Leadnaija
Kayode Peters, a respected Nigerian actor, theatre producer, and television director, passed away on June 28, 2025, in Toronto, Canada, after a long illness. Known for shaping Nigeria’s early sitcom landscape and mentoring a generation of performers, his death was confirmed by family members who requested privacy while funeral arrangements were being made.
Though tributes quickly poured in from across Nollywood and diaspora communities, many were left with lingering questions: What illness did he battle? Why was he in Canada? What happened in his final days? And what legacy does he leave behind?
This article takes a detailed look into the last chapter of Kayode Peters’s life—his illness, his work abroad, and the full impact of his contributions to African storytelling at home and abroad.
A Quiet Departure: The Canada Chapter
Before his death on June 28, 2025, Nigerian filmmaker and theatre director Kayode Peters had been living in Toronto, Canada, for years—quietly battling a long-term illness known only to close friends and family.
Though publicly active through his works in film and stage, Peters kept his health condition private. There were no social media posts about hospital visits, no public appeals, no fundraisers—only a steady stream of creative output that masked what he was enduring behind the scenes.
According to reports, Peters had relocated to Canada in the early 2020s. Some online sources suggest that his move was partially motivated by academic interest: he was reportedly studying digital marketing while continuing to write, direct, and produce films.
During this period, he also became involved with local African creative communities in Toronto, lending support to independent theatre projects, hosting workshops, and participating in short film showcases. None of these engagements, however, hinted at a man undergoing a serious medical struggle.
Behind closed doors, though, Kayode Peters was dying.
The Illness He Never Named
The nature of Peters’s illness has never been publicly disclosed. The only official mention came from his family’s statement, released shortly after his passing. It read:
“Kayode Tunde Peters, our son, husband, father, brother and friend, passed away peacefully in Toronto, Canada, after a long-time illness. He braved, challenged and conquered until his last breath this morning, June 28, 2025.”
There were no details provided about the illness—whether it was cancer, organ failure, or another terminal condition. No hospital name was mentioned. No medical records were leaked. His choice was clear: if the end was coming, it would be handled quietly, away from media spectacle.
However, film festival organizers and Toronto-based colleagues interviewed by news blogs confirmed that Peters had stopped attending physical screenings by mid-2024. Several of his last projects were submitted online, with no public appearances, suggesting his health had worsened significantly by then.
Despite this, Peters continued working. His short film What No One Knows (2023) screened at the Cannes Shorts Festival and won accolades abroad, even though he was reportedly undergoing treatment at the time.
His final public activity, according to TheCable Lifestyle, was assisting with a writing lab for Nigerian students in Mississauga in late 2024. After that, Peters seemingly disappeared from public view—no new interviews, no stage appearances, and no social media presence.
Passing in Peace: June 28, 2025
On the morning of Saturday, June 28, 2025, Peters died peacefully in Toronto, surrounded by family. He was 49 years old.
The family’s statement emphasized his quiet courage during his illness and confirmed that he would be remembered both as a family man and a cultural figure:
“He braved, challenged and conquered until his last breath…”
No cause of death was released. As of this writing, there is no confirmation of whether he will be buried in Canada or repatriated to Nigeria.
The silence, in death as in illness, reflected the same ethos that had defined his career: dignity, privacy, and focus on the work, not the attention.
The Life Before Canada: 20 Years of Creative Labor
Long before his quiet final years, Kayode Peters was a force in Nigerian storytelling—particularly in theatre, television sitcoms, and diaspora short films.
Born on September 25, 1975, in Ibadan, he studied English at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), where he discovered his passion for performance and stagecraft. In a 2021 interview with TheCable Lifestyle, Peters credited his stage acting experiences at UNILAG as the foundation of his production career.
He later traveled to the United Kingdom to obtain a master’s degree in Film and Television Production from the University of Greenwich, further refining his craft.
Sitcoms, Theatre, and Cultural Experimentation
Peters made a name for himself producing Nigeria’s first wave of homegrown sitcoms. Notably:
Flatmates cast
Flatmates – A Lagos-based comedic series exploring urban cohabitation, now considered a classic in Nigerian TV history.
Extended Family cast
Extended Family – A cross-generational sitcom that aired in the early 2010s.
Doll House Tv series
Doll House (2015) – A drama series praised for its character-driven storytelling.
Beyond the screen, Peters was deeply invested in live theatre, actively involved in culturally rich plays like:
The Five Maids of Fadaka – A feminist Yoruba folklore piece
Iye, Osomo, and The House Between Us – Theatrical productions staged in Nigeria, the UK, and Canada
He consistently featured Yoruba proverbs, language, and folk narratives in these works, believing that theatre had the power to preserve indigenous identity.
Diaspora Cinema and Global Recognition
After relocating to Canada, Peters evolved further into diaspora cinema, producing short films that addressed themes like:
Immigration trauma
Cultural displacement
Hidden emotional burdens of Africans abroad
His film Bring ’em Back tackled deportation policy and screened at:
TIFF Toronto
FilmAfrica UK
New York Diaspora Shorts Festival
His 2023 short film What No One Knows won a Best Diaspora Narrative Award at Cannes Shorts Festival, further solidifying his impact in international indie circuits.
Research :
According to IMDb and Wikipedia, Peters also presented works in:
Colombia (Cine en Corto Festival)
Netherlands, Greece, France (Diaspora and Migration-themed showcases)
Despite this acclaim, Peters remained out of the limelight, focusing on mentorship, cross-cultural writing labs, and the promotion of African stories beyond commercial channels.
Public Reaction and Memorial Plans
Tributes following his death were muted but sincere. Nigerian media outlets acknowledged him as a “pillar of behind-the-scenes Nollywood” whose work shaped an entire generation of urban comedy and diaspora realism.
As of June 29, 2025:
No official burial date has been announced.
Diaspora communities in Toronto are reportedly planning a memorial.
A Lagos-based collective of actors and directors has proposed a tribute festival in his name.
Prominent creators like Yomi Fash-Lanso, Bimbo Akintola, and Wole Oguntokun have publicly expressed grief, though no formal guild statement has been issued.
A Legacy Etched in Silence and Impact
Kayode Peters
Kayode Peters’s death may not have shaken social media or dominated headlines, but it has left an undeniable vacuum in Nigeria’s artistic and educational landscape.
He:
Directed over 100 episodes of Nigerian TV
Wrote and produced more than 15 original stage plays
Mentored over 60 independent filmmakers and playwrights
Earned international festival recognition—without PR machines or celebrity hype
His real triumph lies in how he used small budgets to tell big stories, how he mentored without seeking credit, and how he pushed Yoruba and African storytelling into global spaces.
Closing Reflection: The Exit of a Quiet Giant
In a creative world obsessed with visibility, Kayode Peters chose to be essential but invisible. His final days in Canada reflect the same ethic that shaped his life: work in silence, leave truth behind.
He never published his medical battles. He never turned his illness into a headline. But he died with a body of work that outlived the silence.
In Nigeria’s evolving artistic history, there must now be a place for those who built its architecture—not just its towers. Peters was one of them.
And while his name may not ring out in loud applause, his life speaks louder—in legacy, in impact, and in quiet, enduring presence.
