Taiwo “Ogogo” Hassan, The Custodian of Action and Nollywood’s Voice of Reason

Nollywood actor Taiwo “Ogogo” Hassan, who has died aged 66 of an unnamed cancer, inspired Nigerian film audiences and industry practitioners with his commanding performances and recorded goodwill. The actor who has stayed away from mainstream attention and conversation was the face of recent conversation after one of his daughters posted a video detailing the actor’s health challenge. The actor, a stranger to controversy and bedlam, combined the fertility of a bloomed career with the reluctant role of an actor-celebrity who epitomized the cross-generational fame reserved for actors of his generation. Ogogo’s daughter confirmed his passing during an emotional Instagram live broadcast on Sunday, where she struggled to come to terms with her father’s death. Ogogo was buried on Monday, August 24th, in his hometown in Ogun state, Nigeria, in line with Islamic tradition which he’s a staunch follower of.

It is difficult to picture Taiwo Hassan immobile in death. The once-a-boxer-always-a-boxer actor heeded death’s call and the finality of those words is unsettling. But, depending on religious and spiritual affiliation, there’s a level of sobriety and calmness death brings. As a culture writer and enthusiast, there’s a longevity that cinema entrusts on actors, and that is the longevity this actor will enjoy. Though he wasn’t present during the premiere of Adebayo Tijani’s King Kòsókó: The Battle for Lagos which coincided with the day of his death, the film and others that carry him. What viewers, old and new, will discover is the commanding presence he brings to the screen. By playing the wise friend, father, and king, Ogogo, on and off the screen, is the archetypal voice of reason. 

It is impossible to describe the actor without overemphasising his screen presence. Hassan, whose erudite delivery, strong aura, and acting discipline endeared him to men and women alike, started acting in the industry’s formative stage. Ogogo’s journey in theatre began in 1974, although it was not until 1981 that he began performing under the guidance of Awo Ademola Fabunmi, an Ifa priest. Before then, he was working for the Lagos State Water Corporation (LSWC) as a mechanic. By day, he was a Level 6 civil servant at LSWC, and by night, he pursued his passion for stage acting. It is impossible to state what influenced this interest in cinema and acting, but what is recorded is his training with the Awo Fabunmi Theatre Company. Under Fagbemi’s tutelage, he sharpened his craft while balancing a demanding dual life. He eventually left his corporate job and moved into the unsteady yet alluring world of cinema. After making his stage debut as Akiigbe (an Ewi chanter) in a production at the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos, the rest, as the cliche goes, is history. 

After his debut, his passion for acting grew stronger. Born into a family of traditional masqueraders, where he learned Oriki (panegyric), that first performance opened him to new ways to express his intrinsic talent. Ogogo’s first screen credit was in Wicked Boy, a movie he also produced. The second was Elewon and the third was Merciful God. Tade Ogidan’s politically contentious Owo Blow pushed the actor toward commercial and critical acclaim. 

The role earned him the Best Actor of the Year award at the 1997 edition of The Movie Award. Nigerian poet and culture writer, Dami Ajayi described his acting career as a smooth move from poetic recitals, TV fine boy actor, and stoic mannerisms. “His best role, in my opinion, was as the adult protagonist/antihero in Tade Ogidan’s 90s masterpiece Owo Blow. Something of a Robin Hood character, Owolabi remains legible in Nigerian collective imagination,” the writer tweeted. These onscreen traits “poetic recitals, TV fine boy actor, and stoic mannerisms,” which he displayed across his filmography, are markers of his artistic merit. 

When Ogogo embraced acting, he co-created with industry friends including Yinka Quadri, Abiodun Olanrewaju (known as Abbey Lanre), and Razak Ajao (known as Araosan), a quiet institutional force.  Odunfa Caucus, situated in the Èbúté Metta East area of Lagos mainland, was formed in 1986 as a Theatre Group cum Academy. The group regularly rehearsed and held meetings at Razak Ajao’s residence on Odunfa Street in Ebute Metta. Industry colleagues and visitors soon dubbed the collective the “Odunfa Caucus”—a name that stuck. The caucus went on to produce numerous classic home videos and groom a generation of prominent Yoruba actors. 

The Ebute Metta-based theatre organisation trained some of Nollywood’s most successful actors, including Saheed Balogun, Iyabo Ọjọ́, Funke Akindele, and Aina Gold, to mention a few, and has survived for over four decades. The training hub acted as a training hub for new entrants into the industry and is its most cited legacy. Interestingly, most of its alumni became some of the industry’s most successful names. Culturally, the group operated a kinship structure that allowed shared rehearsal space, shared production knowledge, and shared casting networks. Odunfa Caucus is continuous with the Aláárìnjó travelling-theatre tradition, where actors trained and worked through touring troupes before video film absorbed that infrastructure. 

It can be hard to place the filmic origin of the popular “breakfast” line. In an improvisation-driven industry, actors, especially highly skilled ones, are known for straying away from scripts. This on-the-spot act underscores the artistry of these actors. Nigerian actress, Uche Jombo recently commented on this while watching the video of Francis Odega and the late John “Mr Ibu” Okafor. Thus, there’s that possibility that the breakfast line, which Burna Boy and others have given pop culture relevance, was an instantaneous delivery. Then, there’s the possibility that it was the scriptwriter genius that birthed the line. The origin is debatable. What isn’t debatable is the signature Ogogo custodian-of-wisdom’s delivery. Delivered by another actor, the line loses its appeal and truism not because the delivery will be bland and bad. But, because, for decades, Ogogo has distinguished himself as the sole custodian of wisdom like Pete Edochie. Thus, when he speaks, his words, either premeditated or on the spot scripting, carries meaning. And, because we trust his onscreen presence and power, we apply the truism of his statements, actions, and advice into our quotidian activities and actions. This is part of the unrivaled brilliance Ogogo possesses. And, as the world comes to terms with his demise, it’s that demise that will constantly be remembered. 

When one thinks of Ogogo, the actor, what comes to mind is his quiet dignity, moral authority, and staunch masculinity. Whether he’s portraying the descent of a man socially forced into crime in Ogidan’s Owo Blow, the royal majesty of a king in Anikulapo culture Custodian, or the disciplined father figure in Omo Ghetto, his performances consistently carry a physical presence and alluring authority. Masterfully, he balances the vulnerability of a young man, the stoicism of a patriarchal figure, and the cultural essence of Yoruba people in his proverb-ridden dialogues in his performances. Professionally, he understood the importance of building a training space for emerging voices and faces. These artistic and administrative brilliance and successes will underline his legacy. Thus, when we celebrate Funke Akindele’s box-office dominance, Fathia Williams, Saheed Balogun, and other Odunfa Caucus’ alumni, we can’t but trace it to the pioneering work done by Ogogo.