Olu Jacobs, the veteran Nigerian actor, has been laid to rest in Lagos following a funeral service held on Friday.
Jacobs, one of Nigeria’s most celebrated actors, passed away in September at the age of 82.
The funeral at the Freedom Center in Lekki, Lagos, drew Nollywood actors, family members, dignitaries, friends, and colleagues who gathered to pay their final respects.
Among those in attendance were Obafemi Hamzat, the deputy governor of Lagos state, and Ibikunle Amosun, the former governor of Ogun state.
Also present 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 service of songs was held in honour of the late actor on Wednesday.
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.
