Nollywood Icon Ogogo Laid to Rest Amidst Tears in Ogun

Veteran Nollywood actor, Taiwo Hassan, widely recognized as Ogogo, was buried on Monday in Ilaro, Ogun State, following Islamic customs, an event marked by profound sorrow. His interment took place around 10:50 am, preceded by funeral prayers attended by a gathering of family members, friends, industry colleagues, traditional leaders, and other sympathizers who convened to honour the beloved actor.

SaharaReporters learned that Ogogo's body arrived in his native town of Ilaro early Monday morning, ahead of the scheduled burial. This sad development attracted numerous notable personalities from the Yoruba film industry, with veteran actors Yinka Quadri and Jide Kosoko among those who traveled to mourn their departed colleague.

By approximately 9 am, Ogogo's immediate family and close associates had already assembled to prepare for the funeral rites. Around 10 am, actress Ireti Osayemi Bakare also joined other actors and actresses at the Ilaro Central Mosque for the funeral prayers. The atmosphere was heavily charged with emotion as mourners grappled with the demise of the seasoned actor, who had been a dominant force in Yoruba-language cinema for several decades.

After the prayers, Ogogo’s remains were transported to the burial ground, where esteemed chiefs from Ilaro accompanied the body to the grave alongside family, friends, and colleagues. He was subsequently interred according to Islamic traditions.

This burial occurred just a day after reports surfaced confirming the passing of the 66-year-old actor, who had been battling stage four cancer. SaharaReporters had previously reported on Sunday that the veteran actor succumbed to his illness after his health had reportedly worsened in recent weeks. A video obtained by SaharaReporters following these reports captured one of Ogogo’s daughters weeping inconsolably, struggling to comprehend her father's death. “I need to call my sisters. I need to call my family,” she was heard saying through her tears.

His passing came days after Ogogo’s family and management publicly disclosed his fight with stage four cancer and appealed for urgent medical intervention. The family had stressed their need for access to appropriate medical care rather than financial contributions.

Earlier, Ogogo’s daughter had made an impassioned plea in an online video, revealing that the family only became aware of the critical nature of his condition about three weeks prior. She stated that they were actively searching for a hospital or medical expert capable of treating her father, alleging difficulties in securing suitable treatment.

This appeal garnered an overwhelming response, with the actor’s management team later announcing that over 500 individuals had offered assistance for his treatment. Jide Kosoko, speaking on behalf of the team, explained that the sheer volume of offers had created logistical challenges, especially since Ogogo was already undergoing treatment in a hospital. He elaborated that the main difficulty lay in deciding where the actor could be relocated and how to safely move him while he was receiving care.