerous Age, Cynthia'' - New Lodger (uncredited) *1968: '' The Devil Rides Out'' - African (uncredited) *1968: ''

'' (TV Series) - Roger Bunda *1969: ''

The Power Game ''The Plane Makers'' is a British television series created by Wilfred Greatorex and produced by Rex Firkin. ATV made three series for ITV between 1963 and 1965. It was succeeded by ''The Power Game'', which ran for an additional three se ...

'' (TV Series) - Premier of Malta *1970: '' Carry On Up the Jungle'' *1972: ''The Black Safari'' (TV Movie) *1973: ''Full House'' (TV Series) - Black Blast! cast member *1974: '' Shatter'' - Ansabi M'Goya / Dabula M'Goya *1976: ''

Shades of Greene ''Shades of Greene'' is a British television series based on short stories written by the author Graham Greene. The series began in 1975, with each hour-long episode featuring a dramatisation of one of Greene's stories, many of which dealt with ...

'' (TV Series) - 1st Head boy *1976: '' The Fosters'' (TV Series) - Mr. Fuller *1981: ''Prisoners of Conscience'' (TV Series) - Walter Sisulu *1987: ''Truckers'' (TV Series) - Watchman *1989: '' Behaving Badly'' (TV Mini-Series) - Church Elder *1991: ''Smack and Thistle'' (TV Movie) - Pedro *1991: '' London Kills Me'' - Tramp *1993: ''Rwendo'' (Short) *1995: ''Skin'' (Short) - Neville *2002: '' Dirty Pretty Things'' - Mini Cab Driver (as Ade-Yemi Ajibade) *2004: '' Exorcist: The Beginning'' - Turkana Shaman *2007: '' Silent Witness'' (TV Series) - Samson Moyo *2007: '' Flawless'' - Guinean Negotiatior (final film role)