By Veteran Nollywood actor Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, has died after a battle with stage four cancer, with burial arrangements already confirmed for Monday in his hometown of Ilaro, Ogun State.
Death Confirmed
News of the actor’s passing was first confirmed on Sunday by multiple sources, including Seun Oloketuyi, founder of Best of Nollywood, who announced the death in a social media post, writing that Hassan had finally lost the battle of life. Veteran actor Jide Kosoko later confirmed in a burial announcement on Instagram that Hassan died at 3 pm on Sunday, August 23, at the age of 66.
According to Kosoko’s statement, the actor’s remains were to be taken to Ilaro that same Sunday, ahead of a lying-in-state ceremony scheduled for Monday, August 24, at 11 am, at the Pavilion in Ilaro. The Ilaro Muslim Community separately confirmed the arrangements in an announcement shared by Oloketuyi, stating that burial prayers would be held at the Asade Agunloye Pavilion Ground at 10 am on Monday.
Tributes Pour In
Ogogo’s daughter, Kaira Taiwo, was seen crying during a live session on Instagram on Sunday as she expressed disbelief over her father’s death. Fellow actor and filmmaker Saheed Balogun also mourned him in an Instagram tribute, describing the loss as truly painful and praying for his soul to find rest.
Senator Solomon Adeola, the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate for Ogun State and lawmaker representing Ogun West, popularly known as Yayi, also sent condolences to the family. In a message issued through his Media Adviser, Chief Kayode Odunaro, Adeola described Hassan’s death as a monumental loss to the creative and entertainment industry, extending well beyond the actor’s immediate family to Ogun State and Nigeria as a whole.
Adeola said he was saddened by the loss of a man who had worked hard for his political cause and the cause of the people and sympathized with the family over their efforts to keep Hassan alive through his illness. He praised the actor’s contributions to filmmaking and positive advocacy as a legacy worth emulating, pledged continued support for the family, and prayed for the peaceful repose of his soul.
A Battle With Cancer
Hassan’s death came days after his daughters, Kaira and Lima Taiwo, publicly appealed for medical assistance for their father. The sisters had taken to social media on Monday, August 17, seeking medical advice and support, with Kaira revealing that doctors had told the family chemotherapy could no longer be administered given his condition. The family had since been exploring alternative treatment options, including specialized medical procedures and traditional remedies, in the days leading up to his death.
Hassan was widely regarded as a prominent figure in the Nigerian film industry, particularly celebrated for his extensive contributions to Yoruba language cinema over a career spanning decades.
