Biyi Bandele, the Nigerian playwright, novelist and writer-director known for his adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “Half of a Yellow Sun,” died Sunday in Lagos, Nigeria. Temi Bandele, Temi’s daughter, announced his death via Facebook. He was 54.
There was no cause of death.
“Biyi was a prodigiously talented writer and film-maker, as well as a loyal friend and beloved father,” she wrote on Bandele’s official page. “He was a storyteller to his bones, with an unblinking perspective, singular voice and wisdom which spoke boldly through all of his art, in poetry, novels, plays and on screen. He told stories which made a profound impact and inspired many all over the world. His legacy will live on through his work.”
Continue reading “He was taken from us much too soon. He had already said so much so beautifully, and had so much more to say.”
Bandele was born in Kafanchan in Nigeria in 1967. After graduating with a drama degree from Obafemi Awolowo University, Bandele started a prolific career in the arts. He was visiting London to attend a theatre festival. While there, he secured a publisher and a grant from The Royal Court Theatre for the two novels he had in his hands.
Bandele was also the author of seven original plays as well as adapting many other works for the stage. Bandele also published five novels. “The Man Who Came in From the Back of Beyond” (1991); “The Sympathetic Undertaker and Other Dreams” (1991); “The Street” (1999); “Burma Boy” (2007) and “The King’s Rifle” (2009). He was adaptable “The Street” into a stage play, “Brixton Stories,”2001
Bandele’s first foray into screenwriting was the anthology drama series “Screenplay,”The series aired on BBC from 1986 to 1993. Danny Boyle, a young director, directed the series.
2013 was Bandele’s screendirecting debut. “Half of a Yellow Sun,”The film stars Chiwetel Elofor, Thandiwe Newton and Anika Noni Rose. The film follows two sisters from Nigeria, who live in 1960s Nigeria at the edge of civil war. It was nominated to win several prizes including Outstanding Independent Motion Picture at 2015 NAACP Image Awards.
Then, he directed TV series. “Shuga”MTV: Romantic Drama Film “Fifty”Documentary “Fela Kuti – Father of Afrobeat.” Most recently, he helmed two episodes of Netflix’s “Blood Sisters.”
Bandele’s upcoming feature film “The King’s Horseman” will make its world premiere at next month’s Toronto International Film Festival, his second TIFF showing after “Half of a Yellow Sun.” He wrote and directed the dramatic adaptation of the Nigerian Nobel Prize-winner Wole Soyinka’s play, “Death and the King’s Horseman.”
“After dazzling audiences with his TIFF ‘13 film ‘Half of a Yellow Sun,’ we are honoured to celebrate his legacy as we present the World Premiere of Biyi Bandele’s final film ‘The King’s Horseman’ at #TIFF22,”The festival Tweet, Writing separately: “Today we mourn the sudden loss of acclaimed novelist and filmmaker Biyi Bandele.”
Netflix Nigeria’s official Twitter account called Bandele’s passing “a monumental loss to Nigeria’s film and creative industry.”
“He will be remembered as a powerhouse who made some of the finest films out of Africa,”The post continues. “As we mourn him, we commiserate with his family, friends and colleagues. May he rest in power.”
For more tributes to Bandele, please read on.