Antar Laniyan

EARLY LIFE

Antar Laniyan was born in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, southwestern Nigeria. He has publicly shared the unusual story behind his first name: according to his mother, he remained in the womb for 18 months. After hospitals could not explain the delayed delivery and relatives grew alarmed, the family sought traditional advice. His mother was instructed to eat a creature known in Yoruba as anta (described as smaller than a crocodile but lizard-shaped). He was born within an hour of her doing so, and the name derived from that. He later added an “r” to the spelling in primary school after classmates teased him about it. He attended Baptist Secondary School in Lagos State, where he obtained his WAEC certificate. He then studied Theatre Arts at the University of Ibadan, earning a BA degree. Early influences included living near military barracks (he initially considered a military career) and involvement in school and youth theatre.

CAREER

Laniyan began acting around age 15 and entered professional work in 1981. His first major role was as a “major general” in Everybody Wants to Know while with the Kakaki Art Squad (associated with Ben Tomoloju / Pappy Ben). He was part of early television theatre efforts, including work linked to the opening of NTA Channel 7 (later Channel 10) in Lagos. Notable acting credits include Sango (1997, scripted by Wale Ogunyemi and produced by Obafemi Lasode), Saworoide, Agogo Eewo, Oleku, Outkast, The Return of Jenifa (2011), Kabiosi (2015), Black Val (2016), Atupa (2018), Lucifer (2019), Kakanfo (2020) as Chief Depo, The Cleanser (2021), Alimi (2021), Afua (2021), Oro Ife (2022), Ijakumo: The Born Again Stripper (2022), Covenant (2022 TV series), and IGE – the unlikely oil merchant (2023). As a director, he helmed the first episode of the long-running, award-winning soap opera Super Story (produced by Wale Adenuga, 2000). He also directed Oh Father Oh Daughter and This Life for Wale Adenuga Productions. He is known for professional discipline, intolerance of mediocrity and lateness on set, and a commitment to strong gate-keeping in the industry. He continues to act, produce, and direct while mentoring and advocating for higher standards.

PERSONAL LIFE

Laniyan is married and has children, including a daughter named Ife. He has spoken candidly about the sacrifices his career demanded: he missed his father’s burial because of a professional commitment (he arranged for siblings to record it on VHS so he could watch later) and left his wife during the caesarean birth of their daughter Ife to fulfill a filming obligation on Strange Woman (with colleagues including Joke Silva). His wife understood and encouraged him to go. He emphasizes discipline learned from his father in raising his children (preferring discussion over physical punishment) and deliberately schedules time for family amid a demanding work life. He has described marriage as changing little about his core self because he was already deeply committed to his craft before marrying.

Antar Laniyan is regarded as one of the more professionally trained and disciplined veterans of Nigerian theatre and film, with a career spanning more than four decades. He balances stage roots, television directing, and screen acting across Yoruba and English productions. His personal accounts of career sacrifices and the origin of his name have become part of his public narrative, underscoring themes of maternal sacrifice, professional commitment, and family responsibility.