Veteran Nigerian actor Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, popularly known as Olu Jacobs, has died at the age of 84, his family confirmed on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.
Jacobs’ son, Olusoji Jacobs, announced his father’s death in a statement shared on social media, describing the celebrated actor as “The Lion of Lufodo.”
“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,” the family statement read.
The family also appealed to the public, bloggers and social media influencers to respect their privacy as they mourn the veteran actor.
Jacobs leaves behind a career that stretched across more than five decades and helped establish him as one of Nigeria’s most recognisable actors on stage and screen.
Born on July 11, 1942, Jacobs developed an interest in acting before travelling to Britain to pursue formal training.
He studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London and subsequently worked in British theatre and television. His early credits included appearances in productions such as The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, The Venturers, Angels, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People.
Jacobs also appeared in international film productions before returning to Nigeria in the 1980s. His experience in British theatre and television later became part of the foundation for a career that crossed Nigerian stage productions, television and the country’s rapidly developing film industry.
He became a familiar face to Nigerian audiences through a wide range of roles, frequently portraying authoritative figures, fathers, traditional rulers, businessmen and political characters.
Jacobs became one of the veteran actors associated with the development of modern Nollywood.
Over the course of his career, he appeared in numerous Nigerian productions and worked alongside some of the country’s biggest actors. His deep voice, commanding screen presence and theatre background made him one of the industry’s most recognisable performers.
His career also extended beyond acting. Together with his wife, veteran actress Joke Silva, he helped build the Lufodo Group, which includes film production and distribution interests as well as the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts. The couple married in 1989 and became one of Nigeria’s best-known acting partnerships.
Jacobs continued receiving industry recognition long after establishing himself as a major figure in Nigerian entertainment.
In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. He later received the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards Industry Merit Award in 2013 and the Africa Movie Academy Awards Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.
In 2011, the Nigerian government also honoured him with the national award of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) for his contribution to the country’s film industry.
Jacobs’ final years remained largely away from the public eye as he dealt with health challenges.
His wife, Joke Silva, disclosed in 2021 that the actor was living with Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), a progressive neurodegenerative condition. Silva later spoke publicly about the effect the condition had on their family and said she missed aspects of the man Jacobs had been before the illness.
Jacobs’ health became the subject of repeated speculation online, including false reports of his death. In 2024, his family dismissed another death rumour and confirmed that he was alive.
More recently, colleagues had continued to express concern about his health as he remained largely out of the public spotlight. Veteran actress Patience Ozokwor spoke about Jacobs’ condition shortly before his death, saying she found it difficult to think about his situation.
News of Jacobs’ death quickly prompted tributes from politicians, actors and other members of Nigeria’s entertainment industry.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was among those who mourned the actor, describing his death as a loss to Nigeria and highlighting his contribution to the country’s cultural landscape.
Jacobs’ death marks the end of the life and career of one of the actors who bridged Nigeria’s theatre tradition with its modern film industry.
