Nollywood actress Toyosi Adesanya has alleged that some of her colleagues declined to support the burial of late actress Temitope Osoba because they claimed she was not a member of the Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria.
Adesanya made the allegation on Tuesday at the candlelight procession and artistes’ night held in honour of Osoba in Ikeja, Lagos State.
The actress, who is the National Director of Social and Welfare of TAMPAN, represented the association’s President, Bolaji Amusan, popularly known as Mr Latin, at the event.
She appealed to practitioners in the entertainment industry to support one another in life and death, while condemning what she described as deception and “eye service” among colleagues.
According to her, efforts to raise funds for Osoba’s burial after her death were resisted by some practitioners who questioned her membership of TAMPAN.
“Do you know that when Tope died, I was talking to the president about soliciting some funds for her burial but some of our colleagues declined, saying that she wasn’t a member of TAMPAN and that she didn’t practise.
“Someone who is dead and I can confirm was a member in Eti-Osa chapter, yet you are still beefing her. You people are going about saying that they shouldn’t contribute a dime for her because she’s not a member. That is bad. The same thing happened when Murphy Afolabi died,” she said.
Osoba’s death came barely a year after she publicly shared her experience battling breast cancer and appealed for financial support for her treatment.
In August 2025, she announced her return to acting after undergoing surgery and other treatment, saying she had been declared cancer-free.
Her death subsequently generated reactions and controversy among colleagues and fans, particularly over the level of support she received from members of the entertainment industry before and after her death.
Adesanya urged actors and other practitioners to stop waiting until their colleagues die before celebrating or supporting them, stressing that people should be appreciated while they are still alive.
“I have a message for you all, let’s celebrate ourselves while we are alive. Don’t judge anybody, let’s focus on our lives. Temitope came, saw but lost the battle to death,” she said.
The actress also criticised what she described as hypocrisy within the industry, noting that the number of people who attended Osoba’s candlelight procession appeared to contrast with the support she said was offered to the late actress when she needed it.
Adesanya urged practitioners to replace rivalry and division with love, unity and genuine support, stressing that death should not be the point at which colleagues begin to demonstrate concern for one another.
Source: punchng.com
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