ON July 4, 2025, at Osun State University, Professor Adebooye, the Vice-Chancellor, presented the 2025 Leopold Sedar Senghor Award to Mr. Bolaji Amusan. The award was a joint decision by the Osun State University, the University of Texas at Austin, UNESCO partners, and the Board of TOFAC. This marked a glorious moment in the career of Mr. Latin, as popularly known. For the record, the Léopold Sédar Senghor Prize for African Cultural Creativity and Impact is conferred upon African artists whose oeuvres are dedicated to innovatively utilizing African cultural heritages for societal awareness and influence.

The Bible says, “A man’s gift opens doors for him.” This is the story of Mr. Latin, whose formal name is Bolaji Amusan. There is no doubt that Nollywood has produced numerous stars and generational talents who have brought smiles to people’s faces despite the nation’s political anomalies. Mr. Latin is indisputably one of the greatest personas who have graced the stage and left their footprints stamped on the soil of the Nigerian movie industry. Mr. Amusan, whose career commenced as a utility actor before transitioning to full-time comedy in the early 1990s, easily garnered fame and recognition for his innate comic charisma, which triggers the audience to laugh, even at the slightest provocation. Little wonder that he got his stage name, Mr. Latin, from one of his comedic routines, where he incorporated some elements of external culture in his performance as a Nigerian act.

He is renowned for his highly comic and satirical movies, where he addresses political issues and critiques societal ills. In his film, “Baba Gomiona,” loosely translatable as “The Governor’s Father,” Mr. Latin critiques the deficiencies of a nation plagued by selfishness and egotism, where the governor’s father demands to live like the governor. This notion should be strictly unacceptable in a sane society. He also produced “Mr. President,” a film where he impersonated the former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo.

In addition to his profession as a comedian and an actor, Mr. Latin has also made a significant impact in boosting the survival, growth, and development of Nollywood, particularly the Yoruba sub-sector in the Nigerian movie industry. The versatile thespian, who has produced and co-produced several blockbuster movies and directed several films, has opened an excellent opportunity for many young actors who would like to follow in his footsteps. It should be reemphasized that Mr. Latin, apart from excelling in his comedy career and inspiring many through it, has also shown his leadership skills when he became a member of the Association of Nigerian Theatre Practitioners (ANTP) in Ogun State, Nigeria where he served meritoriously for over twelve years, moving from the Assistant Secretary, Secretary, to eventually becoming the Chairman of the Association. This was also facilitated by the leadership qualities he has shown over the years, as well as his willingness to serve, which made it easier for him to be nominated as the Association’s leader.

Born in October 1966 in Gbongan, Osun State, Nigeria, he once stated in an interview with Punch that he never aspired to become an actor, but instead desired to be a footballer. He considered himself skillful on the pitch and dedicated greater effort to his gameplay until 1988, when a friend introduced him to acting. Perhaps fate or providence prompted him to pursue acting. Still, the takeaway is that the Gbongan-born boy with a bag of dreams has become an achiever who lives a fulfilled life and positively impacts his society.

In addition to his acting career, Mr. Latin is a family-oriented person who believes that the family must always come first. He once articulated that he possesses distinct personalities and identities, which revolve around his acting profession and his personal life. Hence, Mr. Latin is the comedian while Bolaji Amusan assumes the role of a disciplinarian at home.

In 2018, Mr. Latin succeeded Dele Odule as the President of the Theatre Arts and Motion Picture Producers Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN), to elevate the association while maintaining a clear focus. In 2021, he recounted at a TAMPAN get-together in Ibadan that one of his missions as TAMPAN President is to establish a theater academy, which he believes will be crucial to the future of the Nigerian entertainment sector. His mission was to register the institution with the Federal Ministry of Education to issue certificates to learners. He also emphasized the establishment of an insurance scheme for members, considering the recent situations concerning the welfare of theatre members requiring assistance, whether due to health or hospitality issues. This initiative will effectively address these challenges while safeguarding the image and reputation of the members and the Association.

In 2022, Mr. Latin was honoured with the Judge Bola Ajibola Community Award at the 16th Founder’s Day, alongside veteran filmmaker Tunde Kelani. A week ago, he was conferred the Léopold Sédar Senghor Prize for African Cultural Creativity and Impact in 2025 to solidify his impact and contributions to the Nigerian entertainment industry. The Prize is named in honor of Léopold Sédar Senghor, the progenitor of Negritude, a visionary poet, politician, and the inaugural President of Senegal, who is recognized as one of the most significant intellectuals in African history. To further reiterate the weight of this award, the ace filmmaker and cultural champion, Tunde Kelani, who has received numerous accolades for his efforts and unwavering commitment to the preservation and promotion of African indigenous culture and heritage through his works, such as Saworoide, Arugba, Agogo Ewo, also won the award in 2019.

This Culture Keeper, whose life is a celebration of genius and cultural stewardship, Mr. Latin, has, beyond reasonable doubt, at various times in the Nigerian entertainment industry, demonstrated his indisputable presence. The generations of Nigerians who grew up watching his movies learned lessons on societal ideals, justice, equity, and fairness in politics from his humour-filled film, which is entirely in Yoruba in terms of storytelling and proverbs. Mr. Latin also kept alive the fire of native comedy as a tool for societal criticism by introducing relatable characters for the average Nigerian. Additionally, the visionary output and philosophies he emanated as the number one member of TAMPAN are more those of an institution builder, rather than just an entertainer. Undoubtedly, the award of the 2025 Léopold Sédar Senghor Prize to Mr. Latin is a testament to his lifetime dedication to preserving and promoting African cultural heritage to a global audience.

Laughter Like Legacy

From Gbongan to Ogun,

A boy backs a bag of dreams

trudging through the geography for survival

and the echoes of his past as headlights

In his voice,

a satire cut so deep like a razor

mirroring the lamentations of a broken land

You are not just an actor,

You are a motivator

You are not just a performer

You are a moulder of dreams.