President Bola Tinubu has mourned veteran Nollywood actor, filmmaker and screenwriter Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, describing his death as a major loss to Nigeria’s creative industry.
The President, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Monday, expressed condolences to Hassan’s family, friends and colleagues, while commending the late actor’s contributions to Yoruba-language theatre and Nigerian cinema.
Tinubu described Ogogo as a distinguished artiste whose career spanned several decades and whose work helped shape the growth of Yoruba-language theatre and Nigeria’s film industry.
“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,” the President said.
He said Hassan’s distinctive acting style, powerful screen presence and dedication to his craft enabled him to entertain generations of Nigerians while promoting Yoruba culture and the country’s diverse cultural heritage.
“His passing is a great loss to his family, the Yoruba film industry, Nollywood and the entire Nigerian creative community,” Tinubu said.
The President also highlighted Ogogo’s influence on younger artistes, saying his mentorship and contribution to the creative industry had strengthened his enduring legacy.
Tinubu said the late actor’s body of work would remain an important part of Nigeria’s cultural history and urged members of the creative industry and Nigerians to honour his memory by preserving and developing the cultural values and artistic traditions to which he devoted his life.
“On behalf of the Federal Government, I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues, friends and millions of admirers. I pray that Almighty Allah will grant him eternal rest and give his loved ones the strength to bear this irreparable loss,” he said.
Before achieving prominence in the entertainment industry, Hassan worked as a mechanic at the Ogun State Water Corporation for about 13 years.
He began acting in 1981 while combining the profession with his work as a mechanic and eventually left his employment in 1994 to pursue acting full-time.
Hassan subsequently became one of the recognised faces of Yoruba-language cinema, working as an actor, filmmaker and screenwriter.
President Tinubu concluded his condolence message by praying for the peaceful repose of the late actor’s soul.
Source: Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), State House, August 24, 2026.
