Olu Jacobs was one of Nigeria’s most respected actors, with a career that stretched across theatre, television and film for several decades. Long before he became a familiar face in Nollywood, Jacobs had built an international acting career and worked in British theatre and television.
His commanding voice, polished delivery and ability to portray both powerful and complex characters made him a standout figure in African entertainment. Here are 10 things you may not know about the late veteran actor.
- His full name was Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs.
He was widely known simply as Olu Jacobs, but his full name was Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs. He was born on July 11, 1942, to parents from the Egba Alake community of Abeokuta.
- He grew up in Kano, not Abeokuta.
Although his family roots were in Abeokuta, Jacobs spent much of his childhood in Kano, where he attended Holy Trinity School. He was active in both the school’s debating and drama societies.
- Hubert Ogunde helped inspire his acting career.
As a young boy, Jacobs attended one of Chief Hubert Ogunde’s concert parties at the Colonial Hotel in Kano. The experience made such an impression on him that it helped convince him that acting was what he wanted to pursue.
- His father initially wasn’t happy about his acting ambitions.
Jacobs wanted to study drama, but his father reportedly preferred a different path for him. He eventually travelled to Britain and trained as an actor at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London.
- He had a surprisingly difficult start in Britain.
After graduating from RADA, he faced a frustrating situation: he needed an agent to get work, but agents wanted actors who were already working. He eventually got his breakthrough through an audition connected to a BBC production.
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- He was already a British television actor before Nollywood.
Long before becoming a household name in Nigeria, Jacobs appeared in British productions including The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, The Professionals, The Tomorrow People and others.
- He worked in international cinema alongside major stars.
His international film credits included The Dogs of War, Pirates and Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend. His career therefore extended well beyond Nigerian cinema.
- He had a major stage career, not just a film career.
In 1972, he played The Boy in A Taste of Honey at the newly opened Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. He also performed in the stage production of Tom Stoppard’s Night and Day in 1978.
- He deliberately returned to Nigeria after establishing himself abroad.
Jacobs returned to Nigeria around the early 1980s after working extensively in Britain. He subsequently became involved in Nigerian television and was part of the early development of productions such as The Third Eye.
- His career was much bigger than his Nollywood filmography suggests.
He wasn’t simply an actor who became famous through Nigerian movies. His career stretched across British theatre, British television, international films, Nigerian television, Nollywood and mentoring younger performers over several decades. He was also made a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) in 2011.
