Family, friends and fans say bye-bye to Olu Jacobs as dem bury ogbonge actor

Family, friends and fans don say bye-bye to ogbonge actor Olu Jacobs as dem bury am for Lagos on Friday, 2 October.

Di burial take place for di Freedom Centre for Lekki, wia several stars of di Nigerian feem industry also attend to honour di late actor.

Jacobs kpai for September at di age of 82 afta e battle dementia wit Lewy Bodies for many years.

Lagos State Govnor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and im Deputy Obafemi Hamzat also attend di burial.

Some of di pipo wey attend di burial na Patrick Doyle, Ireti Doyle, Shaffy Bello, Keppy Ekpeyong, Stan Nze, Morayo Afolabi-Brown Kate Henshaw, and OC Ukeje.

Family and friends pay tribute

For di Night of Tributes on Thursday, 1 October, wey dem use celebrate di life of di veteran actor, Nollywood actors and celebrities like Richard Mofe Damijo (RMD), Funke Akindele and odas showface.

Dis pipo wey dey for di Nigerian movie industry tok how di late Olu Jacobs impact dia lives.

Ogbonge actor Jide Kosoko say Olu Jacobs no be just a true actor but na institution and a patriot as im tank di late veteran as e comot from abroad come Nigeria to act feem and make Nigeria movie industry beta.

Keppy Ekpeyoung say, "Anytime you dey wit uncle Olu e go carry you come from di world of reality and make you feel veri special, e go embrace you and tiff you from di tins wey dey fear you, im go empower you and you go feel veri special like say you be di only pesin wey dey.

RMD say: "Uncle Olu Jacobs, like evribodi wey dey hia tok, go make you feel veri special. So just like Keppy, wetin I bin tink say I dey feel alone no be only me dey feel am, na evribodi dey feel am, but e make me happy to know say dat tin wey I dey feel wey evribodi bin feel too na di generosity of im spirit. Im be lion...di lion of di entire world, na man wey dey gentle, but wen im tok im dey roar.

"Im give me gift about how to be good actor, about di importance of preparation, no be just preparation but presence of mind and im dey always teach wit stories," RMD tok.

Funke Akindele say: "Im dey loving, fun to be wit and na papa im be." She add say she learn how to dey humble and hardworking from am.

"Im bin dey veri humble, may im soul continue to rest in peace."

Actress Oyetoro Hafeez say: "I be stammerer but most pipo no know but wen I begin act for Asaba...Olu Jacob teach me dat trick."

"I don stay for dis industry dey act for many years and nobodi know say I dey stammer unless wen I dey vex and start to dey tok fast. Im (Olu Jacobs na loving pesin."

Profile of Olu Jacobs

Dem born Oludotun Baiyewun Jacobs for 11 July 1942.

E train for Royal Academy of Dramatic Art for London bifor e begin im career wey take am from British television and international feems to become one of Nollywood defining actors.

E bin appear for more dan 100 feem and receive several honours, including African Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for 2007 and di national honour of Member of di Order of di Federal Republic for 2011.

Togeda wit im wife, actress Joke Silva, e establish Lufodo Group and Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts.

For recent years, Olu Jacobs bin live wit Dementia wit Lewy Bodies, condition wey keep am away from di active movie scene. Rumours of im death bin circulate several times, including for 2021 and 2024, but im family bin confam say e dey alive.

Olu Jacobs come from Egba Alake for Ogun State, southwest Nigeria. E bin spend im early childhood for Kano and attend Holy Trinity School, wia e dey part of debating and drama societies.

E get inspiration to try acting wen e attend one of Chief Hubert Ogunde annual concert parties for Colonial Hotel for Kano.

Afta dat, e get visa and travel go England to study acting.

E start im career by acting for several British television series and international feems.

Olu Jacobs train for The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts for England.

E work wit different repertoire theatres for Britain and act for some international movies.

For 2007, Olu Jacobs win Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

E receive Industry Merit Award for outstanding achievement in acting for di 2013 Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards, and MAA Lifetime Achievement Award for 2016.

For 2011, dem give am national honour of Member of di Order of di Federal Republic.

Olu Jacobs marry im fellow Nollywood actor Joke Silva since 1989.