The Nigerian entertainment industry on Friday, October 2, 2026, said its final goodbye to veteran actor Olu Jacobs, as the celebrated Nollywood icon was laid to rest in Lagos.
Jacobs, who died on September 16, 2026, at the age of 84, was honoured at a funeral service held at This Present House, Freedom Way, Lekki Phase I, where family members, friends, colleagues and dignitaries gathered to celebrate his life and remarkable contribution to the arts.
The solemn ceremony brought together prominent figures from Nigeria's entertainment industry, including actors and filmmakers who came to pay their final respects to a man whose career spanned theatre, television and film.
Among the dignitaries present were Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, Lagos State First Lady Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, former Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun, and former Ekiti State First Lady Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi.
Jacobs' widow, actress Joke Silva, and their sons, Olusoji and Olugbenga Jacobs, were also present at the funeral service. The family's presence underscored the deeply personal loss behind the public farewell to one of Nigeria's most respected performers.
Born Oludotun Baiyewun Jacobs in 1942, Olu Jacobs developed an early passion for the performing arts before travelling to England, where he trained at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London.
He built a career that crossed theatre, British television and Nigerian cinema before becoming one of the defining figures of Nollywood.
His commanding screen presence and ability to portray chiefs, traditional rulers, fathers, leaders and other authoritative characters made him a familiar and respected face to generations of African film audiences.
His career included appearances in British productions such as The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part and Barlow at Large, before he became a major force in Nigeria's rapidly growing film industry.
Jacobs and Joke Silva also built a life in the creative industry beyond acting. The couple co-founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, contributing to the development and training of performers in Nigeria.
Friday's funeral followed a Night of Tributes and Service of Songs held on September 30 at Glover Memorial Hall on Lagos Island, where colleagues and admirers gathered to reflect on Jacobs' life and legacy.
At the funeral, singer Dare Art Alade performed Pray for Me, a song associated with Jacobs and Joke Silva. Olugbenga Jacobs also presented his father's biography during the proceedings.
After the funeral service, Jacobs' remains were taken to a private burial site in Lagos, where he was finally laid to rest.
For Nollywood, the occasion marked more than the burial of an actor. It was a farewell to a performer whose work helped shape the Nigerian entertainment industry and whose presence on screen became part of the cultural memory of several generations.
As the curtains closed on his earthly journey, Olu Jacobs left behind a body of work that will continue to introduce his talent to audiences long after his final bow.
Nneka Charles.
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