U.S.-based Nigerian lawyer, Chief Owolabi Salis, has shared a moving account of his last-minute attempt to save the life of veteran Nollywood actor, Kehinde Olusegun Akinremi, popularly known by his stage name Chief Kanran, whose death was announced days ago.
Speaking with deep emotion on Tuesday, Salis revealed that the actor had reached out to him shortly before his death.
According to Salis, on July 11, 2025, Chief Kanran sent him a voice note expressing his excitement about celebrating both his 70th birthday and 55 years on stage. However, tragedy struck weeks later when the actor disclosed in another voice note on July 27 that he was battling a severe case of appendicitis and urgently needed ₦700,000 for surgery, with ₦350,000 outstanding.
On the same July 27, I immediately sent him ₦350,000 to cover the balance, Salis said. “On July 28, he sent a voice note of appreciation, thanking me for the timely help. On August 1, he sent another message of gratitude.
Just three days later, news broke that the revered actor had passed away.
Salis admitted that the development left him “completely devastated.
In his grief, he said he quickly sent financial support towards the actor’s burial on August 18.
Describing Kanran’s passing as shocking, lamentable and devastating, Salis lamented that the actor died just weeks before his landmark 70th birthday.
Chief Kanran was an iconic prodigy who bestrode the Nigerian stage like a colossus, Salis said. He will be remembered alongside legends like Hubert Ogunde, Duro Ladipo, Kola Ogunmola, and Oyin Adejobi.
Salis also recalled some of Kanran’s most memorable roles, including his portrayal of Alaafin Kanran, which earned him the stage name by which he was fondly known.
He praised the actor’s versatility, noting how he could effortlessly switch from royal roles to playing a gang leader with “remarkable flair and panache.
Beyond his stage brilliance, Salis lamented the struggles the late thespian endured in his final years.
He recounted how Kanran lost his cars, studio, and home to a devastating fire, later becoming homeless and sleeping in a church after the deaths of his two wives.
It is tragic that such a man, who gave so much to Nigerian theatre, faced so much hardship in his lifetime without sufficient support, Salis said, urging Nollywood, government, and corporate bodies to immortalize the late legend.
He further called on the Nigerian film industry to unite and push for greater institutional support to prevent other actors from facing similar neglect.
