Veteran Nigerian actor Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, popularly known as Olu Jacobs, has died aged 84 years.
His wife, veteran actress Joke Silva, and their son announced his death on social media on Wednesday morning.
The family said the celebrated actor, whom they described as the “Lion of Lufodo”, died today, Wednesday, September 16.
The family announcement read: “It is with gratitude to God for a life well lived and fought, that we announce the passing of our dear husband, father, grandfather and uncle. The Lion of Lufodo.
“Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs (MFR). 11/07/1942 – 16/09/2026.”
The family also appealed for privacy as in this season of their bereavement and mourning.
“We call on all bloggers and social media influencers to respect our family’s privacy at this time.”
He had marked his 84th birthday on July 11.
Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, popularly known as Olu Jacobs, was one of Nigeria’s most respected actors, with a career spanning British theatre and television, international cinema and the growth of Nollywood.
Born on July 11, 1942, to parents from Egba Alake, Abeokuta in present-day Ogun State, Jacobs spent his early childhood in Kano, where he attended Holy Trinity School and participated in the debating and drama societies.
His decision to pursue acting was inspired by one of Chief Hubert Ogunde’s annual concert parties at the Colonial Hotel in Kano.
The experience convinced him to pursue a career in the performing arts, eventually taking him to England to study acting.
Jacobs trained at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London before beginning a career that took him through British theatre and television.
One of his early stage appearances was in A Taste of Honey at Sheffield’s newly opened Crucible Theatre in 1972. He subsequently appeared in several British television productions, including The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Venturers, Angels, The Tomorrow People, 1990 and The Professionals.
His international film career included roles in Ashanti (1979), The Dogs of War (1980), Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend (1985) and Roman Polanski’s Pirates (1986).
Jacobs returned to Nigeria in 1990 and took the lead role of Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series The Third Eye, which ran from 1990 to 1993.
He later became one of the most recognisable faces of Nigeria’s emerging film industry, appearing in more than 100 Nollywood productions.
His commanding screen presence and versatility saw him play a wide range of characters, including traditional rulers, political figures, professionals and family patriarchs.
His film credits include Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Oloibiri, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims.
Jacobs’ contribution to Nigerian cinema has earned him several major honours. In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
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.
He received the Industry Merit Award for outstanding achievements in acting at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.
In 2021, he was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Africa International Film Festival.
Beyond acting, Jacobs and his wife, fellow actor Joke Silva, built a shared legacy in theatre and film through the Lufodo Group, which has interests in film production and distribution and includes the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts.
Married to Joke Silva since 1989, Jacobs has remained one of the most prominent couples in Nigeria’s entertainment industry.
His influence extends beyond his individual performances.
Alongside fellow veteran actor Pete Edochie, he has been described as one of the “godfathers of Nollywood” — a recognition of the role actors of his generation played in shaping the Nigerian film industry.
Although his appearances in public and on screen have reduced in recent years, Jacobs remains an important figure in the history of Nigerian acting and the development of Nollywood.
