Olu Jacobs: Inside his 20-year age-gap marriage to actress Joke Silva

Veteran Nigerian actor Olu Jacobs has died aged 84, leaving behind a decades-long acting career and a marriage to fellow veteran actress Joke Silva that lasted more than four decades.

Jacobs died on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, with his family announcing his death on social media. His son, Olusoji Jacobs, described him as “The Lion of Lufodo” and asked bloggers and social media influencers to respect the family’s privacy as they mourned.

While Jacobs was celebrated for his contribution to theatre, television and film, his marriage to Silva was also one of the enduring partnerships in Nigeria’s entertainment industry.

How Olu Jacobs met Joke Silva

Jacobs and Silva met while working in theatre in the early 1980s.

In an interview with Punch, Jacobs recalled that they first met during a management meeting for Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis. He said he immediately felt that the young actress would become his wife.

“Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife,” Jacobs recalled.

He said he later proposed to Silva while they were in Tunisia working on the film Ashanti. Silva had travelled to join him before heading to England when Jacobs asked her to marry him.

The couple went on to marry and build both a family and a professional partnership.

20-year age gap

Speaking about their marriage, Silva previously opened up about the age difference between her and Jacobs, revealing that her father initially had reservations about their relationship.

In a candid conversation with Stephen Akintoye’s Real Estate Magnates podcast, the actress said her mother was more accepting because her own parents had a similar age gap.

Asked why she chose to marry Jacobs despite the difference in their ages, Silva said, “I was in love with him. As simple as that. He was just a gorgeous person.”

She also recalled that one of her sisters met Jacobs in 1984 and later encouraged her to introduce him to their father.

“Joke, this is the man to take to Daddy,” her sister told her, according to Silva.

In the same account, Silva said they got married when she was 24.

“We got married in 1985 when I was 24; I was in love with him,” she disclosed.

Silva’s account described the relationship as one built on love despite the age difference, which was close to 20 years.

A marriage rooted in friendship

Silva has also previously described Jacobs as more than a husband, saying he was her friend and someone she deeply respected.

In an earlier interview with Punch, she said being married to someone from the same industry had its challenges, but the couple navigated them together.

“He is somebody who has incredible passion for his work and believes in his work and he has so much respect for his work.”

Asked how they had remained married for decades, Silva said they did not have a perfect formula but credited God for helping them through difficult periods.

“We have had times when each party was like, ‘Lord, is this what this marriage is all about?’” she said.

Partners in Nollywood

Jacobs and Silva also worked together professionally, becoming co-founders of the Lufodo Group, which includes Lufodo Productions and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts.

Jacobs built a career spanning British theatre and television, international productions and Nollywood. He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and went on to become one of Nigeria’s best-known actors. He received the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic and several industry awards.

Silva likewise established herself as an award-winning actress, director and producer, with major honours including Africa Movie Academy Award recognition and the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic.

Their marriage remained a defining part of Jacobs’ personal story until his death on September 16, 2026, aged 84.

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