Reported by Simon Daniel Yusuph l Journalist at Weng Global
Lead
The death of veteran Nigerian actor Olu Jacobs at the age of 84 has brought renewed attention to the final years of the celebrated actor and the health condition his wife, actress Joke Silva, publicly disclosed in 2021.
Jacobs died on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, with his family announcing his death through a statement shared by his son, Olusoji Jacobs. The family described the late actor as “The Lion of Lufodo” and appealed to bloggers and social media influencers to respect their privacy as they mourn.
The immediate cause of his death has not been publicly disclosed by the family.
However, Jacobs had lived with dementia with Lewy bodies, a condition Silva revealed publicly during a 2021 interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo.
Joke Silva’s 2021 Disclosure
In November 2021, Silva spoke publicly about her husband’s health during an interview with Chude Jideonwo.
At the time, Jacobs had been largely absent from the movie screen, prompting public concern and speculation about his health.
Silva explained that Jacobs had been dealing with health problems for several years and identified the condition as dementia with Lewy bodies, commonly referred to as DLB.
She described it as a degenerative disease affecting the brain and explained that its effects were not necessarily obvious in the way people might associate with Parkinson’s disease.
Silva also acknowledged the emotional difficulty the condition had created for Jacobs and members of their family.
The disclosure was significant because it came directly from Jacobs’ wife after years of public speculation about his health.
Source: Channels Television; The Interview Nigeria; Independent Newspapers, November 2021.
A Difficult Period for the Jacobs Family
Silva’s disclosure also offered the public a rare insight into the private challenges faced by the family.
For decades, Olu Jacobs and Joke Silva had been among Nigeria’s most prominent entertainment couples. Their careers stretched across theatre, television and film, while their professional partnership became closely associated with the development of Nigeria’s creative industry.
Jacobs’ reduced public appearances became increasingly noticeable as his health deteriorated.
Rather than allowing speculation to define the situation, Silva eventually provided an explanation during her interview with Jideonwo.
She said the condition had been difficult for Jacobs himself and for the family members caring for him.
Silva Later Discussed Acceptance
Silva continued to speak occasionally about the impact of her husband’s condition in subsequent years.
During an appearance on Mercy Johnson’s YouTube programme, Mercy’s Menu, in 2023, she discussed how she had learned to cope with the changes brought about by Jacobs’ illness.
She explained that acceptance had helped her adjust to what had become their new reality.
Later in 2023, Silva also spoke during an interview with Nancy Isime about how the condition had changed their relationship.
She reflected on the difference between the husband she had known for decades and the realities of caring for someone living with a progressive neurological condition.
Despite the challenges, Silva continued to speak about Jacobs with affection, remembering him as an exceptional husband, father and friend.
Source: The Nigerian Tribune, July 2023; interviews attributed to Joke Silva.
Olu Jacobs’ Distinguished Acting Career
Long before his health became a subject of public discussion, Jacobs had established himself as one of Nigeria’s most respected actors.
Born on July 11, 1942, Oludotun Baiyewun Jacobs began his professional career in theatre and later worked in British television and international film productions.
He eventually became one of the most recognisable figures in Nigerian cinema, appearing in numerous films and television productions throughout a career spanning several decades.
His career helped connect Nigeria’s traditional theatre and television industries with the rapidly expanding Nollywood film industry.
Jacobs was particularly recognised for his commanding screen presence and his portrayal of influential figures, including traditional rulers, fathers, politicians and other authority figures.
Awards and National Recognition
Jacobs received several major awards during his career.
He won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in 2007.
He was also recognised with major industry and lifetime achievement honours, including an Industry Merit Award at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Africa Movie Academy Awards.
In 2011, he was honoured by the Nigerian government with the national award of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic, MFR.
His contribution to the entertainment industry therefore extended beyond his individual film performances and included his broader influence on Nigerian theatre, television and cinema.
Source: The Guardian Nigeria; Channels Television; Africa Movie Academy Awards records and related reporting.
False Death Reports Had Circulated Before
Jacobs had also been the subject of several false reports of his death before his actual passing.
In 2021 and subsequent years, social media reports repeatedly claimed that the actor had died.
His family and colleagues dismissed those reports on several occasions.
In June 2024, for example, his son again confirmed that Jacobs was alive after another death rumour circulated online.
Channels Television reported at the time that Jacobs had been living with dementia with Lewy bodies for several years, citing Silva’s earlier public disclosure.
Those repeated rumours demonstrated the intense public interest in Jacobs’ health during the final years of his life.
Source: Channels Television, June 2024.
The Final Chapter of a Remarkable Career
Jacobs’ final years were markedly different from the decades he spent in front of cameras and on stage.
As his health condition progressed, he became less visible publicly and appeared less frequently in films and entertainment events.
Nevertheless, his influence on Nigerian entertainment remained significant.
His career crossed generations of Nigerian performers, from the earlier theatre and television era to the international expansion of Nollywood.
Together with Joke Silva, he also became associated with efforts to develop professional talent within Nigeria’s creative sector.
Family Announces His Death
Jacobs’ death was announced on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.
His son, Olusoji Jacobs, shared the family’s announcement, describing the late actor as “The Lion of Lufodo.”
The family thanked God for Jacobs’ life and asked the public, particularly bloggers and social media influencers, to respect their privacy during the mourning period.
The announcement did not state an immediate medical cause of death.
Source: Channels Television, September 16, 2026.
A Legacy That Extends Beyond His Final Years
Although renewed attention has focused on Jacobs’ health following his death, his legacy is much broader.
He was an actor whose career stretched across British television, international film, Nigerian theatre and Nollywood.
His performances made him familiar to audiences across generations, while his awards and national recognition reflected his long contribution to the Nigerian entertainment industry.
His relationship with Joke Silva also became one of the most recognised partnerships in Nigerian theatre and film.
For many Nigerians and Africans who grew up watching his performances, Jacobs represented an era in which theatre-trained actors helped shape the foundations of the modern Nigerian film industry.
What Readers Should Know
Joke Silva’s disclosure in 2021 established publicly that Olu Jacobs had been living with dementia with Lewy bodies for several years.
The disclosure came from his wife during an interview with Chude Jideonwo and was subsequently reported by Nigerian media organisations.
However, the condition should not be presented as the confirmed immediate cause of Jacobs’ death because his family has not publicly disclosed an immediate cause.
What is confirmed is that Jacobs died on September 16, 2026, at the age of 84, after a career spanning more than five decades.
His death marks the end of the life of one of Nigeria’s most recognisable actors and closes another chapter in the history of Nigerian theatre, television and film.
Weng Global – Stories beyond borders
Sources
- Channels Television — Reporting on Olu Jacobs’ death on September 16, 2026, and its earlier 2021 report on Joke Silva’s disclosure about his health.
- The Interview Nigeria — November 2021 report on Joke Silva’s interview concerning Olu Jacobs’ health.
- Independent Newspapers Nigeria — November 2021 report on Silva’s disclosure that Jacobs had dementia with Lewy bodies.
- The Nigerian Tribune — July 2023 report on Joke Silva discussing her relationship with Jacobs and his health condition.
- The Guardian Nigeria — Reports and profiles documenting Olu Jacobs’ acting career, awards and contribution to Nigerian entertainment.
