Stars Mourn as Veteran Ogogo's Burial Date Announced

Veteran Nigerian actor Taiwo Hassan, widely known as Ogogo, passed away at the age of 66 on Sunday, 23rd August 2026, at 3:00 p.m. His death, following a battle with stage-four cancer, was announced by veteran colleague Jide Kosoko on Instagram, with Ogogo's daughter, Kira (also referred to as Kaira), confirming the sad news during an Instagram Live session. Another colleague, Saidi Balogun, also confirmed the actor’s demise. The burial arrangements indicate that his remains were transported to his hometown of Ilaro, Ogun State, on Sunday, ahead of a special prayer session and lying-in-state ceremony scheduled for Monday, 24th August 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at the Ilaro Pavilion. Jide Kosoko expressed profound sadness, praying for Almighty Allah to grant Ogogo eternal rest and provide strength to his family, friends, and colleagues.

Days before his passing, Ogogo's daughters, Kaira and Lima Taiwo, had publicly appealed for medical assistance for their father on social media, revealing his critical condition. Doctors had reportedly informed the family that chemotherapy could no longer be administered due to the advanced stage of his cancer, which had been diagnosed approximately three weeks prior to these appeals.

Before his final battle with cancer, Taiwo Hassan had openly shared his struggles with a chronic ulcer that plagued him for seven years. He described this period as one of the darkest in his life, during which he was severely weakened, barely able to eat, and subsisted mainly on pap. He recounted episodes of vomiting blood and experiencing sharp chest pains, which even impacted his ability to perform religious duties as a Muslim, forcing him to pray while sitting. Ogogo expressed immense gratitude to those who supported him through this ordeal, preventing him from having to sell his property for treatment. At one point, he had become convinced he would die, even recalling throwing away his Mecca teeth out of fear.

Born on October 31, 1959, in Ilaro, Ogun State, Taiwo Hassan came from a family with a strong history of twins; both his father and grandfather were twins, and he himself had a twin brother. His mother reportedly gave birth to 13 children, including four sets of twins, with Ogogo being the only surviving child among those multiple births.

Ogogo's journey into acting began in 1981 while he was working as an automobile mechanic. He pursued his primary education at Christ Church School in Ilaro, secondary education at Gazikia College in Lagos, and later attended a technical college before dedicating approximately 13 years to his mechanic profession at the Water Corporation (Lagos State Water Corporation). In 1994, he made the pivotal decision to leave his job and commit fully to his acting career, quickly becoming a prominent figure in the Yoruba film industry.

Throughout his illustrious career, Taiwo Hassan graced the screen in numerous films, leaving an indelible mark on Nigerian cinema. His notable works include “Atitebi”, “Agbelebu”, “Agbo-Odaju”, “Danfo Driver”, “Owo Blow”, “Amerah”, “Aníkúlápó”, “Bank Alert”, “IGE”, “Omin”, “Omo Ghetto”, and “Tenant of the House”. He is particularly remembered for his role as Alaafin Ademuyiwa in the critically acclaimed 2022 film “Aníkúlápó” and its 2024 Netflix series, “Aníkúlápó: Rise of the Spectre”. Taiwo Hassan is survived by his family and children.