When you hear the name Olu Jacobs, you probably picture the commanding king, father, politician, traditional ruler or elder whose presence could dominate a scene without him raising his voice.
But behind that familiar Nollywood image was a remarkable career that stretched from Kano to Britain, from the stage to international television and film, and ultimately back to Nigeria, where he became one of the defining figures of the country's modern entertainment industry.
Veteran actor Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, popularly known as Olu Jacobs, died on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at the age of 84. His family announced his death and described him as “The Lion of Lufodo.”
Here are 15 deep facts about the man behind the legend:
1. HIS FULL NAME WAS OLUDOTUN BAIYEWU JACOBS
Olu Jacobs was born on July 11, 1942, in Kano. Although he grew up in northern Nigeria, his family had roots in the Egba Alake community of Abeokuta, Ogun State. His upbringing therefore exposed him to a Nigeria that extended far beyond his ancestral homeland.
2. HUBERT OGUNDE HELPED CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF HIS LIFE
One of the most fascinating links in Jacobs' story was his encounter with the legendary Nigerian theatre pioneer, Hubert Ogunde.
As a young man in Kano, Jacobs attended one of Ogunde's performances at the Colonial Hotel. The experience reportedly strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally.
In other words, one Ogun-born theatre giant helped inspire another son of Ogun's journey into the performing arts.
3. HIS FATHER WAS NOT INITIALLY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT ACTING
Acting was not necessarily the career Jacobs' father had imagined for his son.
Jacobs later recalled, with characteristic humour, how he tried to win his father's support for his acting ambition — including buying him his favourite tobacco.
Behind the humour was a young man determined to convince his family that acting could become a serious profession.
4. HE LEFT NIGERIA FOR BRITAIN IN THE 1960s
At a time when Nigeria's entertainment industry was still developing, Jacobs travelled to Britain to pursue professional acting.
That decision exposed him to a highly developed theatre and television environment and helped shape the professional discipline that later became evident throughout his career.
5. HE TRAINED AT THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF DRAMATIC ART
Jacobs studied at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London.
His professional training became an important foundation for the commanding stage presence, voice control and character interpretation for which he was later celebrated.
6. HE WAS AN INTERNATIONAL ACTOR BEFORE THE NOLLYWOOD ERA
Long before the word Nollywood became globally recognised, Jacobs was already working in British theatre and television.
His credits included productions such as The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, The Tomorrow People and The Professionals, among others.
7. MANY NIGERIANS FIRST RECOGNISED HIM THROUGH ADVERTISING
Interestingly, some Nigerians knew Jacobs from television commercials before they fully knew him as the accomplished international actor he was.
He appeared in a Ribena commercial and later featured in a Binatone advertisement.
So, for some Nigerians, the future Nollywood legend was initially simply “that man from the advert.”
8. HE RETURNED TO NIGERIA
Jacobs eventually returned home after establishing a career abroad.
Rather than simply remain in Britain, he invested his experience and professional knowledge in Nigeria's emerging theatre and film industry.
Lufodo's official biography says he gave up an established career abroad and returned to Nigeria to contribute to improving the country's movie industry.
9. HIS CAREER PREDATED MODERN NOLLYWOOD BY DECADES
It is easy to associate Olu Jacobs entirely with Nollywood, but his professional career was much older than the modern Nigerian home-video industry.
His work covered stage, television, film and radio, including productions in Britain and international projects. Lufodo says his career spanned about five decades and included work with organisations such as the BBC, National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company and major international film companies.
10. OLU JACOBS AND JOKE SILVA WERE MORE THAN A CELEBRITY COUPLE
Jacobs and veteran actress Joke Silva met through the theatre and became one of Nigeria's best-known acting couples.
Their partnership extended beyond marriage and screen appearances into production, professional development and entertainment education.
11. THEY HELPED BUILD AN INSTITUTION
Together, Jacobs and Silva became associated with the Lufodo Group, which includes the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts (LAPA), Lufodo Productions, Lufodo Distributions and Lufodo Consult.
The institution reflected their commitment to developing professional talent rather than merely appearing in films.
12. HE WON AN AFRICA MOVIE ACADEMY AWARD
In 2007, Olu Jacobs won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
He subsequently received other major industry recognitions, including an Industry Merit Award at the Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards and lifetime achievement recognition.
13. NIGERIA HONOURED HIM WITH A NATIONAL TITLE
In 2011, Jacobs was conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) in recognition of his contributions to Nigeria.
14. HE WAS MUCH MORE THAN THE “KING” WE SAW IN NOLLYWOOD
The Nigerian audience often saw him as the king, father, elder, politician or traditional ruler.
But those roles represented only one part of his enormous professional range.
He was a stage actor, television actor, film actor, producer, director, writer, trainer and theatre professional, with a career that crossed continents and generations.
15. HIS LEGACY GOES BEYOND THE MOVIES
Perhaps the deepest fact about Olu Jacobs is that he did not merely act in Nigerian films.
He belonged to a generation that helped establish the professional culture, discipline and institutions upon which later generations of Nigerian performers built their careers.
His journey from Kano to RADA, from British theatre and television back to Nigeria, and from stage acting to becoming one of Nollywood's most recognisable patriarchs, represents much more than a successful acting career.
It is part of the history of Nigerian theatre and film.
THE OGUN CONNECTION
There is also something particularly significant about the Ogun connection.
Hubert Ogunde, one of the founding giants of Nigerian theatre, helped inspire the young Olu Jacobs after Jacobs watched his performance in Kano.
Jacobs, whose family roots were in Egba Alake, would eventually become another towering figure in Nigerian entertainment.
From Ogunde's pioneering theatre tradition to Jacobs' international acting career and later contribution to Nigerian film, the story demonstrates how one generation of Nigerian performers can inspire and create space for another.
And that makes the story of Olu Jacobs not merely a Nollywood story, but part of the broader cultural history of Ogun State and Nigeria.
FAREWELL, THE LION OF LUFODO
Olu Jacobs died on September 16, 2026, aged 84, after celebrating his birthday on July 11.
His family announced his passing with the words:
“The Lion of Lufodo.”
For more than five decades, his voice, presence and performances became part of the Nigerian cultural landscape.
Olu Jacobs was not just an actor Nigerians watched. He was an actor whose career became part of the history Nigerians watched unfold.
May the soul of Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, MFR, rest in peace.
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