Ogogo Used Acting to Preserve Yoruba Culture, History — Showunmi
By Peace Erewunmi
Former House of Representatives candidate and public commentator, Segun Showunmi, has paid tribute to late veteran Nollywood actor Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, describing him as a master of Yoruba history, poetry and performance.
Showunmi, in a tribute following the actor’s death, said Ogogo went beyond entertaining audiences, using his craft to preserve and promote aspects of Yoruba culture and history for generations.
According to him, Ogogo’s ability to interpret traditional characters and communicate cultural expressions through film made him an important figure in the Yoruba entertainment industry.
Showunmi noted that through years of refining his craft, Ogogo developed a remarkable ability to bring characters and cultural narratives to life.
The tribute comes as colleagues, fans and cultural enthusiasts continue to mourn the death of the veteran actor, who died on Sunday at the age of 66.
Ogogo’s Contribution to Yoruba Cinema
Taiwo Hassan was one of the prominent figures in Yoruba-language cinema, with a career spanning several decades.
He worked not only as an actor but also as a producer, director and screenwriter. His performances in numerous Yoruba films earned him widespread recognition and made the name “Ogogo” synonymous with the genre.
Beyond his screen performances, Hassan had a strong connection to Yoruba cultural traditions. Reports about his career indicate that he had expressed interest in using television to showcase Yoruba culture to a wider audience and correct what he considered misrepresentations of the culture.
His cultural connection was also reflected in his background. Hassan was born in Ilaro, Ogun State, and was raised within a cultural environment that exposed him to Yoruba traditional expressions, including oriki, or praise poetry.
A Career That Spanned Generations
Ogogo began his acting journey on stage in the 1980s before becoming a major figure in Yoruba cinema.
His career eventually extended beyond traditional Yoruba productions. He also appeared in notable contemporary productions, including Kunle Afolayan’s Aníkúlápó, where he played the character of Alaafin Ademuyiwa. He later reprised the role in Aníkúlápó: Rise of the Spectre.
His work earned him recognition beyond the Yoruba film audience, including an Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards nomination for Best Supporting Actor for Aníkúlápó.
More Than an Actor
For Showunmi, however, Ogogo’s greatest contribution went beyond the number of films he appeared in.
His performances provided a channel through which Yoruba language, traditions, social values, history and storytelling could reach audiences both in Nigeria and abroad.
This cultural role has become a major part of the tributes pouring in since his death, with admirers remembering him not simply as an entertainer but as one of the personalities who helped keep Yoruba storytelling relevant in modern Nigerian cinema.
As the Nigerian film industry continues to mourn his passing, Showunmi’s tribute highlights the cultural legacy Ogogo leaves behind — one built through decades of acting, storytelling and the interpretation of Yoruba identity on screen.
Taiwo Hassan may be gone, but the stories, characters and cultural expressions he helped preserve will continue to live through the generations that watched and learned from his work.
