Taiwo Hassan

EARLY LIFE

Taiwo Hassan was born on 31 October 1959 in Ilaro, Ogun State, Nigeria. He came from a family with a notable history of twins — his father and grandfather were twins, and he himself was born a twin (his twin brother, often named Kehinde, died young). His mother reportedly had multiple sets of twins, and he was one of the surviving children. He completed primary education at Christ Church School in Ilaro. For secondary education he attended Gazikia College in Lagos but could not finish due to financial constraints. He later trained at a technical college and worked for about 13 years as an automobile mechanic at the Lagos State Water Corporation. He began acting part-time while still employed as a mechanic.

CAREER

Hassan began his acting career in 1981 while still working as a mechanic, initially under the tutelage of figures such as Ademola Fagbemi in theatre. In 1994 he resigned from the water corporation to focus fully on acting and filmmaking. He became a household name in Yoruba Nollywood through roles in classic and contemporary films. Early and notable works include Atitebi, Agbelebu (1995), Danfo Driver, Dr Brown (also writer), Ekun-Ayo (Tears of Joy, also writer/producer), Owo Blow (parts 2 and 3, 1996, as Wole Owolabi — a breakthrough role that earned him significant recognition, including a THEMA Best Actor award around 1997), Omin (2008), Elewon (2009), Omo Ghetto (2010), Aye O (2016), Tenant of the House (2019), Amerah (2021), Aníkúlápó (2022, as Alaafin Ademuyiwa), Bank Alert (2023), ÌGÈ – the unlikely oil merchant (2023), and Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre (2024). He appeared in well over 100 films across decades, often in authoritative, paternal, or dramatic roles, and also produced and directed projects. He received a City People Movie Lifetime Achievement Award and was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 2023 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) for Aníkúlápó. His career spanned the transition from stage and early home-video Yoruba cinema to modern streaming productions.

PERSONAL LIFE

Hassan was a devout Muslim and maintained a polygamous household. He was married to Ajoke Hassan (his first wife, a Christian) and Taibat Hassan (his second, younger wife, a Muslim). The couple(s) had several children, commonly listed as including Rasheedat Ololade Taiwo, Jubril Olorunwa Taiwo, Shakirat (or Shakira) Taiwo, Halimat (or Haleemah/Lima) Taiwo, Khalid (or Khaleed) Taiwo, and Fuad Taiwo. Daughters such as Kira and Haleemah/Lima were publicly visible in later years, especially during his illness. He preferred to keep much of his private life out of the spotlight but was known as a family-oriented figure. In his final days, his daughters publicly appealed for specialized medical help for his stage IV cancer diagnosis (seeking connections to treatment rather than funds) and later confirmed his death. He was buried in his hometown of Ilaro, Ogun State, on 24 August 2026, with Islamic rites. Tributes poured in from colleagues, fans, political figures (including Atiku Abubakar), and the Ogun State government.

Hassan was widely respected as a veteran who mentored younger actors and contributed to the cultural preservation and commercial growth of Yoruba filmmaking. He remained active into the 2020s. His death on 23 August 2026 (confirmed by family and colleagues such as Jide Kosoko) was mourned across the industry and beyond as the loss of a pioneering figure who brought stories reflecting Nigerian society to audiences for over four decades.