National Telescope national telescope newspaper
By Funmi Ojo
Speculations about the death of Nollywood legend Olu Jacobs been circulated on social media. However, his son has debunked these rumoyrs, affirming that the actor is alive and well.
Soji, the eldest child of the renowned actor, informed reporters on Sunday that his 81-year-old father is still alive, contrary to widespread online reports.
In a video sent to reporters, the legendary actor can be seen sitting quietly and sporting a clean shave.
In the video, the older and frail-looking Jacobs is seen having a brief conversation with his barber and those around him.
This is not the first time Jacobs’ death has been rumoured. Since November 2021, there have been multiple instances of such rumours, particularly after his wife, actress Joke Silva, disclosed his health struggles.
However, the family has consistently debunked these rumours, posting videos and photos of Jacobs to discredit the false reports.
In 2021, Silva, the 62-year-old respected actress and longtime wife of Jacobs, revealed that her husband has been battling Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) for several years, which explains his absence from the movie screens.
“He is dealing with issues and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease; it affects the brain so you don’t see the shaking.
It affects the person,” Silva said in an interview with Channels Television.
“It’s been hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and also on family members as well. We have gone through it over the past couple of years and we thank God.”
Despite the ongoing health challenges, the family remains grateful and continues to provide support for the beloved actor.
The repeated false reports about his death have caused distress, but the family remains committed to keeping the public informed about his true condition.
