Veteran actor Oludotun Baiyewunmi Jacobs, popularly known as Olu Jacobs, has died at the age of 84.
His son, Olusoji Jacobs, and his wife, veteran actress Joke Silva, announced his death in a joint Instagram post on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.
“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. Oludotun Baiyewunmi Jacobs (MFR) 11/07/1942 – 16/09/2026,” the statement read.
The family asked bloggers and social media influencers to “respect our family’s privacy at this time.”
From Kano Childhood To Nollywood Icon
Born on July 11, 1942, Jacobs grew up in Kano with roots in the Egba Alake community of Abeokuta, Ogun State.
He developed an early interest in acting through school drama and church programmes, an interest strengthened after watching a performance by theatre pioneer Hubert Ogunde.
He later travelled to the United Kingdom to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London, working with British repertory theatres and appearing in 1970s television productions including The Goodies and The Professionals. His international film credits included The Dogs of War (1980) and Roman Polanski’s Pirates (1986).
Jacobs returned to Nigeria and became one of the defining figures of its film industry across more than five decades, known for his commanding baritone and for playing kings, chiefs and other authority figures in hundreds of productions, including Vigilante, Blood Diamond and Dry.
Alongside his wife, Joke Silva, whom he married in 1989 after meeting her in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos, he co-founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, training generations of actors. The couple had three children — Olusoji, Olugbenga and Dayo.
He was honoured with the Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) in 2011, won the Africa Movie Academy Award (AMAA) for Best Actor in a Leading Role in 2007, received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, and was given the AMAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.
Health Struggles And Past False Alarms
Jacobs spent his later years largely out of the public eye after his health began to affect his appearances.
Silva had previously disclosed that he was living with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative condition affecting memory and cognitive function.
His declining health had repeatedly fuelled false reports of his death in past years, including in June 2024, when Silva again confirmed he was alive and well before his passing this week.
Tributes followed swiftly from Nigerian public figures. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, in a statement on X, described Jacobs as “an institution, a cultural icon and one of the finest ambassadors of our creative spirit.”
He added: “For generations of Nigerians, Olu Jacobs was a familiar and commanding presence in our homes… Long before Nollywood became a global phenomenon, Olu Jacobs was already carrying the Nigerian name with distinction.”
Atiku also condoled with Silva and the Jacobs family, saying, “My heart goes especially to his beloved wife and lifelong partner.”
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo also paid tribute on X, calling Jacobs a “consummate actor; quintessential professional; god of the screen and legend of the stage; role model and perfect gentleman.”
A Legacy Spanning Generations
Jacobs is widely regarded, alongside contemporaries such as Pete Edochie, as part of the generation of actors who helped build Nollywood’s foundation and connect Nigeria’s traditional theatre with modern film and television.
His mentorship through the Lufodo Academy and his decades of screen work influenced generations of Nigerian performers who followed him.
Funeral arrangements had not been announced by the family as of the time of this report. Olu Jacobs is survived by his wife, Joke Silva, his children and grandchildren.
