Veteran Nigerian actor and film executive, Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, popularly known as Olu Jacobs, has died at the age of 84.
The respected actor’s death was announced
his son, Oluṣọ́lá Jacobs, in an Instagram post on Wednesday.
Olu Jacobs was widely recognised as one of Nigeria’s most accomplished actors, with a career spanning theatre, television and film.
He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in England and began his professional acting career in Britain, where he worked with repertory theatres and appeared in several British television productions and international films.
After returning to Nigeria, Jacobs became a prominent figure in the Nigerian film industry and was regarded as one of the veteran actors who helped shape Nollywood.
Throughout his career, he received numerous honours for his contributions to the entertainment industry. Among them were the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, and the AMAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.
He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) in 2011.
Olu Jacobs was married to fellow veteran actress Joke Silva, and together they built one of Nigeria’s best-known acting families.
His death marks the loss of one of the most recognisable figures in Nigerian theatre and film, whose work left a lasting impact on generations of actors and audiences.
May his Gentle Soul Rest in Peace. I love All his Igbo films . All the time he acted as a Kong. May God Console his wife and Children and the Extended Family at Large. He was a good Actor.