Veteran actor Kasimu Yero is dead

The death has occurred of veteran actor, Alhaji Kasimu Yero.

His son Mansur Yero, who confirmed the death to our correspondent, said the actor died at his house in Kaduna yesterday after a protracted illness.

He was buried in Kaduna at 2pm according to Islamic rites. He is survived by eight children

It was a dark Sunday for many, especially the Hausa Film Industry as he was described as an equivalent of Hollywood’s Clark Gable.

Kasimu Yero was a famous actor who made his name playing iconic characters, often portrayed in such acts as a villain, in TV series and films.

Yero was a famous part of a popular Hausa TV series, Magana Jari Ce, and English series, Cock Crow at Dawn.

Responding to Yero’s death, Kaduna State Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai described the late veteran actor as a shining star who would be missed.

The governor in a tribute signed by his spokesman, Samuel Aruwan, said Yero was a talented artist who used the medium of television to project culture and tradition.

“Alhaji Kasimu Yero was a talented artist who also mentored several artists who are now household names in their own right. He devoted his talents to nation building, preaching unity across religion, ethnic and regional lines.”

Also speaking on Yero’s death, an artist, Alhaji Danjuma Kasagi said the film industry had lost a talent that could never be replaced.

Speaking with Daily Trust on phone, Kasagi-na-Halima as he is more popularly called, said,

“I met Yero at the then Northern Television Kaduna in December 1972 after secondary school when I wanted to join the drama club of then. Yero was a playwright then and we produced numerous dramas because each week we produced a different episode which was written by the late film icon.”

(Read Kasimu Yero’s last interview with Daily Trust on page 11)