The late Elijah Oluwagbemiga Adeboye, a pioneer of Nigerian stand-up comedy, was celebrated for his remarkable versatility. He defied the “Jack of all trades, master of none” adage by excelling in every field he ventured into. Beyond comedy, Gbenga Adeboye was also a talented broadcaster, musician, Nollywood actor, and philanthropist. In an interview with Legit.ng, a fan who had the privilege of watching and listening to Adeboye’s performances during his lifetime fondly recalled memories of the multi-talented entertainer.
Elijah Oluwagbemiga Adeboye, aka the king of Oduology, was one of the best On-Air Personalities Nigeria has ever produced. His reign came at a time when broadcasting via radio was popular in Nigeria as only a few homes had access to television then.
Adeboye was the chief host of a radio program presented by Lagos State Broadcasting Corporation in the early 1980s, where he earned the name Funwontan Oduology.
The comedian was married twice, first to Olawunmi before he married Omolara, his wife until his death.
His union with Olawunmi birthed two children named Segun and Shade, while his second marriage was blessed with two children, Damilola Adeboye and Igwe Adeboye.
However, Seun, Gbenga’s sister and OAP, said in an interview with PUNCH in 2022 that her family and the comedian’s widow don’t communicate closely
He was one of the few to whom the ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’ rule didn’t apply. During his career, which spanned over two decades, the late comedian earned several nicknames that were difficult to keep track of.
He was known as Alhaji Pastor Oluwo, Abefe, Jengbetiele, Alaye Mi Gbengulo, One man battalion, Arole-Abija Of His Area, Itu Baba Ita, Alagba Laisi Abesupinle, among others, all of which had different personalities which he used to entertain fans, with different stories around them.
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