Veteran Nollywood actor, Oludotun Jacobs, is alive and well, contrary to rumours circulating on social media.
A Nigerian columnist, Betty Irabor, made this known in a message posted on her social media account on Sunday.
“Olu Jacob is well and alive. Please ignore all rumours of his passing. He is alive please,” she wrote.
The rumours of Jacobs’ death had earlier spread online without official confirmation.
This is not the first time such news about the veteran actor will trend online.
In June 2020, there was a similar report that trended on the then Twitter (now X) and Facebook.
The then spokesperson of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Monalisa Chinda-Coker, later debunked the news.
In August 2022, there was also rumour concerning the actor’s death.
His wife, Joke, later debunked the news and threatened legal action against those spreading the information.
Fondly called Uncle Olu by his colleagues and teeming admirers, Olu Jacobs has made his mark in Nigeria’s movie industry.
With more than 40 years acting experience under his belt, Jacobs is seen as a bridge between the old and new breed of actors.
Trained at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, England, Jacobs remains one of Africa’s creative gifts to the world, having worked with various repertoire theatres in Britain and starred in some international movies.
In 2007 he won the African Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Olu Jacobs has distinguished himself as a godfather in Nollywood, paving a successful path for many emerging actors and actresses in the industry.
His love for acting was inspired by the late legendary film maker, Hubert Ogunde’s annual concert party which was held at Colonial Hotel in Kano. Thereafter, he travelled to England where he studied acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London.
He has been described as ‘one of Nollywood’s finest actors, best role interpreter and the best manipulator of words’.
For his dedication to his acting career spanning over five decades, he was honoured with the Industry Merit Award for outstanding achievements in acting at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards.’ Also, AMAA conferred its Lifetime Achievement Awards on him in 2016.
Olu Jacobs is married to veteran actress Joke Silva. The couple founded and operates the Lufodo Group, a media corporation that consists of film production, distribution assets and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts.
In England, he trained at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. He then starred in various British television shows and series in the 1970s (e.g. The Goodies, Till Death Do Us Part, Barlow at Large, The Venturers, Angels, 1990, The Tomorrow People, The Professionals). In 1978, he played the role of President Mageeba in Michael Codron’s presentation of Sir Tom Stoppard’s play Night and Day.
In the 1980s Jacobs starred in several international films some of which include John Irvin’s war film The Dogs of War, Roman Polanski’s adventure-comedy Pirates (1986) and the family-adventure film Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend (1985). On television he was a cast member in TVS’s The Witches and the Grinnygog.
Jacobs has subsequently starred in over 120 Nollywood films. He is considered one of the top Nigerian Nollywood actors.