Pete Edochie's Tribute To Late Olu Jacobs Has Fans Emotional - "You Fought Like A Soldier"

What Pete Edochie Said About Olu Jacobs

Veteran Nollywood icon Pete Edochie has paid a deeply emotional tribute to his late colleague and brother, Olu Jacobs, and his words have left many Nigerians emotional online.

Olu Jacobs, born Oludotun Baiyewun Jacobs, died on September 16, 2026, at the age of 84, as announced by his family through his son Olusoji Jacobs. His passing ended six years of health battles that were managed privately by his wife, actress Joke Silva.

In a video tribute shared on Thursday, September 24, Pete Edochie spoke warmly and restrainedly about death, friendship and legacy.

His main tribute points were:

• On death and God's will: "Something must kill a man. Nobody can do it except God. If God says the amount of time allocated to you on earth is finished, there is absolutely nothing you can do about it."

• On how Olu fought: "Olu, my brother, you fought like a man, like the soldier I have always known you to be. Rest in peace, my brother."

• On Olu's personality: He described him as a "humorous personality" and a "very peaceful colleague" who created a private life known only to himself, Joke and Pete.

• On Joke Silva's care: "Joke, you did your best, and while we must mourn that Olu has gone, we should also be glad and celebrate Olu's life. Today, I commiserate with you for what you had to endure over a period of six years."

• On legacy: "My one prayer is that one of Olu's children takes to acting so that whenever we look at him, we'll remember what Olu meant to all of us."

Edochie also added a philosophical line that resonated with many fans: "If it is true that people recognise one another after they have gone then there's a possibility that we will meet again." The full tribute was captured by https://www.pulse.ng/entertainment/celebrities/pete-edochie-pays-tribute-to-late-olu-jacobs-praises-joke-silva-idv4h0e.

Family's Funeral Plans And Wider Industry Response

According to reporting from https://www.thisday.com.ng, the family has announced that Olu Jacobs will be honoured with a Night of Tributes on Wednesday, September 30, at Glover Memorial Hall, Marina, Lagos Island. The family, through his son, asked for privacy while thanking the public for support.

The wider Nollywood response has been respectful and reflective:

• Colleagues described Jacobs as a movie senior who treated everyone on set with dignity.
• Fans on X and Facebook praised Pete Edochie for acknowledging Joke Silva's six-year sacrifice, calling it the most touching part of his tribute.
• Younger actors said they grew up watching Jacobs in classic stage and TV roles and see him as a bridge between old and new Nollywood.

There has been no embellishment of private family matters from the family side, and the focus has remained on celebrating his life.

Why Olu Jacobs Remains A Towering Figure In Nollywood

For readers who follow Nollywood legends, Olu Jacobs' legacy is hard to overstate:

• He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London and worked with the BBC and the Royal Shakespeare Company before returning to Nigeria.

• He became one of the most recognizable faces in Nigerian television and film for over four decades, winning the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role and receiving the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR).

• Together with his wife Joke Silva, he built the Lufodo Group and Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which contributed to film production, distribution and training for the next generation, as noted by https://kristinareports.com.

Pete Edochie reminded Nigerians of this seniority in his tribute when he said, "Of all our senior colleagues who have gone, Olu was the only one who got to 89 and beyond" - a line that reflects Edochie's personal reverence, though official reports at the time of death put Jacobs' age at 84.

In the end, what made Pete Edochie's tribute emotional was not drama, but its restraint. He mourned a brother, praised a wife who stood firm for six years, and asked that we celebrate a life well lived rather than only weep for a loss.