Veteran Nollywood actor Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, known professionally as Olu Jacobs, has died at 84.
Reports of the actor’s death emerged on Wednesday, September 16.
Olu Jacobs was one of Nigeria’s most celebrated actors, with a career spanning theatre, British television, international film and Nollywood.
Born on July 11, 1942, Jacobs developed an interest in acting at an early age and later travelled to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).
His professional acting career began in theatre and British television before he established himself as a major figure in Nigerian cinema.
One of his earliest recorded stage roles was as The Boy in ‘A Taste of Honey’ at the newly opened Crucible Theatre in Sheffield in 1972.
He subsequently appeared in a number of British television productions during the 1970s, including The Goodies, Till Death Do Us Apart, Barlow at Large, The Venturers, Angels, The Tomorrow People and The Professionals.
Olu Jacobs also featured in international films, including The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Pirates, further establishing his reputation as an actor capable of moving between stage, television and film.
He later returned to Nigeria and became one of the prominent faces of the country’s developing film industry.
Over the years, he appeared in numerous Nollywood productions and became particularly recognised for portraying authoritative, sophisticated and often complex characters.
His contribution to the Nigerian film industry has earned him several honours. In 2011, he was awarded the Nigerian national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) for his contribution to the arts.
He also received major industry recognition, including a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Africa International Film Festival in 2021.
Jacobs has also been closely associated with veteran actress Joke Silva, whom he married in 1989. The couple have two children and have remained one of Nigeria’s best-known celebrity couples.
