Veteran Nollywood actor Olu Jacobs dies at 84
Veteran Nollywood actor Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, popularly known as Olu Jacobs, has died at the age of 84.
Reports of the acclaimed actor’s death emerged on Wednesday, September 16.
Olu Jacobs was among Nigeria’s most respected actors, building a career that spanned theatre, British television, international cinema and Nollywood.
Born on July 11, 1942, Jacobs developed a passion for acting at a young age before travelling to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).
He began his professional career on stage and later featured in British television productions before returning to Nigeria, where he became a prominent figure in the country’s growing film industry.
His early stage credits included the role of The Boy in A Taste of Honey at the newly opened Crucible Theatre in Sheffield in 1972.
Throughout the 1970s, Jacobs appeared in several British television productions, including The Goodies, Till Death Do Us Apart, Barlow at Large, The Venturers, Angels, The Tomorrow People and The Professionals.
He also made appearances in international films such as The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Pirates, demonstrating his versatility across theatre, television and film.
After returning to Nigeria, Jacobs established himself as one of the leading figures in the emerging Nollywood industry. He went on to feature in numerous Nigerian films and became widely recognised for portraying authoritative, sophisticated and complex characters.
His contributions to the arts earned him several honours, including the Nigerian national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) in 2011.
In 2021, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Africa International Film Festival in recognition of his extensive contribution to African cinema.
Jacobs was also well known for his marriage to veteran actress Joke Silva, whom he married in 1989. The couple have two children and have remained one of Nigeria’s most prominent celebrity couples.
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