Francis Duru's Resurfaced Tribute to Olu Jacobs Leaves Fans Shaken: “Not Knowing His Own Fate”

Francis Duru's Resurfaced Tribute to Olu Jacobs Leaves Fans Shaken: “Not Knowing His Own Fate”

  • Late Nollywood actor Francis Duru penned a heartfelt farewell to veteran Olu Jacobs before his own passing
  • The tribute has resurfaced online following Duru's death on October 23, 2026, sending chills through fans
  • Duru's family confirmed his passing without disclosing the cause, leaving followers grieving and searching for answers

Ghana’s top stories, now easier to find. Discover our new search feature!

The Nollywood community is reeling following the death of beloved actor Francis Duru, but what has truly unsettled fans is a tribute he wrote to the late veteran actor Olu Jacobs, which has since resurfaced and taken on a haunting new meaning.

Francis Duru death, Olu Jacobs death, Nollywood, Nigerian actors, Francis Duru tribute to Olu Jacobs, Nollywood actor death, Francis Duru family statement, Olu Jacobs tribute, Nigerian entertainment news
Late Nollywood actor Francis Duru's tribute to Olu Jacobs resurfaces after his own death. Image credit: Luxxy/Facebook
Source: UGC

When Olu Jacobs passed away in September, Francis Duru took to Instagram to honour the man he regarded as a mentor and a pillar of the Nigerian film industry.

His words were warm, deeply personal, and full of admiration.

"A true and thoroughbred thespian you were, Uncle Olu...you were a mentor, a teacher, an inspiration to our generation....it was indeed an honour to have worked with you in different capacities...you have left a big shoe....it will be difficult to find a feet that will match ..but you have left footprints, of in-depth professionalism....discipline, utmost dedication...it was a school each time we worked together...I learnt so much...as it hurts so much...Rest on, sir...you were a good man ....Rest on, General," he wrote.

Read also

Francis Duru: Man who saw late actor in hospital shares their final conversation

What nobody knew at the time was that Duru himself would follow just weeks later. His family confirmed his death on October 23, 2026, sending shockwaves through the entertainment world.

The cause of his passing was not made public.

As the tribute began circulating again in the hours after his death was announced, fans were stopped in their tracks by the weight of his words, written without any knowledge of what lay ahead for him.

Francis Duru's tribute to veteran actor Olu Jacobs is in the Instagram post below.

Reactions to resurfaced Francis Duru's tribute

The reactions online reflected a community caught between grief and disbelief.

estherdoz wrote:

"Oh 😢😢😢 and now u are gone.. May your souls both rest in peace in Jesus' name. Amen."

chim_diimma shared:

"Life is something else…and I just watched his old movie with Chioma Chukwuka 3 hours ago. ….and to think he posted this not knowing his own fate 😭😭😭😭."

Read also

Francis Duru: Man who was with the actor hours before his death speaks out

benjamin_george665 noted:

"Omo 💔joined him a month later."

beckyu_kk added:

"Chai, this is painful, and he just posted this."

royalbee7 simply wrote:

"Rest in peace, Francis."

musorenike said:

"This is devastating news. May his soul rest in eternal rest, amen. God grant his family the strength to cope at this difficult time. Amen."

chukwudi_poe expressed:

"Omoh!!!! Wetin dey this life self?? 😢😢😢 Chai, Rest in Peace FRANCIS DURU🪦🕊️💔😢."

Francis Duru's last post before death

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported on Francis Duru’s final Instagram post, a tribute to fellow actor Olu Jacobs that resurfaced after Duru’s death on October 22, 2026.

The post was shared on September 17, weeks before the veteran actor died following a brief illness.

Duru’s words now read as an unintended farewell, as he praised Jacobs as a mentor and inspiration. The tribute has renewed attention on the two Nollywood figures, whose deaths came within weeks of each other.

Don't miss out! Get your daily dose of sports news straight to your phone. Join YEN's Sports News channel on WhatsApp now!

Source: YEN.com.gh

Authors:
Ruth Sekyi avatar

Ruth Sekyi (Entertainment Editor) Ruth Esi Amfua Sekyi is a Human Interest Editor at YEN.com.gh with 4+ years' experience across radio, print, TV, and digital media. She holds a B.A. in Communications (PR) from UNIMAC-IJ. Her media career began at Radio GIJ (campus radio), followed by Prime News Ghana. At InstinctWave, she worked on business content, playing major role in events organized by the company. She also worked with ABC News GH, updating their site, served as Production Assistant. In 2025, Ruth completed the ECOWAS, GIZ, and MFWA Information Integrity training. Email: ruth.sekyi@yen.com.gh