There was something about Olu Jacobs that made it difficult to ignore him on screen. Sometimes it was the deep, familiar voice. At other times, it was the way he carried himself in a calm, measured and commanding manner, whether he was playing a king, a father, a politician or an elder.
For generations of Nigerians, Jacobs was more than a familiar face in films. He was one of those actors whose presence could give a scene its weight.
But long before he became one of Nollywood’s most recognisable faces, Jacobs had already built a career on the British stage and television. He trained in London, appeared in international productions and eventually returned to Nigeria, where he became one of the veteran figures who helped shape the country’s growing film industry.
After more than five decades across theatre, television and film, the actor died on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at the age of 84.
His family announced his death in a joint statement shared by his son, Olusoji Jacobs and wife, Joke Silva. The post described him as a beloved husband, father, grandfather and uncle and called him “The Lion of Lufodo.” It read in part:
“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.”
For an actor whose career crossed generations and borders, there is much more to remember than the final announcement.
The Actor Who Left Nigeria To Learn His Craft
Jacobs was born on July 11, 1942, in Kano, to parents of Egba Alake descent. His interest in acting developed early, and an encounter with the work of legendary Nigerian theatre pioneer Hubert Ogunde helped strengthen his decision to pursue the profession.
He eventually travelled to England, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London.
That training came at a time when Nollywood, as Nigerians know it today, did not yet exist. Jacobs was building his career through theatre and television in Britain, gaining experience that would later become part of what made him stand out when he returned home.
His stage credits included productions at major British theatres, while his television work in the 1970s included series such as The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Venturers, Angels, The Tomorrow People and The Professionals.
He was not simply an actor who later found Nollywood. He had already spent years learning and practising the craft before the Nigerian film industry became a global force.
Before Nollywood Knew Him
Olu Jacobs’ career also took him beyond British television. In 1980, he appeared in John Irvin’s war film The Dogs of War. He later featured in Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend in 1985 and Roman Polanski’s Pirates in 1986.
For many Nigerians who knew Olu Jacobs mainly from Nollywood, these earlier international appearances offered a glimpse into a career that had already crossed borders.
His work during this period showed that the actor’s journey did not begin with Nigerian home videos. By the time he returned to Nigeria, he brought with him years of stage, television and film experience.
The Olu Jacobs Nigerians Came To Know
When Olu Jacobs returned to Nigeria, he became a familiar face on television and in film. In 1990, he starred in the NTA detective series The Third Eye. From there, his Nigerian screen career grew as the country’s film industry expanded.
He went on to appear in more than 120 Nollywood films, taking on roles that often reflected the qualities audiences came to associate with him: authority, wisdom, dignity and control.
He could be a traditional ruler in one film, a wealthy patriarch in another and a stern father or politician somewhere else. The roles changed, but Jacobs’ ability to give them presence remained.
Among the films associated with his career are Oloibiri, Potomanto, Adesuwa, Dry and The Royal Hibiscus Hotel, alongside the international productions that came earlier in his career.
His performances helped establish the image of the older, authoritative Nigerian man that became one of his strongest screen identities.
Then There Was That Voice
For many viewers, recognising Olu Jacobs did not require seeing his face. His voice was enough.
Deep, deliberate and unmistakable, it became part of his identity as an actor. Whether delivering a warning, addressing a younger character or speaking as a man of authority, Jacobs rarely needed to raise his voice to command attention.
That was part of his appeal. He did not have to force a character’s importance. His delivery often did the work. Combined with his posture and controlled performances, the voice became one of the things that separated Jacobs from the many actors who came after him.
It is also why references to his work often bring back not just particular films, but the feeling of watching him enter a scene and immediately take control of it.
More Than The Man On Screen
Jacobs’ contribution to the Nigerian entertainment industry did not stop at acting. Together with his wife, actress Joke Silva, he built the Lufodo Group, which has been involved in drama production and training.
The couple’s work also extended to the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, established to provide professional training for people pursuing careers in the performing arts.
Lufodo’s own profile describes Jacobs as an actor, writer, stage director and producer, reflecting the broader range of his work beyond the roles audiences saw on screen.
His partnership with Ajoke Silva therefore became more than one of Nollywood’s best-known marriages. Together, they built an institution connected to production, training and the development of performers.
They got married in 1989 and have two sons.
The Honours Behind The Legend
Over the years, Jacobs’ work received recognition both within and outside the Nigerian film industry.
In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
Four years later, in 2011, he was conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR).
In 2013, he received the Industry Merit Award at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards for his contribution to acting.
In 2016, he was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Africa Movie Academy Awards, adding another major recognition to a career that had already stretched across decades.
The Years Of Rumours
In his later years, Olu Jacobs became the subject of repeated false reports about his death.
In June 2024, for example, another death rumour spread online before his family and the Actors Guild of Nigeria confirmed that he was alive.
The rumours became so frequent that his family and colleagues repeatedly had to correct them.
His health had also become a subject of public discussion. In 2021, Joke Silva revealed that Jacobs had been living with Dementia with Lewy Bodies, a progressive neurological condition.
Why Nollywood Could Never Forget Him
Olu Jacobs’ career stretched from British theatre and television to international cinema and, eventually, the heart of Nigeria’s film industry.
He worked before Nollywood had become the global brand it is today and remained relevant as the industry grew. He brought formal theatre training, international experience and a strong understanding of performance to Nigerian film. He also built alongside his wife, trained performers and continued to contribute to the industry beyond the screen.
But perhaps his most lasting connection with audiences was simpler. They remembered the voice, the suits, the kings, fathers, elders and powerful men. They remembered the way he could sit quietly in a scene and still command attention. And they remembered an actor who made authority look effortless.
For an actor whose career crossed generations, that may be the most enduring part of his story.
