Vodacom mourns death of ‘Yebo Gogo’ man, Kole Omotoso

July 20, 2023 Siyabonga Mtangana

Vodacom has paid tribute to Prof Kole Omotoso, widely recognised as the face of Vodacom’s long-running “Yebo Gogo’”advertising campaign. Omotoso passed away on Wednesday, age 80.

Most South Africans will remember Omotoso as the “Yebo Gogo man” from the adverts the company used to promote its brand in the 1990s and early 2000s in South Africa.

Vodacom Group CEO Shameel Joosub said in a statement: “We are deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Prof Omotoso, who is one of the country’s respected academics and playwrights. We remember him as an iconic figure who helped put brand Vodacom on the map through the inventive ‘Yebo Gogo’ advertising campaign that went on to win several advertising accolades.

“He leaves behind a rich legacy, having played a significant role in inserting brand Vodacom, a brand with deep African roots, into the national consciousness. I would also like to offer my personal heartfelt condolences to Prof Omotoso’s family,” Joosub said.

From the early 1990s, as the winds of democracy were blowing in South Africa, and immediately after 1994, when Vodacom was issued with a licence to operate in South Africa, Omotoso was the face of its adverts, with his image dominating the advertising media landscape.

He became one of the most visible persons in the country, reflecting the changing face of a new South Africa.

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Omotoso was born on 21 April 1943 in Akure, Ondo state, Nigeria. He obtained South African citizenship in 1999. He was married to Marguerita Omotoso, an architect and urban planner, originally from Barbados.

The couple have three children — including actor, director and filmmaker Akin Omotoso and author and architect Yewande Omotoso. He studied at King’s College, Lagos, the University of Ibadan, and the University of Edinburgh. — (c) 2023 NewsCentral Media