THE Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, has mourned veteran Nollywood actor, Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as ‘Ogogo’, describing him as a custodian of Nigerian culture and a proud voice of Yoruba storytelling.
News Point Nigeria reports that Ogogo, a prominent figure in the Yoruba film industry, died on Sunday, August 23, 2026, at the age of 66, after a battle with stage-four cancer. His death came after his health reportedly deteriorated in recent weeks, days after his family disclosed his condition and appealed for medical assistance as they explored further treatment options.
Musawa expressed her grief in a statement issued in the early hours of Monday by her Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr Nneka Anibeze, following the death of the veteran actor.
The minister described Ogogo as a towering figure in the Nigerian film industry whose discipline, talent and dedication helped shape Nollywood and inspire generations of actors, directors and producers.
According to her, the late actor’s contribution went far beyond entertainment, as he used his career to preserve, promote and project Yoruba culture and Nigerian identity through film.
“Ogogo was not just a star on our screens. He was a custodian of our culture, a proud voice of Yoruba storytelling, and a man who dedicated his life to building the Nigerian creative industry,” Musawa said.
“For many years, he made us laugh, made us think, and made us proud of who we are as Nigerians.”
The minister said Ogogo’s works took Yoruba culture and cinema to millions of people across Nigeria and beyond, adding that his contribution helped project the richness of Nigeria’s traditions to wider audiences.
“He brought Yoruba culture and cinema to millions across Nigeria and beyond, and he was a source of pride for the Nigerian creative economy,” Musawa stated.
“His works celebrated our heritage and projected the richness of our traditions to the world. The industry has lost a giant, but his legacy will continue to live on through the countless lives he touched and the films he left behind.”
Ogogo’s death came after his daughters, Lima and Kira Taiwo, had made emotional appeals for medical assistance, disclosing that the actor was battling stage-four cancer. The family had sought help from medical professionals and facilities after his condition deteriorated, while reports indicated that doctors had informed them that chemotherapy could no longer be administered because of the advanced stage of his condition.
The development had sparked widespread concern within the Nigerian entertainment industry, with colleagues and well-wishers rallying around the family and seeking possible medical options for the veteran actor.
Ogogo was born in Ilaro, Ogun State, and became one of the most recognisable faces of Yoruba-language cinema.
He worked as an actor, filmmaker, producer and screenwriter, building a career that spanned several decades and making a lasting contribution to the development and evolution of Yoruba cinema.
His contribution to Yoruba cinema included appearances in popular productions such as Eegun Mogaji and Igbekun. He was particularly known for his commanding screen presence and roles that reflected Yoruba culture and storytelling.
For several decades, he used film to tell stories rooted in Yoruba culture, helping to preserve indigenous narratives and traditions while taking them to wider Nigerian and international audiences.
His career also reflected the evolution of Yoruba cinema, from traditional home-video productions to the modern Nigerian film industry.
With his death, the Nigerian creative industry has lost an actor whose career was closely associated with Yoruba storytelling and the projection of Nigerian cultural identity through film.
The minister extended her condolences to Hassan’s family, his colleagues in Nollywood, fans and the people of Ogun State on behalf of the ministry, the creative community and stakeholders across the arts and culture sector.
She also prayed for the family and members of the film industry to have the fortitude to bear the loss and for the soul of the late actor to rest in perfect peace.
Ogogo’s death has consequently triggered mourning across the Nigerian entertainment industry, particularly among practitioners and audiences of Yoruba cinema, where he established himself as one of its prominent practitioners. His remains are expected to be laid to rest in his hometown, Ilaro, in accordance with Islamic rites.
For Musawa, however, Hassan’s cultural contribution will outlive his passing, with the minister describing his body of work as a lasting legacy for the Nigerian creative economy and a testament to the power of film to preserve and project the nation’s cultural heritage.