Biography: All You Need To Know About Veteran Actor Olu Jacobs Who Has ‘Survived’ Several Death Rumors

Legendary Nigerian actor, Olu Jacobs is one of the oldest moviemaker in the country right now, he is also a producer, director, television personality, entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist.

Early Life/Education

Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, populaly known as Olu Jacobs was born on July 11th, 1942 to parents from Egba Alake town in Abeokuta South local government area of Ogun State, Nigeria.

Jacobs was born in Abeokuta, Ogun State in the western part of Nigeria but spent his early childhood in Kano State in the northern part of the country. He attended Holy Trinity School in Kano State where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate.

After he completed his secondary school education in Lagos State and obtained his West African Senior School Certificate. He began acting while in secondary school where he was an active member of a drama club. After completing his secondary school education, he proceeded to England in the United Kingdom to study acting at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art London.

Career

In England, he 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 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 in TVS’s The Witches and the Grinnygog (1983 series). Jacobs has starred in over 250 Nollywood films and is considered one of the top Nigerian Nollywood actors.

Olu Jacobs is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Royal Arts Academy. A movie school is known for training movie practitioners in acting, directing, producing, scriptwriting, photography, costumier, makeup, editing, modelling, set designed and various aspects of movie-making.

Controversy

Olu Jacobs is one Nigerian celebrity whose tab is a clean slate except for the number of times where he had been rumoured to be dead. Sometime in June 2020, the veteran thespian was rumoured dead and again very recently, he was rumoured to be dead in October 2021. Talk about a scandal free Nigerian celebrity/Nollywood actor, Olu Jacobs tops the list. The veteran thespian who only makes the rounds online for positive reasons is arguably everyone’s favorite.

Movies

1. The Royal Hibiscus Hotel
2. Dry
3. Bloody Ring
4. Potomanto
5. Covert Operaion
6. A Better Tomorrow
7. A Better Tomorrow 2
8. Days of Gloom
9. Days of Gloom 2
10. Royal King
11. Royal King 2
12. Sacred Lies
13. Sacred Lies 2
14. Sacred Lies 3
15. Sacred Lies 4
16. The Seekers
17. The Seekers 2
18. White Chapel
19. White Chapel 2
20. Bent Arrows
21. Bitter Generation
22. Bitter Generation 2
23. Bitter Generation 3
24. Bitter Generation 4
25. Palace Slave
26. Palace Slave 2
27. Palace Slave 3
28. Palace Slave 4
29. Power of a Kiss
30. Power of a Kiss 2
31. A Weeping Soul
32. A Weeping Soul 2
33. Forest of Tears
34. Forest of Tears 2
35. Forest of Tears 3
36. Forest of Tears 4
37. Last Mogul of the League
38. Last Mogul of the League 2
39. League of Gentlemen
40. League of Gentlemen
41. Royal Tears
42. Royal Tears 2
43. Sound of Pain
44. Sound of Pain 2
45. Tears of Hope
46. Tears of Hope 2
47. A Can of Worms
48. A Can of Worms 2
49. Beauty and the Beast
50. Beauty and the Beast 2
51. Beauty and the Beast 3
52. Hidden Treasure
53. Hidden Treasure 2
54. Mirror of Beauty 2
55. Perfect Temptation
56. Perfect Temptation 2
57. Piece of My Soul
58. Piece of My Soul 2
59. Piece of My Soul 3
60. Sister’s Love
61. Sister’s Love 2
62. Sister’s Love 3
63. Sister’s Love 4
64. Smoke & Mirrors
65. The Return of Ogidi
66. The Return of Ogidi 2
67. Throne of Tears
68. Throne of Tears 2
69. Total Love
70. Total Love 2
71. Mirror of Beauty
72. African Soldier
73. African Soldier 2
74. Burning Kingdom
75. Burning Kingdom 2
76. Eewo orisa
77. Eewo orisa 2
78. Final Kingdom
79. Final Kingdom 2
80. Greatness
81. Greatness 2
82. Kingdom Apart
83. Kingdom Apart 2
84. Lost in the Jungle
85. Lost in the Jungle 2
86. Mountains of Evil
87. Mountains of Evil 2
88. Odudu Kingdom
89. Odudu Kingdom 2
90. Odudu Kingdom 3
91. Old Testament
92. Old Testament 2
93. Royal Destiny
94. Royal Destiny 2
95. Secret Pledge
96. Secret Pledge 2
97. Show Me Heaven
98. Show Me Heaven 2
99. Show Me Heaven 3
100. Slave to Lust
101. Slave to Lust 2
102. The Cabals
103. The Cabals 2
104. The Prince and Me
105. The Prince and Me 2
106. Warrior’s Heart
107. Warrior’s Heart 2
108. Warrior’s Heart 3
109. Dancing Heart
110. Dancing Heart 2
111. End of Battle
112. End of Battle 2
113. Jealous Heart
114. Jealous Heart 2
115. One-Bullet
116. One-Bullet 2
117. Royal Doom
118. Royal Doom 2
119. 21 Days with Christ
120. 21 Days with Christ 2
121. A Time to Die
122. A Time to Die 2
123. Before the Sunrise
124. Before the Sunrise 2
125. Eagle’s Bride
126. Eagle’s Bride 2
127. Lonely Heart
128. Lonely Heart 2
129. Omaliko
130. Omaliko 2
131. One God One Nation
132. One God One Nation 2
133. Only Love
134. Only Love 2
135. Opin irin ajo
136. Opin irin ajo 2
137. Real Love 2
138. Real Love 3
139. Royal Palace
140. Soul on Fire
141. Soul on Fire 2
142. The God to Serve
143. The God to Serve 2
144. To Love a Stranger
145. To Love a Stranger 2
146. Ultimate Crisis
147. Women in Power
148. Women in Power 2
149. Arsenal
150. Arsenal 2
151. Dear Sister
152. Eye of the Gods
153. Eye of the Gods 2
154. House Party
155. House Party 2
156. Turn Table
157. Turn Table 2
158. Private Sin
159. Private Sin 2
160. Real Love
161. The Kingmaker
162. Unconditional Love
163. Ago kan oru
164. Fear of the Unknown
165. Mission to Africa
166. Keeping Faith: Is That Love?
167. The Last Vote
168. Aba Riot
169. Aba Riot 2
170. Endtime
171. Oganigwe
172. Twins of the Rain Forest
173. Obstacles
174. Another Love
175. Iva
176. Vigilante
177. Pirates
178. Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend

Awards

Jacobs has won several awards which include Most Prominent Actor in Nigeria at the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards, Best Actor in Nigeria at the Africa Movie Academy Awards, Best Actor of the Year at the Golden Icon Movie Academy Awards and Nollywood Most Promising Actor in Nigeria at the City People Entertainment Awards. In 2007, he won the African Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. He was honoured with the Industry Merit Award for outstanding achievements in acting at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards. He has also been honored by the Federal Government of Nigeria as a Member of the Order of Federal Republic (MFR)

Personal Life

Jacobs is married to veteran Nollywood actress Joke Silva since 1989. They have children.

Asked why his wife still bears her maiden name, Jacobs answered: “She is her own individual. When I met her, she was an actress known as Joke Silva so why should marrying me now deny her and her audience her name. She is Miss Joke Silva who is Mrs. Joke Jacobs. It is as simple as that. People now begin to say what they like. They have even written that we are separated and all sort of stuff. When she is working, she is Joke Silva but she is Mrs. Joke Jacobs at home.”

Social Media

Instagram: @_olujacobs