For core lovers of Nollywood, Olu Jacobs is an institution. Even Gen Z folks who may not know him or have watched him in action are regaled with stories of how he is an iconic figure in the Nigerian film industry.
Jacobs is from the “old school” of Nollywood, and he brought smiles, laughter, and happiness to the faces of Nigerian movie watchers with his acting skills and interpretation of roles, which he did with panache, poise, and compactness. So, who is Olu Jacobs, a living legend who has received critical acclaim both in and outside Nigeria for his works?
Biography
Olu Jacobs was born Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs on 11 July 1942 in Abeokuta, in what is now known as the capital of Ogun State in the South-West region of Nigeria. He was born to parents who hailed from the Egba Alake section of Egbaland in Abeokuta. He is the fifth child in a family of eight.
Jacobs spent his early childhood in Kano State, where he attended Holy Trinty School for his primary school. While at Holy Trinty, he was a member of the school’s debating and drama societies. He moved to Lagos State, where he completed his secondary school and obtained his West African Senior School Certificate.
He travelled to the United Kingdom in 1964 to study Law, or so his father thought. The young Jacobs enrolled at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. He earned the required qualifications, thereby becoming a professional actor.
The actor recently celebrated his 80th birthday in July 2022.
Career
Jacobs developed a passion for acting after he attended one of the annual concert parties of the late Herbert Ogunde, the legendary actor, playwright, and theatre manager, at Colonial Hotel in Kano. He was only about seven years old when he witnessed the performance of Ogunde and his troupe.
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After training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, Jacobs got his first break in 1971 after he got an agent vouched for him when he was offered a role in a BBC production. He starred in Murderous Angels, a political tragicomedy stage play written by Conor Cruise O’Brien and performed at the Dublin Theatre Festival. In the same year, he made his debut in the TV drama: The Goodies. He subsequently starred in over a score of British television shows and TV series in the 1970s and 1980s. He worked with various theatres in the UK and became a member of the National Theatre of Great Britain.
Jacob landed his first movie role in the 1979 Hollywood movie Ashanti. Ashanti is an action-adventure film based on the 1974 novel Ébano by Alberto Vázquez-Figueroa and directed by Richard Fleischer. It was, however, his next Hollywood movie, The Dogs of War, which earned him critical acclaim. In the 1980 war film, which was based upon the 1974 novel of the same name written by Frederick Forsyth, Jacobs played the role of a corrupt immigration officer.
Although he might have been a supporting cast in the movie, Jacobs’ appearance was a big deal, particularly when there were not enough opportunities for African American and African actors to exhibit their talent in Hollywood. He appeared in several international films in the 1980s.
After over 20 years of successful studying, working, and residing in the UK and being well received in the British media, Jacobs returned to Nigeria in the 1980s. He delved straight into stageplays, where he showcased his dexterity as an actor. However, his emolument was not appreciable enough, and he voiced his concerns. Yet, he stayed back and played an active role in the burgeoning Nigerian film industry.
His big break in Nigeria occurred in 1988 when he starred in Vigilante, a movie produced by AA production. Jacobs’ reputation and popularity skyrocketed as movie producers and directors subsequently courted him.
He became even more famous after playing Inspector Best Idafa, the lead role in the now-rested Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) series, The Third Eye. Jacobs captivated the nation for three years with his depiction of a police officer, who was a detective trying to resolve crimes and societal issues.
Filmography
Jacobs has featured in over 130 movies, about 100 stage productions, and 30 television programmes in Nigeria and the UK. Some of the films and TV series have become instant hits and classics, with a few hitting box office records.
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Below is a select list of Jacobs’ filmography.
