Veteran Nigerian actor and film executive Olu Jacobs has died at the age of 84, bringing to an end a career that stretched across British television, international productions and Nigeria’s modern film industry.
Jacobs’ death was announced on Wednesday by his son, Olusoji Jacobs, in a statement shared on Instagram.
The family described him as a husband, father, grandfather and uncle, and referred to the actor as “The Lion of Lufodo”, a reference to the entertainment company he built with his wife, fellow veteran actress Joke Silva.
The family also asked bloggers and social media users to respect their privacy as they mourn his death.
From British television to Nigerian cinema
Jacobs was trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, one of Britain’s leading institutions for theatre training.
He began his professional career in Britain, appearing in television productions and later taking roles in international film and television projects.
His return to Nigeria marked the beginning of another phase of his career, as he became one of the established actors of the country’s rapidly developing film and television industry.
Over several decades, Jacobs became known for playing authoritative, complex and often imposing characters, building a screen presence that made him one of the most recognisable actors of his generation.
His work extended beyond acting. Together with Joke Silva, he was involved in Lufodo Group, through which the couple contributed to Nigeria’s theatre and wider performing-arts ecosystem.
A career that crossed generations
Jacobs worked through several distinct eras of African entertainment.
He came to prominence when Nigerian actors were increasingly moving between theatre, television and cinema, and remained active as the country’s film industry expanded into the globally recognised sector now known as Nollywood.
His body of work included Nigerian productions as well as international projects, giving him a career that connected Nigeria’s entertainment industry with the wider African and global screen business.
His contribution was recognised with major industry honours, including the Industry Merit Award at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Africa International Film Festival.
The legacy of Olu Jacobs
For Nigerian audiences, Jacobs represented more than longevity on screen.
His career reflected the evolution of professional acting in Nigeria—from theatre and television to the large-scale commercial film industry that emerged around Nollywood.
His partnership with Silva also became one of the notable professional relationships in Nigerian entertainment, with the pair combining acting careers with work in theatre and film production.
Jacobs’ death therefore closes a chapter in the history of an industry shaped by actors who worked across stage, television and cinema as Nigeria’s entertainment sector developed into a major cultural export.
He was 84.
