Ogunrombi took over the character, Papa Ajasco, when the former character, Abiodun Ayoyinka, pulled out of the show.
By Jeffrey Agbo
Nollywood actor, Femi Ogunrombi, popularly known as Papa Ajasco in the Wale Adenuga’s comedy series, has died.
Ogunrombi reportedly died at about 7:30p.m on Saturday evening.
The cause of death is yet to be made public. However, his colleague in the music industry, Mr. Steven Osazuwa confirmed the death on the Highlife Masters’ Voice WhatSapp forum on Saturday night. He wrote, “I am sad to announce to you that Mr Femi Ogunrombi, passed to the great beyond at about 7:30p.m this evening. May the good Lord grant his soul a perfect rest.”
In another tribute, Edmond Emuesiri Enaibe, Fta. (Teacher Chike) who starred in a defunct TV soap alongside the late musicologist wrote:
“Femi Ogunrombi, lived music because music was his calling. He had unlike his twin brother, switched from the sciences (medical) to study music at the then University of Ife, where he with other talented voices formed the “Ayoro Voices” – a choral group that would become the defining melody of traditional folk songs in the early 1980s.
“That group included Ayo Thomas, Jide Ogundipe, Iyabo Omomeji, among others. So accepted were they that they toured the then western states in performances both public and private gigs. The climax of the Ayoro Voices was the recording of their own radio and TV programmes on BCOS, OGTV and NTA Ibadan.
“Femi Ogunrombi collaborated his music talent with some icons of Nigeria folk and Highlife music including Pa Steve Rhodes and Dr Uwajei of the National Troupe of Nigeria. His passing today is another Trojan of this national genre of music gone. He will be sorely missed. May God grant his family the fortitude to bear his loss. We won’t forget, Chief Femi Ogunrombi. Rest in music”.
Another theatre practitioner, Husseini Shaibu, also announced Ogunrombi’s death via a tweet.
He wrote, “I have just been reliably informed that the ethnomusicologist, former Music Instructor with #NATIONALTROUPE and one time stand in for the ‘Papa Ajasco’ character on the popular #waleadenugaprod comic series ‘Papa Ajasco’ Mr. Femi Ogunrombi is dead.
“I am told that the actor, singer, highlifist and trained nurse whom we fondly called ‘Uncle Ogurombo’ (not to his hearing though) passed on this evening (Saturday).”
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Papa Ajasco: My life, my exploits in comedy
Ogunrombi took over the character when the former character, Abiodun Ayoyinka, pulled out of the show.
In 2021, Wale Adenuga Productions partnered with KIN Production to execute a project commissioned by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation for the production of a special season of ‘Papa Ajasco and Company Reloaded’ which advocates against gender-based violence.
In line with the European Union and United Nations Spotlight Initiative programme, the special season of the show featured 13 episodes of several stories advocating against all forms of gender-based violence, including rape, battery, child abuse, homicide, early marriage, female genital mutilation, HIV and illiteracy, as well as the ‘culture of silence’; all aimed at bringing about positive changes in social norms, attitude and behaviours.
