The death of veteran Yoruba actor Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, on Sunday, August 23, 2026, sparked an outpouring of grief across Nollywood.
At 66, Ogogo had spent more than four decades in the Nigerian film industry, becoming one of the respected faces of Yoruba cinema. His death after a battle with stage-four cancer was followed by tributes from colleagues, friends, fans and members of his family.
He was buried in Ilaro, Ogun State, on Monday, August 24, according to Islamic rites. But amid the mourning, three Nollywood actresses, Laide Bakare, Funke Akindele and Dayo Amusa, found themselves facing criticism over social media posts that appeared at a sensitive time.
The three situations were different, but they sparked a similar debate: should celebrities tone down personal celebrations and professional promotions when the entertainment industry is mourning one of its own?
Laide Bakare’s dancing video sparks backlash
The first controversy came on Sunday, August 23, the same day news broke of Ogogo’s death.
Actress Laide Bakare faced criticism online after a dancing video of hers circulated shortly after the veteran actor’s death. With colleagues and fans mourning Ogogo, some viewers questioned the timing of the video and accused the actress of being insensitive.
Bakare later addressed the backlash in an emotional video shared on Instagram that same day. The actress explained that she had just returned from a movie premiere and had been away from her phone for some time. As a result, she said she was unaware that the video had been widely shared and that people had been tagging her in posts about it.
“I just got back from a movie premiere. I haven’t seen any tags but people said that a particular video of me has been tagged up and down,” she said.
Bakare stressed that she understood the gravity of the day and was herself grieving Ogogo’s death. Describing it as a “dark Sunday,” she said it was not a day for celebration.
“Today is not a good day, it’s a sad day. My phone was not with me for so long. I just got back. The blow itself is too high,” she said.
She also appealed to people not to make assumptions about her based on a video without knowing what had happened behind the scenes.
“I don’t like to do videos but please don’t tag me to something terrible. We just lost a rare gem. Mind what you say, don’t judge what you don’t know, don’t assume what you don’t know, please, it’s a dark Sunday,” she added.
Her response also served as a tribute to Ogogo, whom she described as a “rare gem.” Rather than allowing the dancing video to define her reaction to his death, Bakare used the opportunity to acknowledge the loss and explain why the video had appeared at such an unfortunate time.
Funke Akindele’s birthday falls on Ogogo’s burial day
Funke Akindele turned 49 on Monday, August 24, the same day Ogogo was laid to rest in Ilaro.
The actress marked the occasion with glamorous birthday photographs shared on social media. Alongside the pictures, she expressed gratitude to God for keeping her through different seasons of her life, including challenges, mistakes and victories.
The post was a normal birthday celebration for a woman marking another year of her life. However, its timing did not sit well with some Nigerians.
Ogogo had died just a day earlier, and his burial was taking place on the same day Akindele was celebrating her birthday. For some netizens, the contrast between the ongoing mourning and the celebratory images was difficult to overlook.
One netizen, Ayofe, questioned the timing of the post, asking, “Shey you no dey read the room no? Na birthday be the next thing to dey post?”
Another commenter, Olayinka Mujeeb Aden, wrote, “Aunty Funke, shame on you! We are mourning the death of Ogogo. And you dey post about birthday. Omo, this is not fair.”
Victoria A also accused the actress of failing to consider the mood in the industry.
“Aunty Funke should at least read the room, Nigerians are mourning the death of Ogogo…. And she is posting about birthday. Omooo this is not fair,” she wrote.
For some critics, the issue was not that Akindele had turned 49 or wanted to be grateful for her life. It was that she chose to publicly celebrate while a respected senior colleague was being buried.
The criticism was not entirely about cancelling her birthday. Some people acknowledged that Akindele had every right to celebrate another year but believed she could have marked it privately or with less fanfare because of Ogogo’s burial.
One commenter, Kanel, wrote that if she were in Akindele’s position, she would have forgone the public celebration for the year.
“But we are not the same person. Happy birthday to you, and I wish you long life in good health. I wish for you to continue to prosper,” she added.
Another user, Omoiyanofi, took a similar position, arguing that life could continue while still showing respect for someone who had just died.
