The daughter of late veteran Yoruba actor Babatunde Omidina, popularly known as Baba Suwe, has opened up about the heartbreaking final moments she shared with her father, revealing that the legendary actor told her he would die just two days before his death.
Halimat Omidina, a model and content creator, shared the emotional memories on her X handle, @superstarrlimaa, on Saturday as she marked what would have been her father's 68th birthday.
Baba Suwe died on November 22, 2021, at the age of 63. His posthumous birthday on August 22 brought back painful memories for his daughter, who reflected on the absence of the man she once celebrated with.
In a deeply emotional tribute, Halimat lamented that the occasion no longer had the warmth and excitement that accompanied her father's birthdays while he was alive.
“Happy posthumous birthday, Daddy. Today feels so different, no crowd, no jollof rice, no you in your new shirt.”
The brief tribute captured the emptiness of marking a family celebration without the central figure who had once made such occasions memorable.
‘I Wish I Made More Memories With You’
Halimat also expressed regret over the moments she wished she had shared more extensively with her father.
Looking back, she said she wished she had created more memories with him and held him tighter when he spoke about his impending death.
“I wish I made more memories with you and hugged you tighter when you told me you’d die. May Allah have mercy on you and grant you Jannatul Firdaus.”
Her words reflected the grief that has remained years after the actor's death, as she continues to remember both his public legacy and the private moments they shared as father and daughter.
‘He Told Me He Was Going to Die’
In another post, Halimat provided a painful account of the final conversation she had with Baba Suwe.
According to her, the actor had told her that he would die two days before his death.
However, she did not take the statement seriously at the time, believing that her father was joking.
“This could’ve been my mood today. Someone asked if Daddy ever told me he was going to die. Yes, he did. Two days before, he told me, but I laughed it off. I thought he was joking.”
The revelation has since become one of the memories that weighs heavily on her.
What she initially regarded as a joke would later become a chilling final message from her father.
The Final Call
Halimat recalled that she received a call the following day instructing her to return home because her father's condition had deteriorated.
By the time she arrived, Baba Suwe could no longer speak.
His condition worsened rapidly, and about an hour after Halimat got home, the veteran actor died.
“The next day, I got a call to come home. He couldn’t talk anymore, and an hour later, he passed.”
The account offers an intimate glimpse into the final hours of a man whose comic performances had entertained generations of Nigerians.
Remembering Baba Suwe
Baba Suwe was one of the most recognisable figures in Yoruba cinema, celebrated for his distinctive comic style, expressive performances and ability to bring humour to a wide range of characters.
During his career, he featured in numerous Yoruba-language productions, including Iru Esin, Baba Londoner, Oju Oloju and Baba Jaiye Jaiye.
His contribution to Yoruba entertainment extended beyond individual performances, as he became one of the comedians and actors whose work helped popularise Yoruba films among audiences across Nigeria and beyond.
His death on November 22, 2021, at 63, was widely mourned by colleagues, fans and members of the entertainment industry.
A Family Marked by Loss
Halimat's grief is also rooted in the loss of her mother.
Her mother, actress Omoladun Omidina, popularly known as Moladun, died in 2009, years before Baba Suwe's passing.
With the loss of both parents, Halimat's recollection of her father's final days carries the weight of memories of a family that has experienced profound loss.
Four years after Baba Suwe's death, his daughter's words show that the pain of losing a parent does not simply disappear with time.
For Halimat, every birthday remembrance is another reminder of what is missing — her father's presence, his laughter, his familiar routines and the celebrations they once shared.
And perhaps most painfully, the memory of a final conversation she initially believed was only a joke.