One of Nigeria’s most celebrated actors, Olu Jacobs, has died at age 84. His wife, veteran actress Joke Silva, confirmed his death in a statement. She described him as “The Lion of Lufodo” and said his life was “well lived and fought.”
“We call on all bloggers and social media influencers to respect our family’s privacy at this time,” Silva said.
Born on 11 July 1942, Jacobs trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. He began his career in British television and international films before returning to Nigeria.
He became a defining figure in Nollywood, with notable films including My Kingdom, Covert Operation and One Fine Day. He was widely regarded as a father figure in the industry.
He won the African Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role and received several lifetime achievement awards. His career spanned over five decades and earned him major honours.
In 2011, he was conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR). He and Silva also established the Lufodo Group and Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts to train upcoming artists.
In recent years, Jacobs stayed away from the spotlight due to ill health. In 2021, Silva disclosed that he had been diagnosed with Dementia with Lewy bodies.
“It’s a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it’s almost like a Parkinson-type of disease, it affects the brain and affects the person,” she said in an interview with Chude Jideonwo.
The family had repeatedly debunked rumours of his death. The latest was in June 2024 when his eldest son, Soji, went on TV to confirm his father was still alive.
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