Veteran Nigerian Actor Olu Jacobs Dead at 84

Olu Jacobs, one of Nigeria’s most revered actors and a towering figure in Nollywood, has died. He was 84. His family announced his passing in an Instagram statement on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, describing him as “The Lion of Lufodo” and expressing gratitude for a life “well lived and fought.” The statement was shared by his son, Olusoji Jacobs, and signed by his wife, veteran actress Joke Silva, and other family members.

Born Oludotun Baiyewun Jacobs on July 11, 1942, in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Jacobs trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London before embarking on a career that spanned more than five decades. He appeared in British television productions including The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, and The Professionals, as well as international films such as Roman Polanski’s Pirates (1986) and The Dogs of War (1980), before returning to Nigeria and becoming one of the defining faces of its film industry. In Nollywood, he was particularly known for portraying kings, chiefs, and patriarchs, bringing a commanding presence and distinctive voice to every role.

Jacobs received numerous honours throughout his career, including the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in 2007, the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, and the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) in 2011. Alongside Silva, he co-founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, contributing to the training of a new generation of Nigerian performers. In recent years, he stepped back from public life after Silva disclosed in 2021 that he was living with Lewy body dementia. He is survived by Silva, his children, and grandchildren.