Late Olu Jacobs’ Stance on Growth of Nigeria’s Arts and Culture Resurfaces Online
- Veteran Nigerian actor Olu Jacobs died at 84, with his son Olusoji announcing the news on Instagram
- A 2012 Factory 78 interview resurfaced online, showing Jacobs speaking passionately about Nigeria's arts and entertainment industry
- Jacobs, who trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, was celebrated for decades of contributions to Nollywood and global cinema
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A 2012 interview featuring veteran Nigerian actor Olu Jacobs has resurfaced online following the announcement of his death at the age of 84, reigniting conversations about his legacy and his deep belief in the power of Nigerian arts and culture.
His passing was confirmed by his son, Olusoji Jacobs, via Instagram. The family described him as "The Lion of Lufodo" and requested that bloggers and social media influencers respect their privacy during the period of mourning.
Source: Instagram
Olu Jacobs on Nollywood's Rise
In the 2012 Factory 78 interview, conducted at an event that featured an Ogun State banner in the backdrop, Jacobs spoke with unmistakable pride about how far Nigeria's entertainment industry had come.
He reflected on a time when local creative output was measured against European standards and consistently found wanting, a reality he believed had fundamentally changed.
"There was a time when everything that we did was measured against what the Europeans did. What they did was the best and ours was the worst. But our children, even being born in foreign land, don't think so anymore. They know that we are capable," he said.
He also pushed back against the long-standing stereotype that acting was a refuge for those who could not succeed academically, arguing that the craft demands exceptional intelligence.
"If you are not intelligent, you cannot be on stage. You cannot understand what it means to interpret a character, to build, to put life into a character that you pick up on a piece of paper," he said.
Source: Instagram
A Life defined by the stage
When asked what performing meant to him personally, Jacobs was characteristically candid.
"It's my life. I don't have any other life, and I have a family who shares that life with me too. So I am a very fulfilled man," he said.
Born Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, he trained at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in England, where he launched his career in British theatre and television before returning to Nigeria to become one of the most recognisable figures in Nollywood.
His accolades were extensive. He won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in 2007, received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards, and was honoured with the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016. In 2011, he was conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic.
Jacobs is survived by his wife, fellow veteran actress Joke Silva, with whom he shared both life and a passion for the performing arts.
Watch the throwback video of the late veteran actor below:
Joke Silva celebrates Olu Jacobs at 83
Legit.ng earlier reported that Joke Silva had taken to social media to celebrate her husband, Olu Jacobs, as he clocked a new age.
In a recent post via her Instagram, she recounted meeting her husband when he was 38 and thanked God for his new age of 83.
Acknowledging that their union had been a roller coaster, she glorified God for guiding her and her husband through each day.
Source: Legit.ng
