Kanayo O. Kanayo Mourns Olu Jacobs as Nollywood Demigod

Kanayo O. Kanayo mourns Olu Jacobs as a Nollywood demigod in a BBC interview, recalling his craft, humour and a film in which they played king and prince

Veteran Nollywood actor Anayo Modestus Onyekwere, known as Kanayo O. Kanayo, spoke in a BBC interview shared on Instagram on Thursday, 17 September 2026, about the death of Nollywood actor Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, known as Olu Jacobs.

Also read: Peter Obi hails late Olu Jacobs as Nigerian excellence

Olu Jacobs died in mid-September 2026 at the age of 84. Kanayo O. Kanayo, 64, said the news that morning had shocked him.

“Receiving the news of his demise this morning was shocking,” Kanayo O. Kanayo said. He added that he took comfort in the belief that Olu Jacobs had fulfilled his purpose, and that he would have wished Olu Jacobs had stayed longer.

Kanayo O. Kanayo said Olu Jacobs had already built a career in British television before bringing that experience to Nollywood. “He brought a world of experience to Nollywood,” he told the BBC. “For those of us who were fortunate to be on set with him, he was just that consummate actor who played his part well.”

He said Olu Jacobs did not need reminding about call times, did not fumble lines, and gave each new scene a fresh reading. “Such people were like demigods,” Kanayo O. Kanayo said. “Difficult to forget their lines, and every new scene came with a new interpretation.”

He also described Olu Jacobs as warm, witty and willing to guide younger actors, often using his British industry experience to encourage them.

One memory he kept was a film produced by Lancelot in Benin, in which Olu Jacobs played a king and Kanayo O. Kanayo played a prince. Kanayo O. Kanayo said he joked with the producer about whether he resembled Olu Jacobs.

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Also read: Peter Obi hails late Olu Jacobs as Nigerian excellence

Asked about playing morally complex parts, Kanayo O. Kanayo said: “There is no wicked role. Every role is a role. The diversity and the flexibility of your acting strength lies in you, making a character believable.”