Olu Jacobs Laid to Rest in Lagos as Dignitaries, Nollywood Stars Honour Screen Icon

Olu Jacobs Laid to Rest in Lagos as Dignitaries, Nollywood Stars Honour Screen Icon

Veteran Nigerian actor Olu Jacobs has been laid to rest in Lagos, with family members, political leaders, colleagues and friends gathering to honour the late screen icon at his funeral service.

Jacobs, whose full name was Oludotun Baiyewun Jacobs, died on September 16, 2026, at the age of 84, after a career spanning more than five decades across theatre, television and film.

His funeral service was held on Friday, October 2, at This Present House, Freedom Way, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, before his remains were taken for a private burial.

Among those who attended the service were Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, Lagos First Lady Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, former Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun and former Ekiti First Lady Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi.

Jacobs’ widow, veteran actress Joke Silva, attended the service with their sons, Olusoji and Olugbenga Jacobs.

Several prominent Nollywood actors and entertainment personalities were also present, including Shaffy Bello, Keppy Ekpeyong, Stan Nze, Ireti Doyle, Lala Akindoju, Kate Henshaw, OC Ukeje, Patrick Doyle, Stephanie Okereke and Ernest Obi.

Entertainment entrepreneur and performer Dare Art Alade also paid tribute to Jacobs during the service by performing Pray for Me, a song associated with the late actor and Joke Silva.

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The funeral followed a Night of Tributes and Service of Songs held on September 30 at Glover Memorial Hall on Lagos Island. The event attracted several generations of Nigerian actors and filmmakers who gathered to celebrate Jacobs’ contribution to the country’s entertainment industry.

Among those who attended the earlier tribute event were Richard Mofe-Damijo, Sola Sobowale, Funke Akindele, Jide Kosoko, Rita Dominic, Hilda Dokubo and Segun Arinze.

Jacobs was widely recognised as one of the most influential figures in Nigerian theatre and film. He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London and built an acting career that included British theatre and television productions before returning to Nigeria in 1990.

He subsequently became a prominent figure in Nollywood, appearing in numerous films and television productions and mentoring younger performers through his work in the Nigerian entertainment industry.

Jacobs and Joke Silva also co-founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, contributing to professional training and development in Nigeria’s performing arts sector.

His contributions earned him several honours, including the AFRIFF Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021, an Icon Award from the Actors and Voters Rights Society in 2022 and an Industry Merit Award at the 2023 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA).

The funeral brought to a close a series of tributes celebrating the life and career of an actor whose work extended across theatre, television and film in both Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

With his burial held privately after Friday’s funeral service, family, colleagues and admirers have continued to remember Olu Jacobs for his longstanding contribution to African theatre and cinema.

Olu Jacobs Laid to Rest in Lagos as Dignitaries, Nollywood Stars Honour Screen Icon