Ace actor Ogogo buried, Tinubu, Abiodun mourn

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Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, represented by the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Wasiu Isiaka, led Nollywood stars, captains of industry and government officials to pay their last respects to the late veteran actor, Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo.

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The interment was held at his residence in Ilaro, Ogun State, with prayers held at Agunloye Ashade Pavilion, Ilaro.

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The President of the Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria, Bolaji Amusan, popularly known as Mr Latin, and other Nollywood actors, including Yinka Quadri, were among hundreds of sympathisers who gathered to give the departed actor a heroic farewell.

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Also, President Bola Tinubu, in a condolence message signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described Ogogo as a distinguished artiste whose decades-long career helped shape the growth of Yoruba-language theatre and Nigerian cinema.

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In the statement titled, ‘President Tinubu mourns veteran actor Taiwo Hassan (Ogogo)’, the President said the late actor entertained generations of Nigerians through his distinctive acting style, powerful screen presence and dedication to his craft, while promoting the richness of Yoruba culture and Nigeria’s diverse cultural heritage.

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Tinubu said Hassan’s body of work would remain an important part of Nigeria’s cultural history, adding that his mentorship and influence on younger artistes further revealed his enduring legacy in the creative industry.

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He stated, “Alhaji Taiwo Hassan was a gifted artiste who used his talent to tell Nigerian stories, preserve our cultural heritage and entertain audiences at home and abroad.

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“His passing is a great loss to his family, the Yoruba film industry, Nollywood and the entire Nigerian creative community.

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“On behalf of the Federal Government, I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues, friends and millions of admirers.

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“I pray that Almighty Allah will grant him eternal rest and give his loved ones the strength to bear this irreparable loss.”

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The President urged members of the creative industry and Nigerians to honour Ogogo’s memory by preserving and building on the cultural values and artistic traditions to which he devoted his life, and prayed for the peaceful repose of the late actor’s soul.

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Speaking during the Muslim prayers held for the deceased in Ilaro, Abiodun described Hassan as an exceptional theatre practitioner and icon whose death was painful to all.

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The governor said, “We are here this morning to join the family, friends, and indeed the whole of Nigeria to mourn the demise of Mr Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, a true icon, a proud Yoruba man, somebody that you are always proud to associate with and say this indeed is my brother.

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“Today, we are mourning him, and I believe that we are all learning from him. Because the last time I saw Mr Ogogo was when he came to my office to see his daughter, this means that Ogogo, apart from being an icon in town, is also a father to his children.

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“So today, I want to implore everybody, especially the children, to believe in God, that nothing can happen without the knowledge of God.

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“It has happened, though sadly and full of sorrow, but what else can we do? We cannot query God. Because of that, take solace in the fact that he lived a very good life.”

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Abiodun appreciated the people, particularly members of the entertainment industry, for standing by the deceased’s family during the trying period, urging them to take solace in the fact that the late actor lived an impactful life and contributed meaningfully to national development.

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The TAMPAN national president, Amusan, described Ogogo as a complete gentleman of reputable character whose death had brought sorrow to the entertainment industry.

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He said, “Ogogo was a complete gentleman, a man of reputable character. He’s a man of the people; this was evident when he was sick. People unknown to him were all eager to help him, but he is gone now.”

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Amusan urged the family to keep alive the enduring legacy of the late thespian.

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He said, “I charge that the family should keep his legacy going. Ogogo is dead, but his legacy should be kept alive.”

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Speaking during the Janazah prayer, the Wakeel Muslim for the South-West, Edo and Delta, Sheikh Iskeel Lawal, urged people to live rightly, saying death was inevitable for all mortals.

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Lawal, who is also the Consultant on Islamic Affairs to the Ogun State Government, urged theatre practitioners to speak out in time when facing challenges and remain united in all their endeavours, noting that the storms of life could arise at any time.

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He hailed Hassan’s contributions to the entertainment industry, describing them as legendary, and prayed that Almighty Allah would grant the deceased eternal rest.

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The news of the actor’s death was confirmed by multiple sources, including the founder of Best of Nollywood, Seun Oloketuyi.

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Oloketuyi reportedly announced the death in a social media post, writing, “Taiwo Hassan Ogogo is dead.

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“He finally lost the battle of life.”

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Ogogo’s daughter, Kaira Taiwo, was also seen crying during a live session on Instagram on Sunday, where she expressed disbelief over her father’s death.

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Nigerian actor and filmmaker, Saheed Balogun, also mourned the veteran actor in an Instagram post.

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“Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. You can rest now, my brother Taiwo Hassan Ogogo. May Almighty Allah guide you through Aljannah. This is truly painful,” Balogun wrote.

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The actor’s death came days after his daughters, Kaira and Lima Taiwo, appealed for medical assistance for their father, who had been battling stage-four cancer.

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On Monday, August 17, 2026, the sisters took to social media to seek medical advice and assistance for the actor.

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According to Kaira, doctors had informed the family that they could no longer administer chemotherapy because of his condition.

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The family subsequently sought alternative treatment options, including specialised medical procedures and traditional remedies.

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Ogogo was a prominent figure in the Nigerian film industry, particularly known for his contributions to Yoruba-language films.

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Before finding fame in the film industry, he worked as a mechanic at the Ogun State Water Corporation for about 13 years.

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He began acting in 1981, combining the profession with his mechanic job before leaving it in 1994 to pursue acting full-time.

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