Society
Beloved Ogogo To Be Buried 10am Today In Ilaro
will be laid to rest in his hometown
Veteran Nollywood actor and filmmaker, Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, will be laid to rest in his hometown, Ilaro, Ogun State, today, Monday, August 24, 2026.
According to a burial announcement by the Ilaro Muslim Community, the funeral prayer for the 66-year-old actor will be held at the Asade Agunloye Pavilion Ground, Ilaro, at 10:00am.
The announcement, signed by the Chief Imam of Ilaro, described Taiwo as a beloved member of the community and called on residents, colleagues, friends and admirers to attend the burial prayer.
Ogogo died on Sunday, August 23, 2026, at the age of 66. Veteran actor, Jide Kosoko, announced his death, stating that he passed away at about 3:00pm and that his remains would be taken to his hometown for his final rites.
His death came only days after his family disclosed that he was battling stage-four cancer and appealed for medical assistance.
The star actor’s daughters, Kira and Haleemah Taiwo, had sought help in finding specialists and appropriate treatment for their father as his condition deteriorated.
The development triggered an outpouring of grief across the Yoruba film industry and beyond, with colleagues and admirers paying tribute to an actor whose career spanned more than four decades.
Born on October 31, 1959, in Ilaro, Taiwo Hassa began his acting career in 1981 while working as an automobile mechanic. He also worked with the Lagos State Water Corporation for about 13 years before resigning in 1994 to concentrate fully on acting.
Ogogo subsequently established himself as one of the recognisable faces of Yoruba-language cinema, working not only as an actor but also as a producer, director and screenwriter.
His career included appearances in productions such as Owo Blow, Agbelebu, Omo Ghetto, Omin, Tenant of the House, Bank Alert and Aníkúlápó.
His appearance in Kunle Afolayan’s Aníkúlápó strengthened his connection with a younger and wider audience. In the 2022 film, he played Alaafin Ademuyiwa and earned a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the 2023 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards.
Beyond his work on screen, Taiwo Hassan was regarded as an important contributor to the preservation and promotion of Yoruba culture.
The Ogun State Government, in its condolence message, described him as a “distinguished cultural ambassador” whose work helped project Yoruba language, traditions and values to audiences within Nigeria and abroad.
For many fans, however, Ogogo was more than a screen personality. His distinctive performances in Yoruba films, particularly roles rooted in traditional stories, family life and social values, made his name synonymous with an important era of Nigerian cinema.
As the people of Ilaro prepare to bid him farewell today, the veteran actor leaves behind a legacy that stretches from the stage and early Yoruba theatre to modern Nollywood, with generations of viewers remembering the man popularly known simply as Ogogo.
