Nollywood actress Toyosi Adesanya has raised concerns over the lack of support from some colleagues for the burial of late actress Temitope Osoba, alleging that certain practitioners declined to contribute because they questioned Osoba’s membership in the Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN).
Adesanya, who serves as TAMPAN’s National Director of Social and Welfare, made these remarks during the candlelight procession and artistes’ night held in Osoba’s honour in Ikeja, Lagos.
Representing the association’s president, Bolaji Amusan (popularly known as Mr Latin), she criticized what she described as hypocrisy and eye service” among members of the industry.
She recounted that efforts to solicit funds for Osoba’s burial were met with resistance, with some colleagues insisting Osoba was not a TAMPAN member. Adesanya countered this, stating Osoba was a member of the Eti-Osa chapter and condemned the ongoing animosity even after her passing.
When Tope died, I spoke to the president about raising funds for her burial, but some colleagues refused, saying she wasn’t a TAMPAN member and didn’t practise.
Yet, she was a member in Eti-Osa chapter. Still, people insisted on not contributing anything for her. That is wrong. The same thing happened when Murphy Afolabi passed away, she noted.
Osoba’s death came less than a year after she publicly battled breast cancer and sought financial help for her treatment. In August 2025, she announced she had returned to acting after being declared cancer-free. Her passing sparked debate among fans and colleagues over the level of support she received from the industry both during her illness and after her death.
Adesanya urged members of the entertainment community to show genuine support and appreciation for one another in life, not just in death. She lamented the disparity between the number of people present at Osoba’s candlelight procession and the support the late actress received during her illness.
Let’s celebrate ourselves while we are alive. Don’t judge anybody—focus on your own life. Temitope came, saw, but lost the battle to death, she said.
She called on practitioners to replace rivalry and division with love, unity, and authentic support, stressing that concern for colleagues should not wait until tragedy strikes.