Stage plays
| Name of stage plays | Year |
| Murderous Angels: A Political Tragedy and Comedy in Black and White | 1971 |
| Richard’s Cork Leg | 1972 |
| Black Mans Country | 1974 |
| Bar Beach Prelude and Transistor Radio | 1976
1976 |
| A Kind of Marriage | |
| Old Movies | 1977
1977 |
| Julius Caesar | |
| Night and Day | 1978 |
TV series
| TV series | Year |
| The Goodies | 1971 |
| Spyder’s Web | 1972 |
| Till Death Do Us Part | 1974 |
| Barlow At Large | 1975 |
| The Venturers | 1975 |
| Angels | 1976 |
| Centre Play | 1976 |
| The Crezz | 1976 |
| The Tomorrow People | 1975 |
| Jackanory | 1978 |
| 1990 | 1978 |
| The Professionals | 1979 |
| Not the Nine O’Clock News | 1979 |
| Squadron | 1982 |
| The Witches and the Grinnygog | 1983 |
| Rumpole of the Bailey | 1983 |
| The Mad Death | 1983 |
| Play for Today | 1984 |
| The Third Eye | 1990 |
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Movies
| Movies | Year |
| Ashanti | 1979 |
| The Dogs of War | 1980 |
| Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend | 1985 |
| Pirates | 1986 |
| Vigilante | 1988 |
| Iva | 1993 |
| Another Love | 1996 |
| Onome | |
| Obstacles | 1998 |
| Rapture | |
| Twins of the Rain Forest | 1999 |
| Endtime | |
| Oganigwe | |
| Aba Riot 1 & 2 | |
| Ijele | |
| The Last Vote | 2001 |
| Keeping Faith: Is That Love? | 2002 |
| Private Sin 1& 2 | 2003
|
| The Kingmaker | |
| Ago Kan Oru | |
| Mission To Africa | |
| Real Love | |
| Unconditional Love | |
| Eyes of the Gods | 2004
|
| Turn Table | |
| Arsenal 1 & 2 | |
| Dear Sister | |
| House Party 1 & 2 | |
| Soul On Fire 1 & 2 | 2005 |
| To Love A Stranger 1 & 2 | |
| Ultimate Crisis | |
| Women In Power 1 & 2 | |
| A Time to Die 1 & 2 | |
| Omaliko 1 & 2 | |
| One God One Nation 1 & 2 | |
| Opin Irin Ajo 1 & 2 | |
| 21 Days With Christ | |
| Before the Sunrise 1 & 2 | |
| Eagle’s Bride | |
| Lonely Heart 1 & 2 | |
| Only Love 1 & 2 | |
| Real Love 2 & 3 | |
| Royal Palace | |
| The God To Serve 1 & 2 | |
| The Prince and Me | 2006 |
| One Bullet 1 & 2 | |
| Royal Doom 1 & 2 | |
| Dancing Heart 1 & 2 | |
| End of Battle 1 & 2 | |
| Jealous Heart 1 & 2 | |
| Mirror of Beauty | 2007
|
| African Soldier 1 & 2 | |
| Burning Kingdom 1, 2 & 3 | |
| Eewo Orisa 1 & 2 | |
| Kingdom Apart 1 & 2 | |
| Lost In The Jungle 1 & 2 | |
| Mountains of Evil 1 & 2 | |
| Odudu Kingdom 1, 2 & 3 | |
| Royal Destiny 1 & 2 | |
| Show Me Heaven 1, 2 & 3 | |
| Slave To Lust 1 & 2 | |
| The Prince and Me | |
| Warrior’s Heart 1, 2 & 3 | |
| Final Kingdom 1 & 2 | |
| Greatness 1 & 2 | |
| Old Testament 1 & 2 | |
| Secret Pledge 1 & 2 | |
| The Cabals 1 & 2 | |
| A Can of Worms 1 & 2 | 2008
|
| Beauty and the Beast 1, 2 & 3 | |
| Perfect | |
| Smoke & Mirrors | |
| The Return of Ogidi 1 & 2 | |
| Throne of Tears | |
| Hidden Treasure 1 & 2 | |
| Perfect Temptation 1 & 2 | |
| Piece of My Soul 1, 2 & 3 | |
| Sister’s Love | |
| Smoke and Mirrors | |
| Throne Of Tears | |
| Total Love | |
| Last Mogul of the League 1 & 2 | 2009 |
| League of Gentlemen 1 & 2 | |
| Forest of Tears 1, 2, 3 & 4 | |
| A Weeping Soul 1 & 2 | |
| Royal Tears 1 & 2 | |
| Sound of Pain 1 &2 | |
| Tears of Hope 1& 2 | |
| Bent Arrow | 2010 |
| Bitter Generation 1, 2, 3 & 4 | |
| Power Of A Kiss 1 & 2 | |
| Palace Slave 1, 2, 3 & 4 | |
| Bent Arrows | |
| Sacred Lies | 2011 |
| Days of Gloom 1 & 2 | |
| Sacred Lies 1, 2, 3 & 4 | |
| The Seekers 1 & 2 | |
| White Chapel | |
| Adesuwa | 2012 |
| A Better Tomorrow | |
| Potomanto | 2013 |
| Covert Operation | |
| Royal King 1 & 2 | |
| The Antique | 2014
|
| Dry | |
