As he fought terminal cancer, his daughter released a viral video desperately pleading for a healer, drawing widespread public attention.
The death of veteran Yoruba Nollywood actor Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as ‘Ogogo,’ on August 23 triggered a huge wave of tributes from fans, colleagues, and cultural figures across Nigeria. He was 66.
President of the Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN) Bolaji Amusan, aka Mr Latin, said he ‘left an indelible mark on our industry and culture.’
Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa described him as ‘a custodian of our culture, a proud voice of Yoruba storytelling, and a man who dedicated his life to building the Nigerian creative industry.’
Before becoming a star, Hassan trained as an automobile mechanic. He worked for 13 years as a technician at the Lagos State Water Corporation before resigning in 1994 to chase his passion for acting.
‘I began acting even before I started working for the water corporation,’ he explained in an interview. ‘I began acting in 1981… I am sure not many people believe that I trained as a mechanic.’
Born in Ilaro, present-day Ogun State, into ‘a family that is deeply rooted in Yoruba culture and tradition,’ he said his mastery of praise chanting earned him the nickname ‘Ogogo.’ ‘When I started acting, producers loved giving me the role of a traditional chanter because they knew I could chant ‘ewi’ and ‘oriki’ very well,’ he recalled.
His acting journey began on stage. He was a co-founder of the Odunfa Caucus in Ebute-Metta, Lagos, established in the late 1980s as a traditional travelling theatre troupe and drama collective.
As the 1990s home-video boom gained momentum, the group evolved into a major film production collective and acting academy, but it remained deeply rooted in traditional Yoruba theatre practice. It wasn’t merely a production house, but an informal educational institution for Yoruba filmmaking. His mentorship produced and groomed a generation of major Nollywood powerhouses.
Over a career spanning more than four decades, Hassan became one of the most recognisable and commanding figures in Yoruba-language movies. His performance in Tade Ogidan’s classic 1996 movie ‘Owo Blow’ launched him into stardom and earned him the Best Actor award at the 1997 The Movie Award (THEMA 97).
He acted in, directed, or produced over 300 films and was honoured with a City People Movie Lifetime Achievement Award in October 2017 for contributions to Yoruba cinema and the broader Nigerian film industry. His notable film credits include ‘Agbelebu,’ ‘Dr Brown,’ ‘Ekun-Ayo,’ ‘Omo Ghetto,’ ‘Omin,’ ‘Tenant of the House,’ and ‘Bank Alert.’
He was renowned for portraying principled leaders, disciplined community elders, honourable husbands, or smooth-talking action roles, usually characterised by his distinctive calm, deep voice and striking posture.
Significantly, Hassan used his screen presence to preserve Yoruba language, proverbs, idioms, and ethical philosophy. His deliberate, rhythmic speech delivery turned movie dialogues into masterclasses in indigenous rhetoric.
He remained professionally active into the 2020s. Beyond the home-video era, he seamlessly adapted to modern Nigerian cinema. He introduced himself to a new generation of viewers through major projects, including his nominated performance as Alaafin Ademuyiwa in Kunle Afolayan’s 2022 epic ‘Aníkúlápó.’ He was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 2023 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards for his performance in the film. His performance introduced his artistry to a global Netflix audience, solidifying his status as a star of African storytelling.
He helped propel African narrative art across four distinct epochs: from live travelling stage theatre, to the VHS home-video explosion of the 1990s, the VCD/DVD era of the 2000s, and finally to modern global streaming platforms like Netflix.
He will be remembered as a disciplined craftsman and cultural ambassador who prioritised substance over spectacle.