Veteran Nigerian actor and elder statesman Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, popularly known as Olu Jacobs, has died at the age of 84.

Born on July 11, 1942, in Kano, Jacobs had his roots in the Egba Alake community of Abeokuta, Ogun State. He developed an interest in acting while growing up in Kano through school drama, debating activities and church programmes.

His interest in professional acting deepened after he watched a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner Hubert Ogunde.

Jacobs later travelled to Britain, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. He subsequently worked with repertoire theatres and appeared in several British television productions during the 1970s, including The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, The Professionals, The Tomorrow People and Barlow at Large.

His international film credits included The Dogs of War in 1980, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend in 1985 and Roman Polanski’s Pirates in 1986.

After returning to Nigeria, Jacobs became one of the most recognisable figures in the country’s growing film and television industry. His career spanned hundreds of theatre, television and film productions, with his commanding voice and presence becoming particularly associated with roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers and family patriarchs.

He received several major honours during his career. In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. He later received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.

In 2011, the Federal Government conferred on him the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic for his contribution to the Nigerian arts.

Jacobs was married to fellow veteran actress Joke Silva. Together, they were associated with the Lufodo Group and established the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, contributing to the training of younger performers.

He spent his later years largely away from the public spotlight as his health declined. Silva had previously disclosed that he was living with dementia with Lewy bodies, while the family repeatedly dismissed false reports of his death before his passing.

Jacobs’ death was announced by his son, Olusoji Jacobs, on Wednesday. The family described him as “The Lion of Lufodo” and appealed to bloggers and social media users to respect its privacy.

His more than five decades in the performing arts connected Nigerian theatre with modern film and television, while his international experience helped give his career a distinctive global dimension.

Through his acting, production work and contribution to arts education, Jacobs influenced generations of Nigerian performers and became one of the defining figures of the country’s entertainment industry.