Biography of Bukky Ajayi - Celebrating a Veteran

Her full name is Zainab Bukky Ajayi and she was born on February 2, 1934. Ajayi has worked as an announcer, presenter and newscaster at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). She  studied at the Stanislavsky Institute of Drama, London.

For the late veteran actress, her love for the theatre was influenced by her father who took her to the cinemas as a young girl.

Her interest for acting was so much that she used to do a cardboard sort of cinema for children, and charge half a penny to come and watch.

Ajayi was on scholarship in London from the Federal government for six years. She later left the shores of England and came back to Nigeria after her education in 1965 and started out working in Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) as a presentation assistant in 1966.

She moved on to become a presenter and then a news reader while still with NTA. She presented a couple of children’s programmes and ‘Nigerian’s Sketches’, a programme which was all about Nigerian culture. She was later transferred to Port Harcourt and back to Lagos where she kicked off her acting career.

Her first role was in the movie "Village Headmaster" in the 70’s, and she later got a role in Amaka Igwe’s "Checkmate". She has since featured in so many home videos.

According to the late actress, shooting of international movie, "Critical Assignment" in South Africa, was one of the events of her life that she would never forget.

On Saturday, March 5, 2016 at the fourth edition of the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards, the veteran received an Industry Merit Award.

A standing ovation greeted the announcement of the 82-year-old  actress, who was wheeled to the stage to receive her award which was to be her last public outing.

With a vivacious personality, Bukky Ajayi will forever be missed in Nollywood.