Veteran Nigerian Actor Olu Jacobs Dies at 84

Veteran Nigerian actor Olu Jacobs, a towering figure in the country's film industry, has died at the age of 84. His death was announced on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, by his son, Olusoji Jacobs, in a family statement shared on Instagram. The statement described the actor as a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and uncle, and referred to him as "The Lion of Lufodo." The family requested privacy during their mourning period. The immediate cause of death was not disclosed. Jacobs' passing prompted an outpouring of tributes from across Nigeria's creative industry and from government officials. President Bola Tinubu described him as a "giant of the Nigerian creative industry" whose career spanned theatre, television, and film globally. Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu called him a legendary actor and one of the respected fathers of Nollywood, whose legacy would live on through his works. Born Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs on July 11, 1942, in Kano, he developed an early passion for acting after watching a performance by theatre pioneer Hubert Ogunde. In 1964, he traveled to Britain to train at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London.