Veteran Nollywood actor and one of Nigeria’s most respected stage and screen performers, Olu Jacobs, has died at the age of 84.
The death of the celebrated actor was announced by his son, Olusoji Jacobs, in an Instagram post on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.
Olusoji described his father as a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and uncle, while celebrating his life and enduring legacy in the Nigerian entertainment industry.
“It is with gratitude to God for a life well lived and fought that we announce the passing of our dear husband, father, grandfather, and uncle. The Lion of Lufodo,” he wrote.
The family also appealed to bloggers, social media influencers, and members of the public to respect their privacy as they mourn the veteran actor.
“We call on all bloggers and social media influencers to respect our family’s privacy at this time,” Olusoji added.
A career spanning decades
Born in 1942, Jacobs built an acting career that spanned more than five decades, working extensively in both the United Kingdom and Nigeria.
He trained at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London before embarking on a career that saw him appear in several British television productions and international films.
His early television credits included appearances in popular British productions such as The Goodies and The Professionals, before he eventually returned to Nigeria in the 1980s.
Jacobs became one of the prominent actors who helped shape Nigeria’s emerging film industry, later known as Nollywood.
Over the years, he became particularly recognised for portraying authoritative traditional rulers, fathers, elders, and other commanding characters, earning admiration across generations of Nigerian film audiences.
His distinctive voice, commanding screen presence, and versatility made him one of the most recognisable faces of Nigerian theatre and cinema.
Beyond his individual acting career, Jacobs and his wife, veteran actress Joke Silva, played an important role in Nigeria’s performing arts industry.
The couple co-founded the Lufodo Group, a media and performing arts company involved in developing talent and supporting Nigeria’s creative sector.
Jacobs’ contribution to the arts earned him widespread recognition, including the respect of generations of actors and other creative professionals who regarded him as a pioneer and mentor.
His death has therefore sparked an outpouring of grief among colleagues, fans, and admirers who have continued to celebrate his contribution to Nigerian entertainment.
Actors, filmmakers, theatre practitioners, and other members of the creative community have expressed condolences to the Jacobs family, describing the veteran as an influential figure whose work left a lasting mark on Nollywood and the Nigerian stage.
Fans have also taken to social media to mourn the actor, sharing scenes from some of his memorable productions and recounting the impact his performances had on their appreciation of Nigerian cinema.
Health struggles in his final years
Jacobs’ final years were marked by health challenges that kept him largely away from the public eye.
In 2021, his wife, Joke Silva, disclosed that the actor had been diagnosed with Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB), a progressive neurodegenerative condition.
The revelation followed years of speculation and false reports about Jacobs’ health, which the family and his colleagues had repeatedly sought to correct.
Silva had previously spoken about the emotional challenges of caring for her husband while dealing with the effects of the condition.
“It’s been hard on him because he doesn’t understand everything that is going on, and hard on the family,” she said in a previous television interview.
Despite his prolonged health battle, Jacobs remained widely celebrated for the body of work he built over several decades.
His death marks the end of an era for one of Nigeria’s most enduring acting careers, leaving behind a legacy that stretches from the British stage and television to the development of modern Nigerian cinema.
