Veteran Nigerian actor, filmmaker and screenwriter Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, has died at the age of 66.
Hassan died on Sunday, August 23, 2026, following a battle with stage-four cancer. His death was confirmed by his daughter, Kira Hassan, and subsequently by veteran actor Jide Kosoko.
The news has triggered an outpouring of tributes from colleagues, fans and public figures across Nigeria’s entertainment industry, with many celebrating Hassan’s contribution to Yoruba-language cinema.
Hassan was born in Ilaro, Ogun State, and built a career spanning more than four decades. He began acting in the early 1980s and initially combined his work in the entertainment industry with employment at the Lagos State Water Corporation before leaving the organisation in 1994 to pursue acting full-time.
He became one of the most recognisable figures in Yoruba cinema, earning the nickname “Ogogo” and establishing himself as an actor, producer, director and screenwriter.
Throughout his career, Hassan appeared in numerous Yoruba and Nigerian films, including Owo Blow, Omo Ghetto, Elewon, Aye O, Tenant of the House and Aníkúlápó. His portrayal of Alaafin Ademuyiwa in Aníkúlápó and its subsequent television adaptation introduced his work to a wider contemporary audience.
His career was not limited to film. Hassan was also recognised for his contributions to the development of Yoruba theatre and cinema and remained an influential figure in the industry for decades.
News of his illness became public only days before his death, after his family disclosed that he had been diagnosed with stage-four cancer.
President Bola Tinubu has mourned Hassan, describing his death as a significant loss to the Yoruba film industry, Nollywood and Nigeria’s wider creative sector.
The Ogun State Government also expressed its condolences, describing the late actor as a cultural figure who made a lasting contribution to the state and Nigeria’s creative industry.
Hassan was buried on Monday, August 24, in his hometown of Ilaro, Ogun State, in accordance with Islamic rites. Family members, friends, colleagues, traditional and political figures and residents gathered to pay their final respects.
For more than 40 years, Taiwo Hassan remained a prominent face of Yoruba cinema, leaving behind a body of work that continues to define an important era of Nigerian film.
He is survived by his family and leaves behind a legacy that has earned him enduring recognition as one of the icons of Yoruba cinema.
