Dele Odule mourns Ogogo after nearly 40 years of friendship, remembering Taiwo Hassan as a brother following his burial in Ilaro, Ogun State
Veteran Nollywood actor Dele Odule on Wednesday, 26 August 2026, mourned his longtime friend and colleague Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, describing the 66-year-old Yoruba cinema icon as a brother whose death had left an irreplaceable void.
Odule shared the emotional tribute on his official Instagram page two days after Hassan was buried in his hometown of Ilaro, Ogun State, following Islamic funeral rites.
The burial brought together family members, residents and prominent figures from Nigeria’s film industry, including Odule, Yinka Quadri, Jide Kosoko, Faithia Balogun, Femi Adebayo and Mr Latin.
Reflecting on a friendship that began when both men were young, Odule said the relationship had grown into a bond that endured for nearly four decades.
“Taiwo, this is a loss that no words I put out can adequately describe,” Odule wrote.
“My dear friend and brother of nearly 40 years. Ours was one of those friendships that life just blesses one with.”
Odule’s tribute captured more than the loss of a fellow actor.
It recalled a relationship forged long before the pair became established names in Nigerian entertainment and one that, over the years, developed into a close personal brotherhood.
He also shared nostalgic videos of the two men enjoying lighter moments together, including footage of them dancing at social gatherings.
The memories offered a softer counterpoint to the grief surrounding Hassan’s death and reflected the warmth Odule associated with his friend away from the demands of the film industry.
Odule also paid tribute to Hassan’s contribution to Nigerian theatre and Yoruba-language cinema, while highlighting his connection to Ilaro, where the actor was born and ultimately laid to rest.
Hassan died on Sunday, 23 August, at the age of 66 after a battle with stage-four cancer.
His death came days after members of his family publicly appealed for medical assistance as his condition deteriorated.
His daughters had disclosed that doctors could no longer continue chemotherapy because of his worsening condition.
The family subsequently explored other treatment options, including plans involving treatment abroad, although Hassan was reportedly declared unfit to fly.
The actor’s final days were followed closely by colleagues and admirers, making his death particularly painful for an industry that had watched his career develop across several decades.
Hassan was buried on Monday, 24 August, at a ceremony conducted according to Islamic rites in Ilaro.
Funeral prayers were held at the Asade Agunloye Pavilion Ground before his interment.
The farewell was marked by visible emotion among Hassan’s longtime colleagues.
Yinka Quadri, another veteran of Yoruba cinema and one of Hassan’s closest friends, was seen crying during the burial as mourners gathered around him.
Odule, too, struggled with the weight of the moment.
In his tribute, he reflected on the absence Hassan would leave within the friendship shared by the three veteran actors.
“I will miss you a lot, Taiwo. I will miss the happiness you always exude. Who will Yinka and I banter with now?” Odule wrote.
The reference to Yinka Quadri recalled a friendship that had become familiar to generations of Yoruba film audiences.
The three actors shared decades of professional experience and personal camaraderie, making Hassan’s death a deeply personal loss for his longtime colleagues.
Odule said Hassan had often reminded him that he was his “big brother” and suggested that Quadri would now have to continue that role in Hassan’s absence.
“You have left Yinka to continue that with me. We will both miss the brotherhood we shared for years,” Odule wrote.
The sentiment echoed tributes from other members of the industry, who have described Hassan not simply as a successful actor but as a dependable colleague and a man whose presence extended beyond the screen.
TAMPAN president Bolaji Amusan, popularly known as Mr Latin, described Hassan as “a complete gentleman” and “a man of impeccable character” during the burial.
Amusan also urged Hassan’s children to preserve the values and legacy their father left behind.
Ogun State officials also joined the mourning. Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, conveyed Governor Dapo Abiodun’s condolences to Hassan’s family, while other public figures paid tribute to the actor’s contribution to Nigerian culture.
Beyond the immediate funeral, Hassan’s family has announced further remembrance programmes.
An eighth-day Fidau prayer is scheduled for Monday, 31 August, in Ilaro, while an Artists’ Day is also planned as part of the continuing tributes to the late actor.
Hassan’s legacy stretches across more than four decades of Yoruba theatre and cinema.
He became one of the industry’s most recognisable figures, working as an actor, filmmaker and theatre practitioner and helping to carry Yoruba storytelling to successive generations of audiences.
For Odule, however, the public legacy is inseparable from a private friendship that began when both men were still finding their way in life.
“Your departure has left a space that cannot be filled. Even the whole world knows that we didn’t just lose our colleague. We lost a brother,” Odule wrote.
He ended the tribute with a prayer for his friend’s soul, asking Almighty Allah to accept Hassan’s good deeds and grant him Al-Jannah Firdaus.
As tributes continue across Nigeria, Odule’s words offer an intimate account of what Hassan’s passing means to those who knew him beyond the fame: not simply the departure of a celebrated actor, but the painful absence of a friend, companion and brother of nearly 40 years.
