‎How Olu Jacobs Impacted Lives, Movie Industry

‎The demise of the veteran icon, Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, popularly known as Olu Jacobs, who died on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, has indeed put the movie industry in a sober mood.

‎He died at the age of 84, having devoted 50 years to the movie industry.

‎Olu Jacobs is widely regarded as one of the fundamental pillars of Nollywood.

‎He was born in Northern Nigeria on July 11, 1942, to an Egba family in Ogun State. Growing up in Kano, he developed a passion for theatre after watching a performance by the legendary theatre practitioner Hubert Ogunde. That inspired him to pursue acting professionally.

‎Trained at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London, Jacobs built a solid career in the UK during the 1970s and 1980s. He appeared in acclaimed British television shows such as The Tomorrow People, The Professionals, and Till Death Us Do Part and international films including The Dogs of War (1980), Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend (1985), and Roman Polanski’s Pirates (1986). Returning to Nigeria in the 1990s, he brought world-class classical training and discipline to the nascent Nollywood industry.

‎Marital Life

Olu Jacobs was married to fellow veteran actress Joke Silva. Their relationship developed into both a personal and professional partnership that became one of the most prominent unions in Nigeria’s entertainment industry.

Together, they founded the Lufodo Group, with interests spanning film production, distribution, and performing arts education.

The couple also established the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, contributing to the training and development of a new generation of performers.

Career & Influence

‎Known for his commanding presence, rich baritone voice, and flawless diction, Jacobs set the gold standard for screen acting in Nigeria. He starred in over 120 movies, including landmark films such as Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Dry, and The Royal Hibiscus Hotel. He famously defined the regal “Igwe” (king) archetype in Nollywood, delivering performances of authority and gravitas that became iconic across African pop culture.

Alongside his wife, veteran actress Joke Silva, Jacobs founded the Lufodo Group. Through his subsidiaries, particularly the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts (LAPA), he helped establish professional film production and distribution, as well as formal drama training, for thousands of emerging actors, directors, and crew members.

Jacobs served as a father figure and mentor to generations of African actors, elevating the status and social respectability of acting as a profession in West Africa.  In the TV series Third Eye, Olu Jacobs played a detective whose investigation was greatly helped by his daughter. That series inspired many.

Later Years

Olu Jacobs spent his later years largely away from the public spotlight after his health began to affect his appearances.

‎His wife had previously disclosed that her husband was dealing with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative condition that affected his health.

The actor’s health also became the subject of repeated false reports of his death. In June 2024, Silva again dismissed reports that he had died, saying he was alive and doing fine. His family had similarly rejected earlier death rumours.

‎Jacobs subsequently remained largely out of public view, while colleagues and admirers continued to celebrate his contribution to Nigerian theatre and cinema.

‎Honours

‎Olu Jacobs received several honours, which included

Africa Movie Academy Award (AMAA): Best Actor in a Leading Role (2007)

‎National Honour: Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR, 2011)

AMVCA Industry Merit Award: Outstanding Achievements in Acting (2013)

AMAA Lifetime Achievement Award: (2016)

AFRIFF Globe Awards: Lifetime Achievement Award (2021)

‎With a career spanning over five decades across stage, television, and film, his contributions transformed African cinema from a burgeoning local video trade into a respected global industry.