Former President of the
Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioners, ANTP, Adebayo
Salami told Tribune he got the name in 1970 when his comedy group was to
present a 20 minute comedy programme titled ‘Comedy Train’. When it was
time for casting the producer said he should be called ‘Uncle Bello’
since he was from Ilorin, Kwara State and the name is popular with
indigenes’ of Ilorin and that was how the name stuck. According
to him, ‘in 1970, my group was to handle a show for the (Nigerian
Television Authority) NTA 10, then in Victoria Island. It was a
20-minute comedy show called Comedy Train. While we were casting for
the show, I was given ‘Uncle Bello’ because the producer knew I came
from Ilorin, Kwara State. That was how the name came on board’.
The veteran actor is one of the most successful actors in the Yoruba genre of Nollywood and has starred in over 100 movies.
