Nollywood icon, Olu Jacobs buried in Lagos

Veteran Nigerian actor, Olu Jacobs, has been laid to rest in Lagos following a funeral service held on Friday.

Jacobs, one of Nigeria’s most celebrated actors, died in September at the age of 82.

The funeral, held at the Freedom Center in Lekki, Lagos, was attended by Nollywood actors, family members, dignitaries, friends and colleagues who gathered to pay their final respects to the late actor.

Among those present were the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Obafemi Hamzat, and former Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun.

Also in attendance were Shaffy Bello, Keppy Ekpeyong, Stan Nze, Morayo Afolabi-Brown, Ireti Doyle, Lala Akindoju, Kate Henshaw, OC Ukeje, Patrick Doyle, Stephanie Okereke and Ernest Obi.

A night of tributes and a service of songs was also held on Wednesday in honour of the late actor.

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 by a Hubert Ogunde concert party performance at the Colonial Hotel in Kano, prompting him to travel to England to pursue training in acting.

Born in 1942 to parents from Egba Alake, Jacobs grew up in Kano, where he attended Holy Trinity School and joined the debating and drama societies. His interest in acting was sparked by a Hubert Ogunde concert party performance at the Colonial Hotel in Kano, prompting him to travel to England to train.

He studied at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. One of his earliest stage roles came in 1972, when he played The Boy in ‘A Taste of Honey’ at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.

He went on to appear in several British television shows and series in 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 starred in the NTA detective series ‘The Third Eye.’ He later featured in hundreds of Nollywood films, earning a reputation as one of the industry’s most distinguished talents.

He won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2021 Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF). He was also presented with an Icon Award by the Audio-Visual Rights Society of Nigeria (AVRS) in 2022.

At the 2023 AMVCA, Jacobs was honoured with the prestigious Industry Merit Award for outstanding achievements in acting.