Celebrated Nollywood actress Joke Silva, 62, has opened up about her decision to marry legendary actor Olu Jacobs, 82, despite their nearly 20-year age difference.
In a recent appearance on Stephen Akintayo’s Leadership Podcast, Silva shared that she married Jacobs purely out of love, describing him as a “gorgeous person.”
The couple, who got married in 1985 when Joke was just 24 years old, have long been admired for their enduring love story. But Silva revealed that not everyone was initially on board with the union.
“I was in love with him. As simple as that. And he was such a very gorgeous person,” she said when asked why she married someone so much older.
Silva recounted how her sister had encouraged her relationship with Jacobs early on.
“I remember one of my sisters telling me in 1984, when I came to Nigeria with him and they met, she called me aside and said, ‘Joke, this is the man to take to daddy,’” she shared.
Her father initially had concerns about the age gap, but her mother was more accepting.
“My mum was like, well, this is the person they know me with. And then her own parents had that kind of age gap as well. So, she agreed for us to get married,” Silva added.
The power couple remains one of the most respected and beloved in Nigeria’s entertainment industry, with decades of success and partnership both on and off the screen.
