Veteran Nigerian actor, Oludotun Baiyewun Jacobs, popularly known as Olu Jacobs, has died at the age of 84.
The renowned actor’s death was announced by his family in the early hours of Wednesday, September 16, 2026.
His son, Olusoji Jacobs, confirmed the development in a post on Instagram, expressing gratitude to God for what he described as “a life well lived and fought”.
He also appealed to bloggers and social media influencers to respect the family’s privacy as they mourn.
“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.
“Oludotun Baiyewun Jacobs (MFR) 11/07/1942-16/09/2026.
“We call on all bloggers and social media influencers to respect our families privacy at this time.”
The cause of his death was not disclosed.
Born in 1942 to parents from Egba Alake, Jacobs grew up in Kano, where he attended Holy Trinity School and participated in the debating and drama societies.
His interest in acting was sparked after watching a Hubert Ogunde concert party perform at the Colonial Hotel in Kano. He subsequently travelled to England, where he trained at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.
Jacobs began his professional stage career in Britain, with one of his early roles being The Boy in A Taste of Honey at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield in 1972.
He later appeared in several British television shows and series during the 1970s, including The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part and Barlow at Large.
In 1978, he played President Mageeba in Michael Codron’s presentation of Sir Tom Stoppard’s play, Night and Day.
Jacobs returned to Nigeria in 1990 and featured in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye. He subsequently became one of the most recognisable faces of Nollywood, appearing in hundreds of films during a career spanning several decades.
His contributions to the Nigerian film industry earned him several honours, including the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2021 Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF).
In 2022, the Audio-Visual Rights Society of Nigeria (AVRS) presented him with an Icon Award, while he received the Industry Merit Award for outstanding achievements in acting at the 2023 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA).
Jacobs married fellow actress Joke Silva in 1989, and the couple have two children.
His death comes after several false reports about his demise had circulated on social media over the years.
In June 2024, reports of his death triggered an outpouring of tributes from fans and colleagues until Silva shared a video showing the actor alive, effectively dispelling the reports. Actress Kate Henshaw also joined others online in dismissing the rumour.
Similar claims had surfaced in 2020, prompting the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) to attribute them to “mischief-makers”.
Rumours of his death resurfaced in 2021 and 2022 amid public disclosures by Silva about his health. She later threatened legal action against social media users who continued to circulate the reports.