“Mrs Funke Akindele, I understand that life goes on and everyone has the right to celebrate their birthday, but posting a birthday celebration so soon after the passing of Taiwo Hassan (Ogogo) feels insensitive,” the user wrote.
The comment continued:
“Sometimes, it’s not about whether you’re right or wrong to celebrate. It’s about knowing when to tone things down out of respect for someone who has just passed away.”
The criticism, however, was not unanimous. Some people defended Akindele, pointing out that death does not stop everyone else’s life and that a birthday is a personal milestone that does not necessarily have to be cancelled because someone else has died.
There was also an important detail in Akindele’s case, as she had already paid tribute to Ogogo following his death.
This meant that the controversy was not about whether she acknowledged his passing. It was largely about whether the birthday photographs were appropriate on the day of his burial.
Dayo Amusa’s movie promotion sparks another backlash
While the reaction to Akindele’s birthday post was unfolding, Dayo Amusa faced a different kind of criticism.
On Monday, August 24, a video promoting her new movie appeared on her social media page. The timing immediately caught the attention of some followers.
Ogogo had been buried earlier that day, and the Yoruba film industry was still mourning his death. To some viewers, seeing a movie promotion appear so soon after the veteran actor’s burial seemed inappropriate.
The actress was subsequently criticised for appearing to move on to business while the industry was grieving.
But unlike Akindele’s case, Amusa later explained that the post was not deliberately published on the day of Ogogo’s burial. Reacting to the backlash, Amusa explained that she had scheduled the promotional post long before the news of Ogogo’s death.
In a video shared online, she said she only became aware of the post after it had already gone live.
“I came to see which post it was, then I saw which one it was. Wanting to take it off, I realised that it had generated hundred thousands of comments and all that,” she said.
She then addressed the comments and insults that followed.
“Seeing some of the comments, the insults, people cursing on me over a post that had been scheduled even long before we got the news of Uncle Ogogo…”
In other words, according to her, the post was not a conscious decision to promote a movie while ignoring the veteran actor’s burial. She also pointed out that she had paid tribute to Ogogo.
Three incidents, different circumstances
Although Laide Bakare, Funke Akindele and Dayo Amusa were all criticised around the same period, the circumstances behind the three controversies were different.
Bakare’s dancing video surfaced on Sunday, August 23, the day Ogogo died. She said she had just returned from a movie premiere, had been away from her phone and was unaware of the reaction until she got back. Her response focused on the grief surrounding Ogogo’s death and urged people not to judge her without knowing what had happened.
Akindele’s case came a day later, on Monday, August 24, when Ogogo was being buried in Ilaro. The actress was celebrating her 49th birthday and shared photographs and a message of gratitude online. While she had previously paid tribute to Ogogo, some people felt the public birthday celebration was poorly timed because of the burial.
Amusa’s case was different again. Her movie promotional post appeared online on the day of Ogogo’s burial, but she explained that the content had been scheduled before his death. She said she only became aware that it had gone live after seeing the reactions and attempted to explain the circumstances behind it.
In all three cases, the timing of the posts became the focus of public criticism. But the explanations showed that what appeared on social media did not necessarily tell the full story behind each post and social media is not real life.
Why the backlash was so strong
Ogogo’s place in Yoruba cinema helps explain why the timing of the posts mattered to many people. He was not only a veteran actor but also a producer and director whose career stretched across more than four decades. His death represented the loss of one of the industry’s established figures.
His passing on August 23 was followed by tributes from prominent members of Nollywood, while family, colleagues and admirers gathered in Ilaro for his burial the following day. With the industry still mourning, some netizens expected other entertainers to temporarily put aside celebrations and promotions as a sign of respect.
But social media has also blurred the line between an individual’s personal life, professional commitments and public image. A birthday does not stop because another person has died. At the same time, a scheduled promotional post does not automatically disappear because circumstances have changed.
That tension was at the heart of the three controversies.
Conclusion
Ogogo’s death brought Nollywood together in grief, but the reactions to Laide Bakare’s dance video, Funke Akindele’s birthday post and Dayo Amusa’s movie promotion showed how quickly social media can turn timing into controversy.
None of the controversy changed the fact that the industry was mourning one of its veterans. But both showed how closely the public watches what celebrities say, share and celebrate, especially when a community is grieving.