| Bloody Ring | |
| Oloibiri | 2015 |
| The Royal Hibiscus Hotel | 2017 |
Awards and recognition
Due to his sterling performance, Jacobs won the African Movie Academy Award (AMAA) for Best Actor in a Leading Role in the 2007 movie, Dancing Heart.
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He also won another AMAA award in 2017, this time, for Best Supporting Actor in the movie, Oloibiri.
Also, in recognition of his role in blossoming the Nigerian movie industry, the actor was bestowed with the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA). Similarly, he was honoured with the AMAA Lifetime Achievement Awards in 2016 for outstanding achievements and contributions to the African film industry.
Jacobs was conferred with the National Honour of the Member of the Federal Republic (MFR) by a former president, Goodluck Jonathan, in 2011.
Family
Jacobs recounted the bizarre situation in which he met and introduced himself to his future wife, Ajoke Silva, a fellow thespian, while at the National Theatre for a production meeting in 1981, just after he returned to Nigeria.
“I was having a meeting about a production in the National Theatre when the door opened and this beautiful lady walked in,” he recalled. “Immediately, I said: ‘Ladies and gentlemen, this is the lady I am going to marry.’ And we had never met before.
“She just looked at me and left. After that, we became friends.”
Five years later, Jacobs married Silva. In 1987, the couple had their first child, Dayo, a daughter. She, however, died on 18 July 1996, while undergoing corrective surgery. Dayo was aged 10.
The couple currently has two living children: Olusoji and Olugbenga, both boys.
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Net worth
Jacobs is, by media reports, estimated to be worth around $3 million. At the prime of his acting career, Jacobs was one of the highest-paid actors in Nigeria, thanks to his dexterity and reputation as an actor.
In addition, Jacobs and his wife established the Lufodo Group, a media corporation that comprises the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts (LAPA), Lufodo Productions, Lufodo Distributions and Lufodo Consult.
The Academy trains aspiring and current movie practitioners in acting, directing, producing, scriptwriting, editing, make-up and set designs, photography, and other aspects of filmmaking. Jacobs is the Executive Chairman of the group, while Silva serves as the Executive Director. Lufodo Productions is the arm of the group which produces media content for the platform of theatre, radio, and screen.
Lufodo Distributions handles the distribution of media content, while Lufodo Consult provides bespoke, intensive, elocution and presentation training for executives, professionals, and corporate bodies.
Illness
Sometime in 2021, speculations arose over Jacobs’ state of health following pictures that surfaced online, in which he appeared frail. His wife, Silva, addressed the speculations in an interview with Chude Jideonwo, disclosing that her husband has dementia with Lewy Body (DLB).
“This has been going on for a couple of years. My husband is dealing with issues and it is been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy Body. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease, it affects the brain and affects the person,” she said.
The illness has, unfortunately, inhibited Jacobs from being active with his first love, acting, as the last known movie he starred in was The Royal Hibiscus Hotel in 2017.
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