Nollywood veteran Olu Jacobs is alive, his family confirmed on Sunday amid widespread social media death rumors.
Channels Television reports that his first son, Soji, refuted the claims, sharing a video showing the actor getting his beard shaved.
In the video, Jacobs, looking older and frail, was seen having a brief conversation with his barber and those around him.
The “death” of Jacobs, 81, has been rumored multiple times since November 2021, when his actress wife, Joke Silva, revealed his health struggles. However, the family has consistently debunked these rumors by posting videos and photos of him to discredit the claims.
In 2021, Silva, a respected actress and Jacobs’s longtime wife, disclosed that he has been battling Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) for several years, explaining his absence from 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 Body. 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,” she had said in a Channels Television interview.
“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.
“We have gone through some times and situations recently that I wish I had the old you here so I don’t battle these times on my own but we are grateful for the moment of clarity. I miss the times we worked together,” she added.
The veteran actor, who received a lifetime achievement award at the Africa International Film Festival Awards in Lagos that year, later posted a frail-looking picture of himself on his Instagram handle. This sparked an outpouring of sympathy, best wishes, and prayers from friends and fans.
Despite his health challenges, the legendary actor has attended selected social functions with the support of his loving wife, Joke Silva. Fans remain hopeful for his recovery and continue to show support for him.
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