Nollywood legend Olu Jacobs has died aged 84, leaving behind a five-decade acting career, major honours and a lasting legacy in Nigerian cinema.
Nigerian actor Olu Jacobs, one of the most respected figures in Nollywood and African entertainment, has died aged 84, his wife and fellow actress Joke Silva announced on Wednesday.
Jacobs, whose career spanned more than five decades across theatre, television and film, was widely regarded as one of the defining actors of Nigerian cinema. His death prompted tributes across Nigeria and the wider African entertainment industry.
Silva announced the death in a statement shared by the family on social media. Referring to Jacobs as “The Lion of Lufodo”, the family said his life had been “well lived and fought” and asked the public to respect their privacy as they mourn.
Jacobs was born Oludotun Baiyewun Jacobs on July 11, 1942. He developed an early interest in acting before travelling to Britain, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.
His early career included work in British theatre and television, as well as international film productions, before he returned to Nigeria and became a major figure in the country’s growing film and television industry.
Known for his commanding screen presence, deep voice and versatility, Jacobs played a wide range of characters during his career. He became particularly associated with roles as traditional rulers, family patriarchs, political figures and other complex personalities.
His work helped establish him as one of the father figures of Nollywood, Nigeria’s globally recognised film industry.
Among the films associated with his career were My Kingdom, Covert Operation and One Fine Day, alongside numerous Nigerian television and film productions.
Jacobs’ contribution to African cinema was recognised through several major honours, including an African Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role and lifetime achievement awards.
In 2011, he was conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) for his contribution to the Nigerian film industry.
His influence extended beyond acting. Together with Silva, Jacobs established the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, helping to develop and train performers while supporting Nigeria’s theatre, television and film industries.
The couple became one of the most prominent partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, combining their acting careers with work behind the scenes to strengthen the country’s creative sector.
Jacobs stepped back from public life in his later years amid health difficulties. In 2021, Silva revealed that he had been diagnosed with Dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative neurological condition.
The announcement followed years of false reports about the actor’s death. His family repeatedly rejected such claims, including in June 2024, when his eldest son, Soji Jacobs, publicly confirmed that his father was still alive.
Silva’s announcement on Wednesday brought an end to those rumours and confirmed the death of an actor whose career had become closely linked with the development of modern Nigerian cinema.
The family described Jacobs as a husband, father, grandfather and uncle, while asking bloggers and social media influencers to give relatives privacy during the mourning period.
His death marks the passing of one of the most recognisable names of Nigeria’s golden generation of actors, whose work connected British theatre and television with the emergence and international growth of Nollywood.
For generations of Nigerian audiences, Jacobs was more than a familiar screen presence. His long career, major awards, national honour and work training younger performers established him as an enduring figure in African entertainment.
