10 films that defined the career of Nollywood legend Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo

Veteran Nollywood actor Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, died on Sunday at the age of 66 after a battle with stage-four cancer, bringing an end to a career spanning more than four decades and over 100 films.

As tributes continue to pour in from colleagues and fans, here are 10 movies that defined his journey from a Lagos mechanic to one of Yoruba cinema’s most recognisable faces.

Directed by Tade Ogidan, Owo Blow was Ogogo’s breakthrough role, casting him as Wole Owolabi in a story that explored corruption and societal vices. The performance earned him the Best Actor of the Year award at the 1997 THEMA Awards and turned him into a household name almost overnight.

Released the same year as Owo Blow, Agbelebu was part of the run of films that defined the earliest, most romantic phase of Ogogo’s career, when he was regarded as one of Yoruba cinema’s leading charismatic lead actors.

Ogogo took on the now-iconic role of a street-smart Lagos bus driver in Danfo Driver, blending comedy with sharp characterisation in a way that became one of his early trademarks.

A Yoruba classic co-starring Bukky Wright, Kola Oyewo and Yemi Solade, Okan Soso remains one of the films fans most frequently revisit when celebrating Ogogo’s decades-long body of work.

Beyond acting, Ogogo also wrote and produced Ekun-Ayo, an early sign of the multi-hyphenate career he would go on to build as a director, screenwriter and producer alongside his acting.

Playing Adesina in Omin, Ogogo continued a gradual shift in his career, moving from the romantic leads of the 1990s toward the more authoritative, father-figure roles that would define his later years.

Ogogo starred as Yomi in Elewon, one of several titles in this period he also helped produce, reflecting his growing influence behind the camera as much as in front of it.

Ogogo appeared as D.P.O. in Omo Ghetto, introducing his work to a newer, more contemporary Nollywood audience beyond his traditional Yoruba-language fan base.

Ogogo’s role as Alaafin Ademuyiwa in Kunle Afolayan’s Netflix film Aníkúlápó, starring alongside Kunle Remi, Bimbo Ademoye and Sola Sobowale, introduced him to a global audience and earned him a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the 2023 AMVCAs, in a film that collected 16 nominations overall.

Ogogo reprised his role as Alaafin Ademuyiwa in the sequel series, marking one of the final major roles of a career that had, by then, spanned more than 40 years.