Early Life
Taiwo Babajide Al Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, was born on 31 October 1959 in Ilaro, Ogun State, Nigeria, to Subair Akande Taiwo and Alimot Ayinke Taiwo. He comes from a family with a strong history of twins; his father and grandfather were both twins, and he himself has a twin brother, Kehinde. He attended Christ Church School in Ilaro for his primary education and Gaskiya College in Lagos for secondary school, though he was unable to complete his studies there due to financial constraints. He went on to train as an automobile mechanic at Yaba Technical School in Lagos, later working with the Lagos State Water Corporation for around 13 years.
Career
Ogogo made his stage debut in the early 1980s as an Ewi chanter in a production at the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos, before formally joining the Odunfa Caucus theatre group, co-founded by his longtime friend Yinka Quadri. He left his job at the Water Corporation in 1994 to pursue acting full-time. Known for his commanding physique and action-driven protagonist roles, he built a filmography of more than 300 films, including ‘Owo Blow,’ ‘Baba Ibeji,’ ‘Heartless,’ ‘Alanu Mi’ and ‘Igba Aja,’ becoming one of the most recognisable household names in Yoruba cinema.
Beyond acting, Ogogo runs his own production company, Ogogo Films Production, and has received multiple Best Supporting Actor nominations at the City People Movie Awards. He is also known for his philanthropy, regularly donating to charitable causes.
Health and Personal Life
Taiwo Hassan practises a polygamous family structure, married to Ajoke Hassan and Taibat Hassan, with six children between them. He has spoken publicly about losing seven siblings from his mother’s four sets of twins, describing himself as the only surviving child from those pregnancies. In August 2026, his daughter Halima Taiwo revealed that the veteran actor has been privately battling stage 4 cancer, describing the situation as dire and appealing for support from Nigerians and health professionals.
With more than four decades transforming himself from an automobile mechanic into one of Yoruba cinema’s most enduring and beloved icons, Taiwo Hassan’s story remains one of resilience, and fans continue to rally around him amid his health battle.
