Renowned Nigerian Filmmaker Biyi Bandele, Commits Suicide

New revelations have emerged regarding the death of Biyi Bandele, the acclaimed Nigerian filmmaker and novelist, who tragically took his own life in August 2022.

The news follows an announcement made by his daughter, Temi Bandele, at the time of his passing, which occurred at the age of 54. The circumstances surrounding his death were not disclosed initially.

According to a report by The Guardian UK, Bandele’s suicide came a day after an engaging conversation with his editor, Hannah Chukwu, about his latest novel, *Yorùbá Boy Running*. Following their discussion, he sent her a revised manuscript and, the next day, took the irreversible step of ending his life.

The Guardian’s report highlighted the profound loss felt by the literary and film communities, as Bandele left behind a remarkable and diverse body of work. His contributions included the film adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s *Half of a Yellow Sun*, which took seven years to complete, as well as stage adaptations of renowned works such as Chinua Achebe’s *Things Fall Apart*, Aphra Behn’s *Oroonoko*, and Federico García Lorca’s *Yerma*. Additionally, he authored several novels, including the poignant *Burma Boy*, which chronicles the harrowing experiences of his father as a British soldier during World War II.

Temi Bandele reflected on her father’s final project, expressing her belief that he felt fulfilled with *Yorùbá Boy Running*, sensing it would be his last literary statement. “He wanted it to be the beginning of multiple conversations that would happen when he wasn’t here,” she noted, underscoring the depth of her father’s creative vision.

Biyi Bandele’s sudden passing shocked friends, family, and colleagues worldwide, who have been mourning the loss of a talented storyteller and innovator in the arts. Born in Kafanchan, Kaduna State, to parents from Abeokuta, Ogun State, Bandele pursued his passion for the arts by studying Dramatic Arts at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University). His poignant storytelling abilities first garnered recognition when he won the BBC Playwriting Competition, after which he relocated to England to further his career.

Before his death, Bandele directed and adapted the screenplay for *Elesin Oba: The King’s Horseman*, based on Wole Soyinka’s classic drama, which was produced for EbonyLife Films and released shortly after his passing on October 28, 2022. His legacy continues to inspire and resonate within the creative communities he left behind.