Reloaded News Desk
Nollywood stars, family members and friends gathered in Lagos on Wednesday for a Night of Tributes and Service of Songs in honour of veteran actor Olu Jacobs, as the industry prepares for his final farewell on Friday.
The ceremony held at Glover Memorial Hall, Marina, Lagos Island, brought together several generations of actors and filmmakers to remember Jacobs, who died on September 16 at the age of 84.
Among those who attended were Richard Mofe-Damijo, Sola Sobowale, Funke Akindele, Jide Kosoko, Adebayo Salami, Kate Henshaw, Hilda Dokubo, Norbert Young, Desmond Elliot and other figures from Nigeria’s entertainment industry.
Jacobs’ widow, veteran actress Joke Silva, attended the ceremony with their sons, Gbenga and Olusoji Jacobs.
The evening featured Bible readings, performances, personal tributes and recollections from colleagues who worked with the late actor during his more than five-decade career across theatre, television and film. A candlelight procession was also held.
His son, Olusoji, spoke about the difference between the public figure known to millions and the father he knew privately.
He recalled that despite his father’s enormous public profile, Jacobs remained deeply protective of his family and deliberately separated his professional life from his role at home.
Veteran actor Norbert Young recalled working with Jacobs on the television series The Third Eye, describing him as a disciplined professional whose experience and advice influenced his own development as an actor.
Kate Henshaw and Hilda Dokubo also remembered Jacobs for his generosity and care toward colleagues on film sets, while Sola Sobowale recalled the encouragement he gave her early in her career.
Richard Mofe-Damijo, popularly known as RMD, reflected on a lesson Jacobs taught him about the importance of every actor and every line in a production.
The tributes came as the Nigerian entertainment industry prepares for the final funeral service for the actor on Friday, October 2.
The service is scheduled for 10 a.m. at This Present House, Freedom Way, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, with guests expected to wear shades of green. A private burial is expected to follow.
Jacobs, widely remembered as the “Lion of Lufodo,” built a career spanning more than five decades and became one of the most recognisable figures in Nigerian theatre, television and film.
He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London before working in British theatre and television and later returning to Nigeria, where he became an influential figure in the country’s developing film industry.
His death on September 16 prompted tributes from colleagues, political leaders and audiences across Nigeria and beyond.
On Friday, those tributes will give way to the final funeral rites as family, colleagues and admirers gather in Lagos to bid farewell to one of Nigeria’s most prominent actors.
