Olu Jacobs: Nollywood Stars Gather for Night of Tributes

Nollywood legends, family and friends gathered on Wednesday for the Service of Songs and Night of Tributes honouring veteran actor Olu Jacobs, who died on September 16 at the age of 84.

Among those in attendance were Funke Akindele, Jide Kosoko, Adebayo Salami, Saka, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Sola Sobowale and several other stars of Nigeria’s film industry.

Nollywood Mourns Olu Jacobs at Service of Songs (News Central TV) — Ejike Asiegbu, a Nollywood actor, at Olu Jacobs’s Service of Songs. Credit: News Central TV.

A candlelight procession was held as colleagues and loved ones celebrated the life, career and enduring contribution of the actor, whose decades-long career made him one of the most recognisable figures in Nollywood.

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The event held at Glover Memorial Hall on Customs Street, Marina, Lagos Island.

Jacobs, born Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs on July 11, 1942, in Abeokuta, Ogun State, trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London and worked extensively in British theatre, film and television before returning to Nigeria in the 1980s.

He is best known for his commanding roles as kings, chiefs and authority figures, appearing in films such as “The Last Ofus,” “The Royal Hibiscus Hotel,” “Oloibiri” and “Dry.”

In 2022, he was honoured with the Industry Merit Award at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards.

Jacobs was married to veteran actress Joke Silva, with whom he had two sons. In 2021, his family announced he had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a condition that affects movement, cognition and behaviour.

Author

Jimisayo Opanuga

Jimisayo Opanuga is a web writer in the Digital Department at News Central TV, where she covers African and international stories. Her reporting focuses on social issues, health, justice, and the environment, alongside general-interest news. She is passionate about telling stories that inform the public and give voice to underreported communities.