And the curtain falls on Tosyn Bucknor (Area Mama) at 37

37-year-old Tosyn Bucknor died in her home on Monday, November 19 due to complications from sickle cell.

One of the darling’s of Nigerian radio, 37-year-old Tosyn Bucknor died in her home on Monday, November 19 due to complications from sickle cell.

Her sister and one of Nigeria’s frontline events planners, Funke Bucknor Obruthe made an official statement of Tosyn’s passing away on her Instagram handle.

“My heart is heavy...but in all things we give thanks to God. My darling sister and besto Tosyn passed away last night due to complications from sickle cell,” Funke wrote.

 

Nigerians woke up to the sad news on Tuesday, November 20 with eulogies pouring in on all her social media handles from celebrities, colleagues and  fans.

ALSO READ: Tosyn Bucknor passes away at 37

Bucknor started out her journey on the radio when she interned at Cool Fm where she hosted the Fun Hour Show on Saturdays. Her full strength as an On-Air Personality manifested when she joined comedian, Tee-A, on Eko FM before joining Top Radio.

At Top radio, a Lagos based Radio station owned by Late Amaka Igwe, Tosyn anchored the morning drive show which became a highlight for many Lagosians for seven years.

The name Tosyn Bucknor will no doubt continue to resonate in the minds of many fans and radio listeners in Nigeria years after the death of the radio personality widely referred to as ‘Area Mama.’

A strong advocate of Nigeria’s unity, equality and fairness, she was one of the few self-strong OAPs known to always speak their mind on prevalent national issues.

‘Area Mama’ was born with sickle cell anaemia but she lived a fun, fulfilled  and exemplary life.

She ran a sickle cell project known as “These Genes” which created awareness for sickle cell.

Lived her life to the fullest

If nothing, Tosyn lived her life to the fullest. She tried it all and made a name and mark for herself in the media and entertainment industry.

Tosyn was a lawyer. She studied Law at the University of Lagos and proceeded to the Nigerian Law School where she was called to the bar but she had always been attracted to writing, talking, acting and singing.

ALSO READ: Celebrities react to shocking death of Tosyn Bucknor

Area Mama tried her hands on blogging, vlogging, radio presentation, T.V hosting, Disc Jockeying, acting and scriptwriting.

Though she became famous as a radio presenter, she said she never thought she would work on radio full time.

 

“To be honest though, I never thought I would work on radio full time. All my life my plan was to be an actress, an artist or something in media and entertainment, especially on stage and the screen. No one who has a law degree ever drops it. That is the beauty of the law degree!” she said in an interview with Endi’s world in 2016.

For someone with a large followership on the radio, social media as well as television, Bucknor lived a life devoid of public glare.

She married her husband, Aurelien Boyer in 2015 after which the couple relocated to Lagos, Nigeria.

Died a year after dad’s death

Tosyn Bucknor passed away 14 months and 19 days after her dad died.

Tosyn was the daughter of late Segun Bucknor, a late Nigerian musician and journalist active during the 1960s and 1970s.

Tosyn’s relationship with her father was so cordial and it became evident when the late musician passed away on Friday, August 11, 2017.

The actress and OAP took to her Instagram account to gush over her dad with a poem.

"Your daddy know you're a flame

Your daddy know you're a flame

Your daddy know you're a flame

Your daddy know you're a flame

"Even to the angels it may sound like a lie

For you child

He has the troops and extra backup standing by

For you child

For you he's the best he can be

For you child

For you he's the best he can be

Oh child don't you know

Your daddy love comes with a lifetime guarantee."

Achievements

 

Bucknor has been nominated and won several awards including ELOY Awards, Best of Nollywood among others.

She has won many awards including the Nigerian Broadcaster's award, Future Awards, Exquisite Lady of the year and others.

Describing herself, Tosyn says, “I create and host content on fashion, football, media, natural hair, skincare, television, travel for podcasts, radio, social media, and Youtube.”

In her words after she joined Inspiration FM, seven years after working with Top Radio, she wrote, Every end is a new beginning…"