Tears and grief filled Ilaro, Ogun State, on Monday as the remains of veteran Nollywood actor Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, were laid to rest according to Islamic rites.
Reports gathered by Drivetvnews indicates that Ogogo’s remains arrived in his hometown early Monday morning, with family members, friends, colleagues and well-wishers gathering to pay their final respects to the celebrated actor.
By about 9am, members of his family and close friends had assembled ahead of the funeral rites. Several prominent figures from the Yoruba movie industry also travelled to Ilaro to mourn the actor, including veteran stars Yinka Quadri and Jide Kosoko.
At about 10am, actress Ireti Osayemi Bakare joined other members of the Yoruba film industry at the Ilaro Central Mosque, where funeral prayers were offered for the deceased.
The atmosphere remained emotional as mourners struggled to accept the death of Ogogo, who had made a significant impact on Yoruba-language cinema over several decades.
After the prayers, his remains were taken to the burial ground. Traditional chiefs from Ilaro, alongside his family, friends and colleagues, accompanied the body to its final resting place.
Ogogo was subsequently buried in line with Islamic traditions.
The burial followed reports that the 66-year-old actor had died after battling stage four cancer, with his health said to have deteriorated in the weeks preceding his death.
Days before his death, Ogogo’s family and management had revealed that he was seriously ill and appealed for urgent medical assistance. The family clarified that their major concern was finding suitable medical care rather than receiving financial donations.
In an emotional video shared online, one of Ogogo’s daughters disclosed that the family only became aware of the seriousness of his condition about three weeks earlier. She said they were desperately searching for a hospital or medical expert capable of providing the appropriate treatment.
The appeal attracted significant attention, with Ogogo’s management later revealing that more than 500 people had offered to assist with his treatment.
However, Jide Kosoko, who spoke on behalf of the management team, explained that the number of offers created logistical challenges because Ogogo was already receiving treatment in a hospital.
He said the major difficulty was determining the most suitable facility and how the ailing actor could safely be transferred while still undergoing treatment.
Ogogo’s death has since sparked an outpouring of grief across the Nigerian entertainment industry, particularly among colleagues and admirers of Yoruba cinema.
