Theatre icon, Usman Pategi, aka Samanja, dead

A Facebook page post by a theatre consultant, Husseini Shaibu, on Sunday, stated that theatre icon, Usman Pategi, aka Samanja, is died.

Aged 81, cause of Samanja’s death is yet to be disclosed.

Shaibu wrote: “I have been reliably informed that light has dimmed on the veteran actor, Usman Baba Pategi, popularly known as Samanja Mazan Fama.

“The actor who rode to national prominence in the 80s playing Samanja in the defunct NTA drama series (about life of Soldiers in the barracks), titled ‘Samanja’, reportedly passed on around midnight on Sunday.

“The last time I saw Samanja was in Lagos in 2019, when he was awarded the Fellowship of Theatre Arts (FTA) by the Israel Eboh led National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners.

“Journey Well Sir…. Good Night Samanja!,” he said.

Pategi was born on May 20, 1942, into the royal house of Pategi Emirate in Pategi, Northern Nigeria.

He is the son of Etsu Usman Patako, late King of Pategi.

The popular actor, writer and director starred in the populous Hausa film known as: Samanja, Yusuf’s Ladan’s Zaman, Duniya Iyawa Ne and all.

Pategi gained popularity on the movie Samanja in the likes of mixing Hausa/English and pidgin English.