News UPDATE
Bamidele Oluwatope, the Nigerian comic actor better known as Okemesi, has finally passed away.
Okemesi died on February 24, 2026. The news was confirmed by Jeff ‘Tony Montana’ Owolewa, his colleague, in a heartfelt announcement on social media.
According to Owolewa, the actor slipped into a coma on Tuesday morning after suffering complications from medication.
“With a heavy heart, I announce that Okemesi is dead. The doctor pronounced him dead at 11:50 am on February 24, 2026,” Owolewa wrote.
He also confirmed that the actor’s body has been deposited in a morgue, with burial arrangements to be announced later.
“We have taken the body to the morgue. We would communicate the rest of the arrangement to you guys. We want to appreciate everyone who appreciated us. To the entire Okemesi fans, God bless you. May God bless the entire industry that supported Okemesi. Stop sending money to that account,” he added.
Owolewa had earlier in the week raised the alarm about Okemesi’s relapse, revealing that the comedian was rushed back to the hospital over the weekend.
“Guys, Okemesi has been hospitalised again. He was sleeping all through Saturday and Sunday without much appetite for food due to complications from the drugs that were given to him when he was discharged last week,” he said.
The situation was compounded by a lack of space at initial hospitals, but Okemesi was eventually admitted to a private facility in Lagos and placed on oxygen. Despite prayers and efforts to stabilise him, he never regained consciousness.
Okemesi’s death comes just two weeks after he made a public appeal for help during an appearance on Owolewa’s podcast.
In the plea, the actor revealed he was homeless and struggling, claiming he had suffered a spiritual attack that had left him temporarily crippled.
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He detailed his hardship, explaining he had been taken to his hometown and later lived in a church, where he faced daily challenges in securing food and shelter.
Okemesi rose to fame through his roles in Yoruba movies, where he captivated audiences with his unique humour and distinctive use of his native Ekiti dialect.
