President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has described veteran actor, filmmaker and screenwriter Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, as a cultural icon whose decades-long career helped shape Yoruba-language theatre and Nigerian cinema.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the president said Hassan’s distinctive acting style, powerful screen presence and dedication to his craft earned him a lasting place in Nigeria’s cultural history.
Tinubu said Ogogo entertained generations of Nigerians while showcasing the richness of Yoruba culture and promoting the country’s diverse cultural heritage.
He added that the actor’s body of work, as well as his mentorship of younger artistes, demonstrated the depth of his influence on the creative 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.
The president urged members of the creative industry and Nigerians to preserve and build on the cultural values and artistic traditions to which Ogogo devoted his life.
He said doing so would be a fitting way to sustain the actor’s contribution to Nigerian cinema for future generations.
Before rising to prominence, 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 job and eventually left the corporation in 1994 to pursue acting full-time.
From those beginnings, he went on to become one of the prominent figures in Yoruba theatre and Nollywood.
For Tinubu, Ogogo’s enduring significance lies not only in the roles he played, but also in the Nigerian stories he told, the cultural identity he preserved and the generation of artistes he helped inspire.
