Adebayo Salami, a veteran Nigerian thespian who is better known as Oga Bello, has revealed that he has no plans to leave behind houses or property for his children.
In a recent interview with the Nigerian Tribune, the respected Yoruba movie legend explained that his most valuable legacy is education, not material possessions.
Oga Bello, who is married to two wives and is a proud father of 18 children, said he made a conscious decision early on in life — especially after becoming a polygamist — to focus all his resources on giving his children quality education rather than accumulating wealth or assets to pass down.
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“I don’t want to leave any property for my children. I just need two houses — one in Lagos and one in my hometown. If you meet any money in my account, share it. I’m passionate about education,” he said.
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The actor, whose career began in 1964 with the Young Concert Party led by the late Baba Mero, noted that he never had the privilege of parental support in his educational journey, and that has shaped his views on parenting.
“Even if it’s just a first degree, I wanted all my children to be educated,” he added.
Interestingly, many of Oga Bello’s children, including popular actor Femi Adebayo, have followed in his footsteps in the entertainment industry. But he emphasized that he never forced any of them into acting — they came into it by passion, and he simply supported them on the condition that they did well in school.
“I didn’t bring or force them to the industry… Whenever I was going for rehearsals and they wanted to follow, I would say no, except that they had good results in school. That made them work hard,” he explained.
On the issue of ageing and retirement, Oga Bello also shared deep reflections about life as an elderly actor and the cultural lack of preparation for old age.
“Old age comes with challenges. Preparing for old age is personal. Here in Nigeria, we don’t take it seriously across professions. I invested in my children. In old age, they will take care of me.”
