Family, friends, colleagues and leading figures from Nigeria’s film industry gathered in Lagos on Friday to bid a final farewell to veteran actor Olu Jacobs, whose funeral service was held at This Present House in Lekki, as reported by TVC News and Vanguard. His widow, actress Joke Silva, and their sons, Olusoji and Olugbenga Jacobs, were present alongside prominent Nollywood figures and dignitaries, including Richard Mofe Damijo, Rita Dominic, Kate Henshaw, Sola Sobowale, Hilda Dokubo, Funke Akindele, Segun Arinze, Adebayo Salami and Stan Nze. Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, First Lady Ibijoke Sanwo Olu and former Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun were also among those who attended the service.
The service followed a Night of Tributes and Service of Songs at Glover Memorial Hall, where colleagues reflected on Jacobs’ influence across theatre, television and film. His son Olugbenga presented a biography of his father, while fellow actors shared personal memories of his mentorship, generosity and professionalism. Sola Sobowale recalled how Jacobs publicly praised her acting ability at a time when she was still building her career, while Richard Mofe Damijo spoke about lessons in discipline and humility that stayed with him throughout his own career. Singer Dare Art Alade also performed “Pray for Me”, the song he recorded with Jacobs and Joke Silva, creating one of the service’s most emotional moments.
Jacobs, who died on September 16, 2026, at the age of 84, leaves behind a career spanning more than five decades across British theatre and television, Nigerian theatre and the development of modern Nollywood. Trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, he returned to Nigeria and became one of the country’s most respected screen and stage performers, known for memorable roles that helped define an era of Nigerian storytelling. He and Joke Silva also co-founded the Lufodo Group and Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, extending their contribution beyond performance into training and creative development. Following the funeral service, Jacobs was laid to rest at a private cemetery in Lagos.
