TRIBUTE: Musiliu Ajikanle, Ibadan-born actor, aka Buffalo who endured a stroke for seven years before dying when help arrived

When I am dead, my dearest,
Sing no sad songs for me;
Plant thou no roses at my head,
Nor shady cypress tree:
Be the green grass above me
With showers and dewdrops wet;
And if thou wilt, remember,
And if thou wilt, forget.

An excerpt from When I am dead, my dearest by Christina Rossetti

Nollywood actor Musiliu Ajikanle, better known as Buffalo, passed away on Monday, the last day of July at the age of 67. We knew the Ibadan-born actor was gravely ill; he spent a full seven (7) years fighting stroke. He was not a weakling. He had a good fight. In his attempt to recover and resume acting, he sold everything and went bankrupt. Tragically, he sold everthing.

When you have someone who has been very ill for seven years, you won’t be as shocked since you’ll have assumed that it will either get better or result in death. However, Musiliu Ajikanle, well known as Buffalo, passing away was incredibly startling, sorrowful, and unexpected. When we discuss death, we don’t only mean the loss of life or the interment of a body. You know you’re dying when you can’t do what you love doing the most.

Before the terrible reaper stole Buffalo’s body, he was already dead in spirit. He persisted though. He overcame the excruciating suffering and depression that come with his new circumstances. He had boldness, strength, and bravery. He made the grim reaper’s eyes tremble by gazing into them for seven years. Buffalo had incredible bravery. How accurate is the adage that says those who are strong shouldn’t be assisted while they are suffering because it makes them weaker?

Buffalo begged vehemently for financial support for seven years, but he got none. Buffalo surrendered to death until a well-liked Nigerian pastor named Agbala Gabriel decided to assist and raise money to heal and elevate his standard of living. He passed away while trying to revive and revive himself. When Buffalo was neglected for years and left to suffer alone, he did not pass away. He overcame the terrible suffering and depression that come with his circumstances. When help arrived, he passed away.

Those who have known Musiliu Ajikanle, better known by his stage name Baffalo, for a long time must have seen the films he appeared in or directed. Great actor Buffalo devoted a significant portion of his life to producing high-caliber Yoruba films. He was more than a performer. You can’t watch his films and not learn something. He was a lifelong advocate for the development and improvement of young people and a prime source of orientation.

Have you seen Ajele or Alaafin Molete? In these films, you would have witnessed the unusual gifts and rawness of Yoruba lexicons in use. Buffalo did not just enjoy watching movies. He had a deep affinity for making movies. He gave up his time, effort, and finances to support local content and produce deserving films. He was inspiring because of his enthusiasm, dedication, and toughness.

I have been surfing the internet for his biography and the condolence notes from his close friends, family, and coworkers since Monday when the news of his passing broke. I took a two-hour break from my search to watch “Olokikioru,” a film written and directed by Ibrahim Chatta in which Musiliu Ajikanle, better known as Buffalo, had a major role just before suffering a stroke after I could not get a detailed biography of the thespian. Buffalo’s performance was magnificent and fantastic, and it was a masterpiece.

Can we ever expect to see someone with the grace, grit, and appreciation for local content that Musiliu Ajikanle, better known by his stage name Buffalo, possesses? What a tragic loss.