Veteran Nigerian actor and film executive, Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, popularly known as Olu Jacobs, has died at the age of 84.
Jacobs’ death was announced by his family on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, with his wife, veteran actress Joke Silva, and their son, Olusoji Jacobs, confirming the development.
According to the family, the legendary actor died on September 16 and was remembered as the “Lion of Lufodo,” a tribute that reflected his towering contribution to Nigeria’s theatre and film industry.
Born on July 11, 1942, Jacobs celebrated his 84th birthday in July 2026. His death comes after years of recurring false reports of his passing, which were repeatedly dismissed by his family and associates.
In 2021, Silva publicly debunked one such report, telling The PUNCH that her husband was alive and well. Similar claims resurfaced in 2022 and again in 2024, with Silva and people close to the family rejecting the reports.
Jacobs built an illustrious career spanning stage, television and film, first making his mark in British television productions before returning to Nigeria, where he became one of the most respected figures in the country’s theatre and motion-picture industries.
He was particularly celebrated for bringing depth, authority and versatility to his performances, becoming a familiar face across generations of Nigerian audiences.
Beyond acting, Jacobs was an important institution-builder in the Nigerian creative industry. He and Joke Silva co-founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, contributing to the development and training of new generations of performers.
His relationship with Silva also became one of the enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment. The pair met in the early 1980s and went on to build both a family and a professional legacy together.
Jacobs’ passing marks the end of the life of a performer whose career stretched across decades and whose work helped connect Nigeria’s traditional theatre culture with the modern film industry.
From the stage to television and eventually Nollywood, Olu Jacobs leaves behind a legacy that extends beyond the characters he portrayed to the institutions, performers and audiences he influenced.
The Nigerian entertainment industry has lost one of its most recognisable and enduring figures.
May his soul rest in peace.
