Adebayo Faleti was the first child/son of his parents and the first and only surviving child of his mother.Adebayo Faleti was the first male newscaster in Africa with the first TV Station in Africa - Western Nigeria Television (WNTV),now known as the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) while Anike Agbaje Williams was the first female newscaster in Africa.Adebayo Faleti was also Africa's first film Editor and Librarian with WNTV in 1959.Adebayo Faleti was the first Yoruba presenter on Television in Nigeria and he was the one who introduced Father Christmas to all villages who could not afford to celebrate Christmas, giving it the name "Baba Keresi".The idea was later introduced to other Broadcasting corporations in Nigeria.Adebayo Faleti was the one who translated Nigeria's National Anthem from English to Yoruba, a translation which was approved by the Nigeria's National assembly and later introduced to all South Western states of Nigeria.Adebayo Faleti had his certificate of proficiency in French Language at Senegal in 1966 and later graduated from the University of Ibadan with BA,Lit-in-English.In 1971, he received a certificate in Television production in Hilversum, Netherlands.
Adebayo Faleti has tried to ensure peaceful relationship between Nigeria and many countries round the world including Cuba.No wonder he was conferred the award 'JP'(Justice of Peace) and many others by the Nigerian Government. His first visit to Cuba when he was in Broadcasting amazed the then Cuban Leader - Fidel Castro as he showed Faleti a lot of important cities in Cuba.He confronts every situation with boldness and confidence without any voodoo/Juju Incantation. Contrary to people's view of him as an Ifa Priest, Faleti believed solely in God and the sacred Bible. He always said: "Aya Nini toogun, Aya Nini Ju Oogun Lo" (Boldness/confidence supersedes Voodoo)Adebayo Faleti did his baptism twice, one at Jerusalem and another at Salem Baptist Church, Yemetu Ibadan.He was known as Jp, Jp (Justice of peace, Jerusalem Pilgrim.)Adebayo Faleti was a former Director of mass mobilization for Self-Reliance, Social Justice and Economic Recovery - Mamser (now known as Noa (National Orientation Agency)) when General Ibrahim Babangida was the Military Head of State in 1984. Then, Adebayo Faleti introduced the placement of waist bins in marketplaces and by the roadside for people to dump refuse in instead of throwing it on the floor, an act which may cause disease to an average Nigerian.Adebayo Faleti was the first journalist to enter Ife in 1964 and was the first teacher in Ife Odan, near Ejigbo in Osun State.Adebayo Faleti was a pioneer of the now called Nollywood Films Industry and was the first Stage Director in Nigeria. He was Hubert Ogunde's Director when Theatre began in Nigeria in the 19th century and later established his own Theatre Group (Oyo Youth Operatic Society (Egbe Alebiosu)) in 1949 where he gathered a group of keen actors and was paying them salary as well.Adebayo Faleti was and is still a peacemaker as he has settled disputes between many Nigeria's statesmen/women and even between companies/organizations and has influenced many elections positively in Nigeria. Adebayo Faleti was a religious man before he died. He never joke with his Bible and he was a brain behind his father's conversion from being an Ifa priest into becoming a devoted Christian till death. To compensate his father's conversion, he established a Baptist Church in his village - Agboye, Oyo via Ogbomoso. The book of psalms was his incantation. Adebayo Faleti was the Chairman of Arts and Culture when Lam Adesina became the Governor of Oyo State from 1999-2002 and later took the same position when Otunba Alao Akala became the Governor of Oyo state between 2007-2011. Under Governor Alao Akala, Adebayo Faleti received an outstanding award on behalf of the Oyo State Government at Abuja Carnival in 2010.Adebayo Faleti, when he was the chairman of Arts and culture in Oyo State between 1999 and 2002, was contracted by the federal government of Nigeria to supervise the project of buiding a 12-feet Statue of Obafemi Awolowo, the then premier of the Western Region as a way of immortalizing him but the statue was later destroyed by political thugs who served an Opposition party and this saddened Adebayo Faleti because he had spent quite a lot of time supervising this project.Adebayo Faleti has all his life tried in his best capacity to eradicate corruption in Nigeria through his artistic skills. In 1983, He wrote and cited a poem on radio titled "Janduku Oloselu" (Corrupt politicians) when in Broadcasting as General Manager, Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS). The poem talks about how Nigerian Politicians loot public money, a poem which infuriated the then Governor of Oyo State Omololu Olunloyo who ordered that Faleti must be detained for treason. The Governor later became his friend, even till death.Adebayo Faleti was a tax collector in Oyo Town and the first Yoruba Professor. He was featured on Africa's WHO IS WHO on CNN, the first Tv Channel in the United States.Adebayo Faleti has received numerous awards for his excellent roles in film industry including Afro-Hollywood award for outstanding performance in arts.Adebayo Faleti came from a Royal family but never wanted to be called "Prince". He was and is indeed a humble man to the core.Adebayo Faleti was a humorous man. When the then German visitor - Suzanne Wenger came to Nigeria and became "Iya Osun" with Ifa Deity, Faleti was a journalist then as he went to capture the Osun shrine in Osogbo with the permission of the then Ataoja of Osogbo. On getting to the shrine to film activities going on there, Suzanne Wenger noticed there was only one person who seemed not showing much respect for Osun Deity by entering the shrine with his shoes on instead of going in bear-footed. With anger, she threw kolanut at Faleti as Faleti bent to pick it up and chew it in his mouth. She became angry. They later became friends in the end though. One of Faleti's most popular narrative poems - "Eni omo sin" (One Who a Child Buries...) was inspired by the death of his younger sister who asked him to help him get a white bird from the forest on his way home from hunting. Getting home with the bird in his hand, he met her body lying dead.Adebayo Faleti has published a Dictionary containing the official use of Yoruba names.Adebayo Faleti was a General Manager of the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) where he retired honorably but up till his death in July, his pension was unpaid since April, 2017.
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