Nollywood stars, family members and colleagues gathered in Lagos State on Wednesday to honour late veteran actor Olu Jacobs at a Night of Tributes and Service of Songs.
The ceremony, held at Glover Memorial Hall, Marina, Lagos Island, brought together Richard Mofe-Damijo, Sola Sobowale, Funke Akindele, Jide Kosoko, Adebayo Salami, Hilda Dokubo, Kate Henshaw, Norbert Young, Desmond Elliot and other figures from the Nigerian entertainment industry.
Jacobs’ widow, actress Joke Silva, attended the ceremony with their sons, Gbenga and Olusoji Jacobs. The evening featured Bible readings, performances, personal tributes and a candlelight procession.
Speaking about his father, Soji Jacobs said that despite his public profile, his father was simply “dad” to him.
“I didn’t really watch his films back then. For me, he was simply dad. We were very close because he was magnetic and genuine in his movement,” he said
Soji also recalled how his father deliberately separated his public life from his family life and protected their privacy.
Veteran actor Norbert Young, who worked with Jacobs on The Third Eye, recalled listening to the late actor during their time on the television series.
“He loved to talk back then, and I loved to listen,” Young said.
Playwright and scholar Ahmed Yerima also shared a lighter memory, recalling how Jacobs’ emotional performance during a scene caused him to forget his own lines.
Actresses Hilda Dokubo and Kate Henshaw remembered Jacobs’ support for colleagues on set. Dokubo recalled how he helped calm her nerves when she first worked with him, while Henshaw spoke about his preparedness and generosity during productions.
Sola Sobowale recalled how Jacobs encouraged her acting career by publicly praising her performance: “Have you seen Sola Sobowale? She is a great actor?”
RMD also recalled a lesson Jacobs taught him about the importance of every actor and every line in a production.
“There are no small actors, and there are no small lines. But if you are not mindful of the small lines, you will become a small actor,” RMD recalled Jacobs telling him.
Singer Yinka Davies performed during the ceremony as colleagues and friends reflected on Jacobs’ decades-long career across theatre, television and film.