New details have emerged regarding the tragic death of renowned Nigerian filmmaker, novelist, and playwright Biyi Bandele, who passed away on August 9, 2022, at the age of 54 in Lagos. His daughter, Temi Bandele, confirmed the news but did not disclose the cause at the time.
According to a report by The Guardian UK, Bandele took his own life a day after discussing his novel, Yorùbá Boy Running, with his editor, Hannah Chukwu, in early April 2022. After their conversation, he sent her a revised version of the manuscript before his untimely decision.
The report stated, “On the following day, the 54-year-old filmmaker, playwright, and novelist took his own life.” Bandele left behind a remarkable and diverse body of work, including the film adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun, which took seven years to complete. His accomplishments also included stage adaptations of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, Aphra Behn’s Oroonoko, and Lorca’s Yerma, along with poetry, screenplays, and novels such as Burma Boy, which depicted his father's harrowing experiences as a British soldier during World War II.
Yorùbá Boy Running tells the story of Samuel Àjàyí Crowther, who faced a tumultuous journey in the 19th century, from abduction and enslavement to abandonment in Sierra Leone, ultimately returning to Nigeria. Crowther went on to have a distinguished career in the clergy, making history as the first Black bishop ordained by the Anglican Church.
Before his passing, Bandele directed and adapted the screenplay for Elesin Oba: The King’s Horseman, a film based on Wole Soyinka’s classic play Death and the King’s Horseman. This adaptation, produced for EbonyLife Films and released on October 28, 2022, featured a talented cast including Odunlade Adekola, Shaffy Bello, Deyemi Okanlawon, Omowunmi Dada, Jide Kosoko, and many others.
