Late veteran actor Olu Jacobs once opened up about his relationship with actress Joke Silva. In a 2009 interview, Jacobs recalled meeting Silva and the moment he decided to marry her.
The couple first met during a production of Professor Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis. The play marked Nigeria’s 21st Independence anniversary, 1981.
Silva was among the cast members, and their meeting changed Jacobs’ views about marriage. He said he had never seriously considered marriage before meeting her. 
“I couldn’t have gotten married because I was in England and never wanted to marry a white woman,” he explained. “I was not going to marry a non-Nigerian.”
Jacobs eventually proposed to Silva during a memorable dinner.
The Proposal That Stayed With Him
Jacobs described his proposal as one of the most memorable moments of his life. He took Silva to a restaurant around 9pm for a special meal. The dish arrived in a sealed clay pot. After the meal arrived, Jacobs went down on one knee and asked her to marry him. Silva accepted his proposal, leaving Jacobs overjoyed.
Looking back, he said his only regret was not meeting her earlier. He also praised Silva’s character, describing her as loving, caring and deeply devoted. Jacobs affectionately as a motherly woman.
“She is my family,” he said.
READ MORE: Olu Jacobs: International Films and TV Shows the Nollywood Legend Featured In
Why Joke Silva Kept Her Maiden Name
Jacobs also explained why his wife continued using the name Joke Silva professionally. He said he respected her identity and did not believe marriage should erase it.
“When I met her, she was an actress known as Joke Silva. So why should marrying me deny her and her audience her name?”
He noted that Silva remained Joke Silva professionally but became Mrs Joke Jacobs at home.
“She’s Joke Silva when she’s working, but she’s Mrs Joke Jacobs at home,” he said.
During Jacobs’ sickness, his wife lived to the motherly rating her husband spoke about years before his ill-heath. She stood by him, took care of him, nurtured and their business together.
Many fans of the couple have flooded Joke Silva’s social media page, commiserating with her and their family.
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