{{Short description|Nigerian actor and poet (1942–2024)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}} {{Use Nigerian English|date=May 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = Jimi Solanke | image = | imagesize = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1942|07|04}} | birth_place = Lagos State, Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria | death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2024|02|05|1942|07|04}} | death_place = Sagamu, Ogun State, Nigeria | othername = | citizenship = Nigerian | occupation = <br>Film actor<br> Playwright<br> Poet Folk Singer Dramatist | parents = | relatives = Oyinkansola Solanke, Kehinde Solanke, Arole Taiwo Solanke, Seun Solanke, Lope Solanke, Sayo Solanke, Sola Solanke <ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.punchng.com/feature/famous-parents/my-father-shares-household-chores-with-my-mum-jimi-solankes-daughter/ |title=My father shares household chores with my mum — Jimi Solanke's daughter |date=30 June 2013 |accessdate=19 January 2015 |first=Arukaino |last=Umukoro |newspaper=The Punch|url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151020133848/http://www.punchng.com/feature/famous-parents/my-father-shares-household-chores-with-my-mum-jimi-solankes-daughter/ |archivedate=20 October 2015 }} </ref> | known_for = Kongi's Harvest, Sango, Shadow Parties | alma_mater = University of Ibadan | yearsactive = | website = }}
'''Jimi Solanke''' {{Audio|Jimi_Solanke.ogg|Listen|help=no}} (4 July 1942 – 5 February 2024) was a Nigerian film actor, dramatist, folk singer, poet and playwright.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/04/night-of-poets-at-the-lagos-black-heritage-festival/|location=Lagos, Nigeria|title=Night of Poets at the Lagos Black Heritage Festival|date=8 April 2012|accessdate=19 January 2015|first=Japhet|last=Alakam|newspaper=Vanguard}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.punchng.com/entertainment/arts-dome/tales-by-bedside-lamps/ |title=Tales by bedside lamps |date=16 November 2014 |accessdate=19 January 2015 |newspaper=The Punch|first=Gbenga |last=Abeniji |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150114054303/http://www.punchng.com/entertainment/arts-dome/tales-by-bedside-lamps/ |archivedate=14 January 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/cultural-rebirth-at-lagos-black-heritage-festival/176587/ |title=Cultural Rebirth At Lagos Black Heritage Festival |newspaper=This Day|date=20 April 2014 |accessdate=19 January 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150204021219/http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/cultural-rebirth-at-lagos-black-heritage-festival/176587 |archivedate=4 February 2015 }} </ref>
==Early life== Solanke graduated from the University of Ibadan, where he obtained a diploma certificate in drama.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mynewswatchtimesng.com/jimi-solanke-foremost-story-teller/ |title=Jimi Solanke: Foremost story teller |first=Oladele |last=Dada |accessdate=19 January 2015 |date=26 November 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141218174503/http://www.mynewswatchtimesng.com/jimi-solanke-foremost-story-teller/ |archivedate=18 December 2014 }}</ref>
==Career== After graduation, Solanke moved to the United States, where he created a drama group called ''The Africa Review'', focusing on African culture. Members of this group usually put on African clothing, specifically Yoruba costume. They performed in black African schools.<ref>{{cite book |last=Meyer-Dinkgräfe |first=Daniel |date=20 May 2003 |title=Who's Who in Contemporary World Theatre |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dJSFAgAAQBAJ&q=Jimi+Solanke+story&pg=PA284 |location=New York |publisher=Routledge |page=284 |isbn=1134767862 |accessdate=19 January 2015}}</ref> Solanke established himself in Los Angeles, California, where his storytelling career began. He was described as a "master storyteller" by CNN.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2012/01/05/world/africa/jimi-solanke-storyteller-nigeria/|title=Master storyteller brings folk tales to life| website=CNN|access-date=19 January 2015|first=Teo|last=Kermeliotis|date=6 January 2012}}</ref>
In 1986, he returned to Nigeria with three members of the African Review group to work with the NTA. He also played the minstrel on the children's show ''Storyland''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dailyindependentnig.com/2012/07/jimi-solanke-hats-off-for-a-veteran-at-70/ |title=Jimi Solanke: Hats off for a veteran at 70 |accessdate=19 January 2015 |website=dailyindependentnig.com |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150524010112/http://dailyindependentnig.com/2012/07/jimi-solanke-hats-off-for-a-veteran-at-70/ |archivedate=24 May 2015 }} </ref><ref>[https://www.thecable.ng/obituary-jimi-solanke-the-multi-talented-storyteller-whos-first-person-to-perform-rap-verse/amp Jimi Solanke Storyteller First Rap]</ref> His reputation earned him the lead role in most of Ola Balogun's films.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.punchng.com/feature/life-times/we-shared-intelligence-wine-with-wole-soyinka-jimi-solanke/ |first=Adeola |last=Balogun |title=We shared intelligence and wine with Wole Soyinka |accessdate=19 January 2015 |newspaper=The Punch|url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150120014252/http://www.punchng.com/feature/life-times/we-shared-intelligence-wine-with-wole-soyinka-jimi-solanke/ |archivedate=20 January 2015 }}</ref> He was part of the team that made the film of ''Kongi's Harvest'' by Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka.<ref>{{Cite web |last=NgFinders |date=29 October 2019 |title=Jimi Solanke: Biography, Age, Career, Family And Movies |url=https://ngfinders.com/jimi-solanke-biography-age-career-family-and-movies/ |access-date=27 May 2022 |website=Ngfinders.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Death== Solanke died at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital in Sagamu, Ogun State, Nigeria on 5 February 2024, at the age of 81.<ref>{{cite news |title=Veteran actor Jimi Solanke dies at 81 |url=https://punchng.com/breaking-veteran-actor-jimi-solanke-dies-at-81/ |access-date=5 February 2024 |date=5 February 2024|newspaper=The Punch}}</ref>
==Filmography== *''Kongi's Harvest (1970)'' *''Sango: The Legendary African King'' (1997) *''Shadow Parties'' (2021) as Akanji's Father *''Jagun Jagun (2023) as Narrator''
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|0794786}} * {{discogs artist|Jimi Solanke}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Solanke, Jimi}} Category:1942 births Category:2024 deaths Category:Yoruba male actors Category:Nigerian male film actors Category:Nigerian male poets Category:Nigerian dramatists and playwrights Category:Writers from Lagos Category:Nigerian expatriates in the United States Category:University of Ibadan alumni Category:20th-century Nigerian actors