Taiwo Hassan, widely known by his screen name Ogogo, was one of the most recognizable veteran performers in Nigeria’s Yoruba-language film industry.
Over more than four decades on screen, he built a career defined by commanding, authoritative roles, often playing fathers, kings, chiefs and other figures of moral or traditional weight, and he remained one of the enduring faces of Yoruba cinema within the broader Nollywood industry until his death on 23 August 2026 following a battle with cancer.
Profile
| Full Name | Taiwo Hassan |
| Known As | Ogogo |
| Date of Birth | 31 October 1959 |
| Date of Death | 23 August 2026 |
| Age at Death | 66 |
| Birthplace | Ilaro, Ogun State, Nigeria |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| State of Origin | Ogun State |
| Occupation | Actor, Film Producer, Director, Screenwriter |
| Years Active | 1981 to 2026 |
Early Life and Family Background
Taiwo Hassan was born on 31 October 1959 in Ilaro, a town in Ogun State, southwestern Nigeria. He comes from a family with a documented history of twin births, a lineage that includes his own twin brother. According to accounts he has given in interviews, both his father and his grandfather were also twins, a detail he has referenced when discussing his family’s oriki, the Yoruba praise poetry used to trace lineage and heritage. He has explained in past interviews that his stage name, Ogogo, is drawn from this family oriki rather than being an invented marketing name.
He completed his primary education at Christ Church School in Ilaro before training as an automobile technician, reportedly at a technical college in Lagos. Before entering the entertainment industry full-time, Hassan worked as a mechanic, including a period of employment with the Lagos State Water Corporation.
Career
Hassan began performing in 1981, initially combining stage and theatre work with his job as a mechanic. He has said he came under the tutelage of theatre practitioner Ademola Fagbemi during this early period, using his off-hours to build acting experience while still employed at the water corporation. As Nigeria’s home-video film industry expanded through the late 1980s and early 1990s, Hassan’s acting opportunities grew, and by 1994 he had left formal employment to pursue filmmaking full-time.
His early filmography from the mid-1990s includes titles such as Atitebi, Agbelebu, Danfo Driver, Dr Brown, Eni Bi Okan and Iyawo Olele, several of which he also helped write or produce. It was during this period that he took on the role that would define the next stage of his career.
Career Breakthrough: Owo Blow
Hassan has recounted that he received the script for Owo Blow in 1995 while recovering from an illness, and that the film’s director insisted he was the actor he wanted for the part despite Hassan’s health at the time. The film, in which he played the character Wole Owolabi, became one of the defining Yoruba-language productions of the era and helped establish Hassan as a household name within the industry. His performance in Owo Blow reportedly earned him the Best Actor award at the 1997 edition of The Movie Award (THEMA), as later reported by The Guardian Nigeria.
Major Works
Across a filmography that spans more than 100 productions, Hassan has remained a consistent presence in Yoruba and English-language Nollywood films. Notable credits over the decades include Omo Ghetto (2010), Tenant of the House (2019), Olokiki Oru: The Midnight Sensation (2019), Apala (2021), Bank Alert (2023) and IGE — the Unlikely Oil Merchant (2023).
In recent years, Hassan reached a wider, international audience through his role as Alaafin Ademuyiwa in Kunle Afolayan’s Netflix film Aníkúlápó (2022) and its follow-up series, Aníkúlápó: Rise of the Spectre (2024). The role brought his work in Yoruba historical storytelling to a global streaming platform and renewed critical attention to his career.
Awards and Recognition
- 1997 — The Movie Award (THEMA) — Best Actor — for Owo Blow — Winner (as reported by The Guardian Nigeria)
- City People Movie Awards — Lifetime Achievement Award — Recipient
- 2023 — Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) — Best Supporting Actor in a Movie or TV Series — for Aníkúlápó — Nominee
Personal Life
Hassan was a practicing Muslim who had undertaken the pilgrimage to Mecca, earning the honorific title “Alhaji.” He was reported to have two wives and several children, though, consistent with his generally private approach to his personal life, he shared limited detail about his family in the media. In June 2022, Nigerian outlets reported that Hassan was involved in a confrontation with a group of young men in his hometown of Ilaro after being approached for money; accounts of the incident say it escalated into a physical altercation before it was resolved.
Illness and Death
In mid-August 2026, Hassan’s daughters, Kira and Haleemah, publicly disclosed that their father had been diagnosed with stage four cancer roughly three weeks earlier and appealed to the public for help finding a hospital or specialist willing to treat him, saying he had been turned away by the facility handling his care. The family said it was not seeking financial donations, only medical assistance, and one daughter later alleged that some people were attempting to profit from her father’s illness by soliciting money in his name.
Hassan died on 23 August 2026. His daughter Kira announced the death during an emotional Instagram Live session that day, and his death was also confirmed publicly by fellow actor Saidi Balogun. Nigerian outlets including Premium Times reported the death the same day. Further details on the circumstances of his death and funeral arrangements had not been released at the time of writing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Taiwo Hassan?
Taiwo Hassan, known professionally as Ogogo, is a veteran Nigerian actor, producer, director and screenwriter best known for his work in the Yoruba-language sector of Nollywood.
What is Taiwo Hassan known for?
He is best known for his commanding performances in Yoruba films, particularly his breakthrough role in Owo Blow, and more recently for playing Alaafin Ademuyiwa in the Netflix film Aníkúlápó and its spin-off series.
When was Taiwo Hassan born?
He was born on 31 October 1959.
Where is Taiwo Hassan from?
He is from Ilaro in Ogun State, Nigeria.
Where does the name Ogogo come from?
Hassan has said the name comes from his family’s oriki, the Yoruba praise-poetry tradition used to identify family lineage, rather than being a name created for his acting career.
Has Taiwo Hassan died?
Yes. He died on 23 August 2026 following a battle with stage four cancer that his family had disclosed publicly a few weeks earlier.
