In ‘Doyen of Nollywood’, Olu Jacobs Gets a Deserving Tribute

Vanessa Obioha

You must have read or heard it before, Olu Jacobs is an actor’s actor. His acting skills are peerless and if one is lucky to have worked with him, then the accolades go beyond that title. He goes by many distinguished monikers and this was evident in the Zuri 24 documentary, ‘The Doyen of Nollywood: Celebrating Olu Jacobs at 80’, which was aired on Monday, October 24 on Africa Magic Showcase. 

The documentary, produced by the cerebral filmmaker Femi Odugbemi is a noble ode to the legend who marked his 80th birthday earlier in the year. It recognises the towering character of the veteran actor and how it has impacted the film industry.

Not many are aware of the veteran actor’s journey to Nollywood. However, the documentary features the actor’s colleagues, friends and family who narrated his story and revealed different sides of him that have never been seen or heard before. For instance, K.A Tejumola who worked with him in the north describes him as an affable character whose stellar performance in market research marked him out for excellence.

“I haven’t seen anybody who can complete his quota in a day. He will complete his and help us with ours. His communication is thorough. Olu is a trailblazer,” he gushes in the reel.

Mr Jacobs’ trip to the United Kingdom was to take a marketing course but it was also at the time when the film and TV industry was building up. This piqued his curiosity and it was only a matter of time before he answered his true calling and returned to Nigeria to fully embrace acting. 

Veteran actress Taiwo Ajai-Lycett who studied with him in the UK describes him as a master of words as she gushes about the play they acted in together ‘Murderous Angels’ in Dublin.

“He didn’t come to help Nollywood, he came to build it,” she emphasises.

From his venture into acting, the documentary segues into his family life. His wife Joke Silva recounted their wedding with nostalgia. The young Jacobs was known for his distinguished style but nothing prepared Silva for his tardiness on their wedding day. Wearing a cloak, he apologized profusely and blamed himself for partying too hard on the eve of his wedding. The ceremony was modest and a younger Richard Mofe-Damijo played the host. 

At home, his children Soji and Gbenga describe him as a man of principles who ensured that they represented themselves appropriately in public.

“He is a family man and a gentleman,” says Soji. 

As famed as the elderly Mr Jacobs is, he sometimes loves his space, as revealed by Soji. As such, the latter has learnt to protect him from the spotlight whenever he notices his withdrawal.

Although the documentary features colleagues in the industry like Prof. Ahmed Yerima who took a liking to his voice because “he spoke like a storyteller” to Kate Henshaw who said he was always particular about diction and very encouraging, there was a snippet of Mr. Jacobs. To pay homage to his long years in the industry, his clip was shown from an old TV set. 

One thing is certain from all the subjects, Mr Jacobs is a legend whose contribution to the film industry cannot be quantified.

“If he didn’t come back home, we wouldn’t have become who we are. A lot of people are successful in this business because of him. His return showed his commitment to his people,” says Mofe-Damijo.

The CEO of MultiChoice Nigeria, John Ugbe puts it more succinctly: “His films transcend generations.”