# Nollywood legend Olu Jacobs dies at 84

> The celebrated Nigerian actor's career spanned five decades across theatre, television and film.
- Title: Nollywood legend Olu Jacobs dies at 84 · BBC News | Shortify
- Summary: The celebrated Nigerian actor's career spanned five decades across theatre, television and film. Olu Jacobs, one of Nigeria's most respected actors and a…
- Keywords: olu jacobs, nollywood, nigeria, joke silva, nigerian cinema, african film, dementia with lewy bodies, lufodo academy, royal academy of dramatic art, african movie academy award, news, world
- Source: BBC News — https://bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cw4gr5jnd134o
- Published: 2026-09-16T10:49:00.758+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: olu jacobs, nollywood, nigeria, joke silva, nigerian cinema, african film, dementia with lewy bodies, lufodo academy, royal academy of dramatic art, african movie academy award, news, world
## Nollywood icon passes away
Olu Jacobs, one of Nigeria's best known actors, has died at 84. His wife, veteran actress Joke Silva, announced his death and asked for privacy.
## Five decades on screen
Jacobs was trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. His career spanned over 50 years in theatre, television and film.
## Awards and national honours
He won the African Movie Academy Award for Best Actor and lifetime achievement honours. In 2011, he received the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic.
## Building Nollywood's future
Jacobs and Silva established the Lufodo Group and Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts. The institutions trained and developed performing artists in Nigeria.
## Battle with dementia
In 2021, Silva revealed Jacobs had been diagnosed with Dementia with Lewy bodies. He had largely stayed away from the public spotlight in recent years due to ill-health.

> It's a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it's almost like a Parkinson-type of disease - it affects the brain and affects the person
## Key takeaway

Olu Jacobs, one of Nigeria's most respected actors and a founding figure of Nollywood, has died at 84 after a long career and recent battle with dementia.