Nigerian actor Olu Jacobs, known as "The Lion of Lufodo," has been laid to rest after a five-decade career spanning theatre, television, and film. Jacobs passed away on September 16, 2026, at the age of 84. His career took him from Kano to London and eventually back to Nigeria, where he became one of Nollywood's most recognizable faces. Jacobs' deep voice, commanding presence, and measured delivery became part of the language of Nigerian screen acting. He worked in Britain before Nollywood had become a global name and appeared in international films and television productions.
Born Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs on July 11, 1942, in Kano, Jacobs grew up in a family with roots in the Egba Alake community of Abeokuta, Ogun State. His early interest in performance developed through school drama, debating, and church activities. Jacobs' life changed direction when he watched one of Chief Hubert Ogunde's concert parties at the Colonial Hotel in Kano. Ogunde, a pioneer of Nigerian theatre, inspired Jacobs to pursue acting professionally. Jacobs trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, one of Britain's leading drama institutions.
Jacobs' professional stage career included a 1972 production of A Taste of Honey at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. He later appeared in British television productions, including The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, and The Professionals. His career also took him to the West End, where he appeared as President Mageeba in Tom Stoppard's Night and Day in 1978. Before many Nigerian audiences knew him as the stern patriarch or imposing king, Jacobs was already building an international career.
Jacobs' work was not limited to the British stage and television. He appeared in international films, including The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend, and Roman Polanski's Pirates. His international experience placed a Nigerian actor in spaces still largely inaccessible to many African performers. By the time he returned home, he was bringing years of international experience with him. In 1990, Jacobs returned to Nigeria and took on the lead role of Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series The Third Eye.
Nigeria's home-video industry was beginning to grow, and the foundations of what would become Nollywood were being laid. Jacobs became part of that transformation, bringing the discipline of the stage and work abroad into stories that Nigerians could recognize as their own. He appeared in more than 100 Nigerian films, while his wider body of work covered theatre and television. His name soon became almost inseparable from the image of the authoritative Nigerian elder, traditional ruler, patriarch, or powerful businessman.
Jacobs' career was built on versatility. He could be intimidating without shouting, gentle without becoming weak, and comic without losing the dignity that followed his screen persona. That range became one of the reasons he was repeatedly mentioned whenever Nigerians debated their greatest actors. Jacobs was married to fellow veteran actress Joke Silva, and together they established the Lufodo Group, which has interests in film production, and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts.
Jacobs' legacy extends beyond his performances. He leaves behind a body of work, characters, awards, and influence that will continue to be felt for generations to come. His contributions to Nigerian cinema have helped shape the industry into what it is today. As the conversation around Jacobs shifts from his death to his legacy, his impact on Nigerian screen acting and his influence on future generations of actors will be remembered.
Key points
- Olu Jacobs had a five-decade career spanning theatre, television, and film.
- Jacobs appeared in over 100 Nigerian films and worked in international productions.
- He was a founding member of the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts.
