Nollywood actor Femi Ogunrombi, famous for portraying Papa Ajasco in the comedy show Papa Ajasco and Company, died on January 15, 2023.

The news was broken by theater practitioner Husseini Shaibu on Twitter. “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 #wakeadenugaprod comic series ‘Papa Ajasco’ Mr Femi Ogunrombi is dead,” he wrote. 

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Since Ogunrombi’s role was originally played by actor Abiodun Ayoyinka, many fans thought it was the original actor who passed away. It was only after Ogunrombi had left the show that Ogunrombi was cast as a replacement. 

“RIP Papa Ajasco,” one fans wrote, while another tweeted, “Pls the papa ajasco that died is the man on the right (Femi Ogunrombi), the man on the left is very much alive; There are two papa ajascos, but many people don’t know. Late Femi was a replacement for the first papa ajasco. So use the right picture in ur condolence messages. RIP.”

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One more clarified, “Veteran actor Femi Ogunrombi AKA Papa Ajasco is dead. I see a lot of people using images of the first papa Ajasco Mr Abiodun Ayoyinka, but the one that died is Mr Femi Ogunrombi the one that took over the character when Mr Abiodun Ayoyinka pulled out of the show. May his soul RIP.”

When Ayoyinka got to know about his own death hoax circulating on social media, he also posted a video to clear up the confusion. “My name is Abiodun Ayoyinka, popularly known as Papa Ajasco. I am not dead. I am still alive. And thank you very much my fans out there for your concern. I really appreciate you all,” he said in the video. 

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Who was Femi Ogunrombi?

Femi Ogunrombi joined the Obafemi Awolowo University and formed a choral group called The Ayoro Voices. He was a music composer, producer, and director of films.

For around 25 years, he had a successful career in the music industry. He was a recipient of many accolades, including a gold plaque and a Diploma Certificate in Creative Composition in North Korea in 1995.  

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He was cast as Ajasco after Abiodun Ayoyinka left the show. Femi once mentioned in an interview that audiences could connect better with Ayoyinka better as Ajasco but he did not resent that fact. Later, he too left the role.