The final farewell to veteran Nollywood actor Oludotun Baiyewun Jacobs, popularly known as Olu Jacobs, has begun in Lagos as family members, colleagues and dignitaries gathered to honour the late screen icon.
The funeral service is being held at This Present House, Freedom Way, Lekki Phase I, with Jacobs’ widow, veteran actress Joke Silva, and their sons, Olusoji and Olugbenga Jacobs, among those present.
Jacobs’ casket was placed at the front of the church and decorated with flowers as mourners gathered for the service. Members of the family were dressed in blue during the ceremony.
Several prominent personalities also attended the funeral, including Lagos State First Lady, Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu; Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat and his wife, Oluremi Hamzat; former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun; and former Ekiti State First Lady, Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi.
The funeral comes two days after a Night of Tributes held at Glover Memorial Hall in Lagos Island, where actors, filmmakers, friends and associates celebrated Jacobs’ life and reflected on his contribution to Nigerian entertainment.
During the tributes, several leading figures in Nollywood recalled Jacobs’ professionalism, talent, mentorship and influence on generations of performers. His career stretched across theatre, television and film for more than five decades.
Jacobs, who died on September 16, 2026, at the age of 84, built an extensive career that included stage performances, British television productions, international films and major Nigerian productions.
Beyond acting, Jacobs and Joke Silva contributed to the development of the performing arts through the Lufodo Group and Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, helping to create opportunities for production and talent development.
He was also honoured nationally for his contribution to the creative industry and was conferred with the Member of the Order of the Federal Republic, MFR, in 2011.
As family and friends gathered in Lagos for his final ceremony, the funeral marked another major moment in the remembrance of an actor whose career became closely associated with the growth and development of Nigeria’s entertainment industry.