Veteran Nollywood actress Patience Ozokwor has voiced deep concern over the health of her colleague Olu Jacobs, while reflecting on the emotional weight of deaths within the Nigerian film industry.
In 2021, Jacobs’ wife and fellow actress Joke Silva publicly disclosed that the veteran actor has been living with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), a progressive neurodegenerative condition.
Speaking in a recent interview with Femi Babs TV on YouTube, Ozokwor admitted she feels troubled by Jacobs’ situation and prefers not to dwell on it. The actress, popularly known as Mama G, also shared how she often imagines the pain of losing another industry giant, Pete Edochie, before her own time.
Ozokwor revealed that she broke down in tears following the deaths of Sam Loco and Mr Ibu, underscoring how much she values the companionship of her peers.
“I keep imagining what it would feel like if Pete Edochie passed away before me. I feel so bad about Olu Jacobs’ situation and don’t want to think about it,” she said. “I cherish people’s company so much. When Sam Loco died, I cried like a baby because he was good with comedy and we were always doing comedy together. I couldn’t fathom his death. It took a lot from me.
“When Ibu died I felt the same way but I was controlling myself because I am getting older. When Sam Loco died I was younger. I was trying to play on my age.”
Her comments highlight the personal bonds that exist among Nollywood’s older generation of actors and the lasting impact of losing colleagues to illness or death.
