Top actors and actresses from Oyo State

Oyo, usually referred to as Oyo State to distinguish it from the city of Oyo, is an inland state in southwestern Nigeria. Its capital is Ibadan, the third most populous city in the country and formerly the second most populous city in Africa

Oyo State is blessed with talented actors and actresses in the movie industry.

Below are the famous actors and actresses from the state.

AFEEZ OYETORO

Afeez Oyetoro popularly known as Saka is a famous Nollywood comic actor, lecturer, master of ceremony, model, stand-up comedian, a television personality and currently an MTN ambassador. He was born on 20 August 1963 in Iseyin Local Government Area of Oyo State in the southwestern part of Nigeria to the family of Pa and Mrs Oyetoro.

Afeez obtained a Bachelor and Master of Arts degree in Theatre art from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) and the University of Ibadan (UI) respectively. He is currently on a doctorate degree at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan.

In 2003, he got married to his beautiful wife Olaide Oyetoro and the marriage is blessed with three beautiful children

He is currently a senior lecturer in the Department of Theatre Arts at Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education in Lagos State, Nigeria. In 2013, he featured as the main character in a 2013 MTN advert where he announced: “I don port o.” after migrating from Etisalat to MTN.

LERE PAIMO

Lere Paimo, OFR, born November 1939, is a Nigerian film actor, film-maker, producer and director.

He hails from Ogbomosho, a city in Oyo State southwestern Nigeria.

He began acting in 1960 after he joined the Oyin Adejobi theatre group, a theatre group founded by Pa Oyinade Adejobi before he later joined Duro Ladipo’s Theatre Group where he featured in a stage play titled Obamoro with the role of “Chief Basa”. He became popular following a lead role as Soun Ogunola played in an epic Yoruba film titled Ogbori Elemosho, which brought him into the limelight. He had featured, produced and directed several Nigerian films since he began acting in 1963. In 2005, in recognition of his immense contributions to the Nigerian film industry, he was bestowed a National award of Member of the Federal Republic alongside Zeb Ejiro by Olusegun Obasanjo, the former president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. On May 2013, it was reported that he had a partial stroke, an attack he survived. On April 2014, he won N1m cash prize in a Nigerian game show, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.

OLANIYI AFONJA

Olaniyi Mikail Afonja, popularly known as Sanyeri, is a Nigerian comedian, actor and producer.

Born in Bola Area of Oyo town in Oyo State as the first child of his parents, Olaniyi had his formal education at St. Michael Primary School, Òkè-èbó, Oyo State and Durbar Grammar School, Oyo Town, Oyo State where he completed his secondary school education.

Olaniyi’s acting career started in 1992, after joining a theatre group introduced to him by a friend. In 1996, Olaniyi relocated to Lagos State to further his career and has since starred in several Yoruba films.

SAIDI BALOGUN

Saheed Balogun, sometimes spelled as “Saidi” , born February 5, 1967, is a veteran Nigerian actor, film-maker, director and producer.

Saheed Balogun was born on the 5th of February, 1967, in Enugu State, South-east Nigeria but hails from Oyo State, Nigeria where he had his primary, secondary and tertiary education respectively. He graduated from Kwara State Polytechnic.

He began his acting career in 1978, in which he presented his first television program titled “Youth Today” on NTA.He produced his first film titled City Girl in 1989 but had also being featured, produced and directed several Nigerian films before then.

Saheed Balogun was initially married to a Nollywood actress, Fathia Balogun but unfortunately, they got separated and divorced. He has just two children Khalid and Aliyah Balogun.

AKIN LEWIS

Lewis was born in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria and grew up in Zaria Kaduna State He began his acting career in 1973, the same year he joined a drama group led by Professor Bode Sowande, a Nigerian writer and dramatist. … In October 2010, he won the Audio Visual Awards (TAVA) for best actor

Akin Lewis had his primary and secondary education in Lagos state. He later went to the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Osun State where he bagged a degree. He had since remained very active and relevant in the movie industry and has always been a headline material since he appeared in ‘Why Worry’, a movie very popular in the late 1970s through early 1980s.

Akin Lewis is presently the Rector of Graig-Philips College of Technology, a film Institute located inside Shonibare Estate, Maryland, Lagos

BIMBO AKINTOLA

Akintola was born on 5 May 1970 to a father from Oyo State and a mother from Edo State. She studied at Maryland Convent Private School in Lagos State. She proceeded to Command Day Secondary School, Lagos. She earned a degree in Theater Arts from the University of Ibadan.

Her debut acting was when she featured in the film OWO BLOW in 1995 alongside Femi Adebayo and followed up with Out of Bounds in 1997 with Richard Mofe Damijo. She was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading role at the 2013 Nollywood Movies Awards

LAIDE BAKARE

Laide Bakare is a popular Nigerian actress, movie producer and entrepreneur known for her brilliant roles in Yoruba movies. She was born on October 7, 1980 in Lagos. Laide hails from Oyo state in southwestern Nigeria. Laide had her primary and secondary education in Lagos respectively

After her secondary education, she obtained a degree in History and Strategic Studies from the University of Lagos and also holds a diploma in Theatre Arts from the University of Ibadan, Oyo state