Olu Jacobs

Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs — known to the world as Olu Jacobs, and affectionately called "Uncle Jay" or "Uncle Olu" by generations of younger actors — was one of Nigeria's most distinguished performers and a pioneering force in African cinema. Born on July 11, 1942, in Kano, Nigeria, his family roots ran deep in the Egba Alake community of Abeokuta, Ogun State. The course of his life changed forever when, as a young man, he watched theatre legend Hubert Ogunde perform at the Colonial Hotel in Kano. That encounter lit a fire that no amount of parental resistance could extinguish. In 1964, determined and undeterred, Jacobs obtained a visa and traveled to London to train at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) — one of the world's most prestigious theatre schools. His training launched a remarkable career on the British stage and screen. Through the 1970s and 1980s, he appeared in repertory productions including A Taste of Honey at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield and Tom Stoppard's Night and Day, as well as beloved television series such as The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, and The Professionals. On the international film circuit, he earned credits in John Irvin's The Dogs of War (1980), Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend (1985), and Roman Polanski's Pirates (1986). In 1990, Jacobs returned home to Nigeria, stepping immediately into the lead role of the NTA detective series The Third Eye. It was the beginning of a new and defining chapter. Over the next three decades, he appeared in more than 200 productions, becoming one of Nollywood's most recognisable and revered faces. His commanding screen presence, his distinctive deep voice — a signature that audiences across Africa came to know instantly — and his remarkable versatility in portraying kings, chiefs, and elder statesmen made him a fixture of multiple generations of Nigerian life. Alongside his wife, veteran actress Joke Silva — whom he married in 1989 — Jacobs co-founded the Lufodo Group and established the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, nurturing the next wave of Nigerian theatrical and cinematic talent. His contributions to the industry were recognised with the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role (2007), the Industry Merit Award at the Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards (2013), and the AMAA Lifetime Achievement Award (2016). In 2011, President Goodluck Jonathan honoured him with membership in the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR). In his later years, Jacobs faced the challenges of dementia with Lewy bodies with quiet dignity, supported by his family. He passed away on September 16, 2026, at the age of 84. The Lion of Lufodo leaves behind a legacy that stretches across five decades of craft, mentorship, and unwavering excellence — a foundation on which an entire industry continues to stand.