Veteran Nollywood actor, Victor Olaotan, has died on Thursday, after a prolonged illness. He was aged 69.
The actor, who is best known for his role as Fred Ade-Williams in the popular TV series, Tinsel, was bedridden for five years after he was involved in a ghastly accident.
The accident occurred at Apple Junction, in Festac, Lagos while he was driving to a movie set in 2016.
His wife, Julia Olaotan confirmed his death on Friday, saying she is grateful that he can finally rest after suffering for years.
“He has tried. It is not easy to be trapped in your own body for five years. He can finally rest now,” she said.
Before his demise, Olaotan had been receiving treatment for a traumatic brain injury he suffered from the car accident, in a Turkish hospital for three years.
Recall we reported here in 2018 before his death, that billionaire businessman and philanthropist, Femi Otedola promised to take care of his then $50,000 medical bills, and every other expense thereof.
According to our report back in 2018, it was actor Richard Mofe Damijo who broke the news of Otedola agreeing to pay the medical bill. This happened after he put a call through to Femi Otedola asking for an assistant for his friend and colleague Victor Olaotan.
RMD said after his call, Otedola told him, his team are already speaking with the wife of Victor Olaotan on the medical bills.
Taking to his Instagram page, actor Richard Mofe Damijo put up a photo of Victor Olaotan and Femi Otedola with this caption:
“So, a few days, I reached out to Femi Otedola asking for help for my friend and brother Victor and just this morning, Femi calls to tell me that he would take care of all of Victor’s bills. He told me that he already on it and his people are already talking with Victor’s wife.
Is God not awesome??? He asked.
Stating Further, he praised another Tinsel actor, Gbenro Ajigbade for starting the whole thing, saying:
“I can’t even contain my Joy and gratitude. Thank you Femi you are a man and a half and thank you to my young friend Gbenro Ajibade for championing this cause, they really don’t make them like you anymore, you are such an amazing ‘Child’ and I am proud to know you.
Thank you to everyone who has supported in one way or the other. Its been a long time coming.” he said.
Before Femi Otedola phone call to help, he was seeking $50,000, about (N18.3 million value of the naira to dollar in 2018) to receive medical treatment outside Nigeria in a bid to avert amputation of his legs, after the horrible accident.
A Gofundme account was formed, and with how the news spread and also having good friends and colleagues, he finally got the help he urgently needed.
However, the actor was recently flown back to Nigeria when the family could no longer shoulder his medical expenses abroad, causing his condition to deteriorate.
RMD also, in a post on Friday, confirmed the actor’s death on his social media handle. He posted a photo of himself and Olaotan with a caption that reads:
“
Memories flood my mind. Every time I play or hear Adekunle Gold’s Orente… I remember how much you loved that song, it was our song.
You not only made me love it, you gave me a mixed tape with the song in it.
You were such a vibe.
I’m glad our loved ones never die, more-so actors. But live in our memories forever.
My deepest condolences to your wife and family.
Rest in power my friend and brother,” he said.
He began his career as an actor when he joined the University of Ibadan theatre group, where he met other artistes, such as Professor Wole Soyinka and Jimi Solanke among others. He became an actor at the age of 15 years through a teacher who was a member of the Ori Olokun Theatre group in the early 70’s, prior to the death of his father.
After his father died, he traveled to the United States of America in 1978 but returned to Nigeria in 2002 to continue his career in acting. He became more popular in 2013 after his leading role in a Nigerian Soap opera, Tinsel that began airing in August 2008