The late veteran Nollywood actor, Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, became one of the most recognisable faces in Yoruba cinema, but the name that followed him throughout his career had a deeply cultural beginning.
Hassan, who died on Sunday, August 23, 2026, at the age of 66, was widely celebrated for his commanding screen presence and roles in Yoruba-language films.
However, “Ogogo” was not a nickname he simply adopted for the movie industry. The actor had previously explained that the name was connected to his family’s traditional oríkì, a Yoruba praise poetry or ancestral praise name.
In an interview published by City People in 2024, Hassan explained how his early experience as a performer helped popularise the name.
According to the actor, he started his acting journey by taking on the role of an Akéde Ọba, a praise chanter whose duty included reciting the oríkì of kings and prominent traditional figures.
His ability to deliver praise poetry with a strong and distinctive voice earned him the nickname “Olohun Iyo”, meaning a person with a melodious or captivating voice.
As his career progressed, however, his colleagues began referring to him as “Ogogo,” drawing from his family’s oríkì. The name eventually became so closely associated with him that it overshadowed his birth name in the public eye.
The identity fitted the actor’s growing reputation in the Yoruba film industry. Over a career spanning more than four decades, Hassan became known for portraying authoritative characters, including traditional rulers, chiefs, warriors and stern fathers.
Born on October 31, 1959, in Ilaro, Ogun State, Hassan began his career in theatre before becoming a prominent figure in the Yoruba home-video era. His acting credits included productions such as Owo Blow, Omo Ghetto and Aníkúlápó, where he portrayed Alaafin Ademuyiwa.
Beyond acting, Ogogo also worked as a filmmaker, producer and screenwriter and received several recognitions for his contribution to Nigerian cinema.
His death has triggered tributes across the Nigerian entertainment industry, with colleagues and admirers remembering him as one of the actors who helped shape and preserve Yoruba storytelling on screen.
For many fans, the name Ogogo will remain inseparable from the legacy of Taiwo Hassan — a name that began with family praise poetry and eventually became an enduring identity in Nollywood.
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