The remains of veteran Nollywood actor Olu Jacobs who died at age 84 on September 16, 2026 have been laid to rest after a funeral ceremony held in Lekki, Lagos State, attended by relatives, friends, colleagues and prominent personalities.
Penpushing reports that Nigerian singer-songwriter Dare Art Alade delivered a performance of his hit song “Pray for Me” during the funeral service, however, the service came a day after members of the entertainment industry and other well-wishers gathered for a Night of Tributes and Service of Songs in his memory.
The family members led by Jacobs’ widow, actress Joke Silva, attended the ceremony with their sons, Olusoji and Olugbenga Jacobs, with all of them dressed in blue, while among those who attended the funeral were Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat and his wife, Oluremi Hamzat; Lagos First Lady Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu; former Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun; and former Ekiti State First Lady Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi.
Penpushing further reports that Lagos State Deputy Governor at the funeral, described the late actor as an icon of the entertainment industry in a statement posted on his X page, adding that he joined other personalities to honour the deceased, as well as the memories he left behind
“I joined family, friends and loved ones at This Present House on Freedom Way to say a final farewell to a true icon of the entertainment industry, Uncle Olu Jacobs. We gathered to honour his life and the memories he leaves behind. My thoughts and prayers remain with his family and loved ones as they mourn this great loss. May God grant him eternal rest and give his family the strength to carry on’, Hamzat said
Penpushing also reports that actors at the ceremony include Shaffy Bello, Keppy Ekpeyong, Stan Nze, Morayo Afolabi-Brown, Ireti Doyle, Lala Akindoju, Kate Henshaw, OC Ukeje, Patrick Doyle, Stephanie Okereke, Ernest Obi, among others.
The deceased fondly called “Lion of Lufodo”,trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London before beginning his career in British theatre and television, and later returned to Nigeria, where he established himself as one of the most respected and recognisable figures in the country’s film industry.
Penpushing reports that he had a career spanning more than five decades in theatre, television and film, appeared in several British theatre and television productions, as well as international films, before becoming a prominent figure in Nollywood.
The late Jacobs after returning to Nigeria, became a major force in the development of the Nigerian film industry, and was particularly known for playing authoritative characters, including traditional rulers, chiefs and family patriarchs.
Penpushing further reports that Jacobs in 1989, married actor Silva, and together, founded the Lufodo Group and later established the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts.
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