Veteran Nigerian actor Olu Jacobs, one of the pioneers and most respected figures in Nollywood, has died at the age of 84. His death marks the end of a career spanning more than five decades across theatre, television and film. His passing has prompted an outpouring of tributes from Nigeria’s entertainment industry and beyond.

Jacobs’ death was announced by his family on September 16, 2026. His wife, veteran actress Joke Silva, also mourned the actor and appealed to the media and social media users to respect the family’s privacy during their period of grief.

Born in 1942, Olu Jacobs travelled to Britain to pursue his passion for acting and trained at London’s prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, or RADA. He went on to build a career in British theatre and television before returning to Nigeria, where he became one of the most influential actors in the country’s growing film industry.

Over the course of his career, Jacobs appeared in hundreds of productions and worked with major international organisations, including the BBC, Walt Disney, Universal Pictures, MGM, the Royal Shakespeare Company and Britain’s National Theatre.

His contribution to African cinema earned him numerous honours. He won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role and later received a Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2011, he was also honoured with Nigeria’s national award, Member of the Order of the Federal Republic, or MFR, for his contribution to the Nigerian film industry.

In 2021, Joke Silva revealed that Jacobs had been diagnosed with Dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative neurological condition. The illness kept him largely away from the public eye in his later years.

Jacobs had previously been the subject of several false reports about his death, which his family repeatedly dismissed.

Following his death, tributes have poured in for the actor widely remembered as one of the defining figures of Nollywood. His legacy spans generations of African storytelling, theatre and cinema.