Olu Jacobs, one of Nigeria's most celebrated actors and a towering figure in Nollywood, has died at the age of 84. His wife, veteran actress Joke Silva, announced the death and asked bloggers and social media users to respect the family's privacy while they mourn, describing him as "The Lion of Lufodo" whose life was "well lived and fought".

Born on 11 July 1942, Jacobs trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London before building a career spanning more than five decades across theatre, film and television, including notable films such as My Kingdom, Covert Operation and One Fine Day. He received numerous honours, including the African Movie Academy Award for Best Actor and Nigeria's Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011, and co-founded the Lufodo Group and Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts with Silva to train performing artists. He had largely withdrawn from public life in recent years due to ill health.