Nigerian film star Ogogo dies from cancer aged 66

Veteran Nigerian actor and star of Yoruba-language cinema, Taiwo Hassan, also known as Ogogo, has died at the age of 66 after battling cancer. His daughter, Kira Hassan, announced the news on an emotional Instagram live broadcast on Sunday. Ogogo, who had been suffering from cancer, was to be buried on Monday in his hometown in Ogun state, Nigeria, in accordance with Muslim tradition, as confirmed by fellow actor Prince Jide Kosoko.

Ogogo's career in the film industry began with a 13-year stint as a mechanic at the Ogun State Water Corporation before he started acting in 1981. He made the full-time transition to acting in 1994 and became a prominent figure in Yoruba cinema. Throughout his career, Ogogo won numerous awards and received critical acclaim for his role in the movie Anikulapo, where he portrayed the Alaafin of Oyo, the most revered king in Yorubaland.

Colleagues and fans have been paying tribute to a man who became one of Yoruba cinema's most recognizable faces. Saidi Balogun paid a heartfelt tribute, calling Ogogo his brother and expressing his pain, while Femi Adebayo described him as a pillar of Yoruba cinema. Muyiwa Ademola mourned the loss as the end of an era, hailing Ogogo as one of the biggest Nigerian film industry ever produced.

Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar mourned the actor, stating that Ogogo brought laughter into countless homes and inspired social rebirth through his talent.