Nigerian comic actor Abiodun Ayoyinka, popular as “Papa Ajasco”, has opened up about the struggles he’s facing despite his fame.
The comic actor debuted in 1997 as the titular character in the sitcom Papa Ajasco and Company, playing the lead role of father and leader of the Ajasco family.
He portrayed a promiscuous bald husband who often slaps his head with his hands when astonished at an event. This was a significant aspect of his character. He was bald, pot-bellied and had a consistent coat-on-wrapper outfit.
In a recent interview with content creator Lucky Udu, he revealed that the character “Papa Ajasco” was trademarked by a renowned filmmaker and writer, Wale Adenuga.
He said this has limited his opportunities and made it difficult for him to use the name or costume without permission.
“The major problem why I am not moving or why people are not seeing me where they are supposed to see me is because that particular character (Papa Ajasco) has been registered by Wale Adenuga. That’s why you don’t see me on advert and on billboards.
“So, it’s painful. I don’t have the right to use the name Papa Ajasco unless I go and take permission. I can’t even use the costume and because of this I have had limited opportunities because that character is a very strong character,” Mr Ayoyinka said.
According to him, establishing his own identity in the industry has been a major challenge.
“If people want to use me as Abiodun Ayoyinka, they want to see me as Papa Ajasco and it’s always difficult for me to do it,” he said.
When asked about his life aside from acting, he said: “Things have never been okay for years now, I was working with Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture (LSCAC) under the state government now I am a retired officer.
“I retired five years ago and it has never been easy for me. To move around, to connect with people. I am always thinking everyday, no car of my own, no house of my own.”
Papa Ajasco and Company
In 1997, Wale Adenuga created Papa Ajasco and Company. The show is a spin-off of a feature film of the same title he produced in 1984, based on the comic Ikebe Super.
The story revolves around the Ajasco family and their comedic interpretations of major societal issues. The main characters include the promiscuous patriarch, Papa Ajasco, and his long-suffering wife, Mama Ajasco.
They have a mischievous son, Bobo Ajasco. There’s also local playboy Boy Alinco, promiscuous gold-digger Miss Pepeiye, and the ill-fated illiterate Pa James and Pa Jimoh.
At its peak, Papa Ajasco was not just a TV show but a cultural phenomenon, widely considered Nigeria’s most-watched comic series and viewed weekly in twelve African countries.
