Nollywood actress Sola Sobowale has praised late veteran actor Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, popularly known as Olu Jacobs, describing him as the person who trained her in the Nigerian film industry.
Sobowale spoke on Wednesday at a Night of Tribute held in honour of the late actor at Glover Memorial Hall in Lagos.
Jacobs died on September 16, 2026, at the age of 84. His death was announced by his son, Olusoji Jacobs.
Speaking about her acting career, Sobowale said many people recognised her talent without knowing the person who helped shape her career.
“When people see Sola Sobowale, they say she is a fantastic actor, but somebody trained me and Baba Olu Jacobs was that person who trained me. Man of knowledge, wisdom and a selfless man.”
Sobowale, popularly known as ‘Toyin Tomato’ after her character in the Wale Adenuga-produced television series Super Story, also recalled how Jacobs often cautioned and advised her.
“Anytime I bring my wahala, he has this, Sola, No, No, No,” she said, while demonstrating Jacobs’ familiar hand gesture from his movie roles.
Sobowale said the gesture communicated both caution and advice from a man she regarded as knowledgeable and wise.
‘He showed he was a father’
Another veteran actor, Adebayo Salami, popularly known as ‘Oga Bello’, also recalled his first encounter with Jacobs and the impact the late actor had on his work.
Speaking in a video posted on Thursday by Naija Vibes on Instagram, Salami said he first met Jacobs in 1997 after deciding to produce a film titled Okunfa.
“My first meeting with him was in 1997. I had been seeing him from afar, loved him a lot and then decided to put up a (movie) script titled ‘Okunfa.’”
“We shot the film in Ilorin in 1997.”
Salami said he contacted Jacobs and was asked to send the script.
After sending it, Salami said he asked Jacobs when he should visit him to discuss the script further, but the late actor told him not to bother.
“Don’t worry, I will come,” Salami quoted Jacobs as saying.
He said Jacobs later came, reviewed the script and made two contributions.
“I must confess to you. That man (Jacobs) thought of things that didn’t cross my mind.”
“He showed he was a father. He was a professional to the core,” Salami said.
He urged Jacobs’ children to continue “immortalising his name, so we won’t forget him for life.”
Family members, friends and colleagues from the Nigerian film industry gathered to honour Jacobs, who was widely recognised for his contributions to Nollywood and Nigerian theatre.
Among those present were Jide Kosoko, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Kate Henshaw, Afeez Oyetoro, popularly known as Saka, Norbert Young, Femi Adebayo and Funke Akindele, among others.