Veteran Nollywood actor Olu Jacobs has been laid to rest in Lagos, bringing to a close a career that spanned more than five decades across theatre, television and film.
Jacobs was buried on Friday, October 2, 2026, after a funeral service at This Present House, Freedom Way, Lekki Phase 1, attended by family members, colleagues, government officials and other dignitaries.
Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, First Lady Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu and former Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun were among those who attended the service.
Entertainment entrepreneur Dare Art Alade performed Pray for Me, his collaboration with Jacobs and his wife, veteran actress Joke Silva. Jacobs’ son, Olugbenga, also presented his father’s biography during the proceedings.
The burial followed a Night of Tributes and Service of Songs held on Wednesday, September 30, at Glover Memorial Hall, Lagos Island, where actors and other industry figures gathered to remember the late performer.
Richard Mofe-Damijo, Sola Sobowale, Hilda Dokubo, Kate Henshaw, Funke Akindele, Jide Kosoko, Adebayo Salami and Norbert Young were among those who paid tribute to Jacobs.
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Mofe-Damijo recalled a lesson Jacobs taught him about the importance of every role in a production, while Sobowale spoke about the encouragement she received from him early in her career.
Jacobs died on September 16, 2026, aged 84, bringing an end to a distinguished career that took him from British theatre and television to the forefront of Nigeria’s performing arts.
Born on July 11, 1942, Jacobs trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London before working in British theatre and television. He later became one of Nigeria’s most recognisable actors, appearing across stage, television and film.
Jacobs and Silva, whom he married in 1989, co-founded the Lufodo Group and Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, extending their work into film production and professional training.
His contribution to the arts earned him the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.
The family announced his death on September 16, describing him as the “Lion of Lufodo” and asking for privacy during the mourning period.
With his burial completed, Jacobs leaves behind a legacy that spans generations of Nigerian theatre, television and film and an enduring body of work in the country’s performing arts.