Olu Jacobs is one of the greatest and most respected actors in Africa. There is definitely no mention of Nollywood without the legendary Nigerian actor as he has enjoyed a very successful acting career. In addition to his career, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts graduate is also a successful family man. He is married to fellow actress Joke Silva and their marriage is blessed with two surviving children. Find out all the interesting details about this celebrity family and why they are been referred to as a power couple.
Table of Contents
Olu Jacobs and Joke Silva Have Been Married For 33 Years
Olu Jacobs is married to another Nollywood legend. He and Joke Silva have been married since 1989 without any scandal reported in the media. Alongside other thespians like Patience Ozokwor, Joke is a well-known and established Nollywood actress who has been active in the industry for more than 30 years. She has, in a lot of ways, helped in growing and grooming many aspiring actors and actresses to find their feet in the industry.
Ms. Silva has won the love of many as she continues to remain relevant in the Nigerian movie industry. It is notable that she did not drop her maiden name after she got married. In an intervie when her husband was asked about his view on this, he answered that he met his wife as an actress and her fans recognize her as Joke Silva, so, he has no right to take the name from her. He further added that his wife is Joke Silva on stage, while at home she is Joke Jacobs.
They Met on a Play Stage
Olu Jacobs and Joke Silva met for the first time in 1981 at the National Theatre, Lagos. This was actually during Nigeria’s 21st Independence anniversary when actors were preparing to stage Wole Soyinka’s play, Jero Metamorphosis. Meanwhile, Olu had already been in the movie industry for around 20 years at that time. At that time, he returned from England from starring in a British series and other movies.
According to Olu, he was having a management meeting with some other actors for the play at the National Theatre when Joke walked in. At that moment, he was swept away by her beauty and class that he concluded in his mind to have seen his wife. Before the end of the day, he was able to meet with her and told her straightforwardly that she is going to be his wife. Joke on her part didn’t like the idea of professing marriage to a woman at the first approach, however, she accepted for them to be friends.
The duo dated for some time and Jacobs eventually proposed to her and she agreed. The engagement happened in Tunisia on the set of the movie The Pirate. After five years of meeting and getting to know each other, the couple walked down the aisle as husband and wife in 1986 and have remained together ever since then.
The Couple Run Their Own Company Together
Alongside their individual acting careers, Olu Jacobs and his wife run their own company called Lufodo Group. They founded it as a stage and film production company in 1985, but after some years, it grew and evolved into a full-fledged media and entertainment company. Today, Lufodo Group has other companies under it such as Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, Lufodo Productions, Lufodo Distribution, and Lufodo Consult.
Therein, Olu Jacobs serves as the Executive Chairman while his wife is the Executive Director. Also, Joke Silva is the pioneer managing director of Malete Film Village, which is in association with Kwara State University.
Why Olu Jacobs and His Wife are Referred to as a Power Couple
Olu Jacobs and his actress wife have successfully managed their career and family. However, they have also experienced rough patches in their union. In 2018, during an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Joke Silva mentioned that she and her husband had been through some weather storms from time to time. One of the instances she gave was when she had one of their babies and had to pack out of the house.
According to her, Jacobs just returned from shooting a movie and was still in the character that he played on set. While they were talking, he suddenly began to scream at her. This triggered Joke so much that she had to run to her parent’s home. However, they later made up and she returned. The actress further added that despite the challenges they face at some point, they never seize to come back to each other and make up.
The couple has a lot of respect for each other and has maintained a good working platform as a couple. All of these contribute to the light they give both on and off-screen, thus, earning themselves the power couple title. They are indeed a good example that celebrity marriages can stand the test of time. Most importantly, Joke Silva revealed that both of them prioritize their family over their career and that is a huge part of what kept their union intact.
Olu Jacobs’ Two Surviving Children with Joke Silva
Olu Jacobs’ marriage with Joke Silva was blessed with three children, however only two are surviving. Their names are Olusoji and Olugbenga.
Olusoji Jacobs
- Full Name: Olusoji Jacobs
- Date of Birth: 23rd June 1988
- Age: 34 year old
- Education: Cameron University, Oklahoma
- Marital Status: Married to Boma Douglas
- Occupation: General Manager of Lufodo Group
Olusoji, the first son of Olu Jacobs, was born on 23rd June 1988. He had his university education at Cameron University, Oklahoma before returning to Nigeria to become part of his parent’s media company. Currently, Olusoji is the General Manager of Lufodo Group. He previously worked as the interim director of studies at Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, and also as the head of accounts and logistics. He has a close relationship with his father.
Olusoji Jacobs is a married man. He got married in 2018 to the love of his life, Boma Douglas, a native of Buguma in Rivers State. Boma has become a big part of the Olu Jacobs family as she usually refers to herself as their daughter rather than a daughter-in-law. She is usually in their family pictures and one would think she is Olu Jacobs’ daughter. Boma Douglas is a public speaker and a mental health advocate. Olusoji and his wife welcomed their first child, a baby girl in 2019.
Olugbenga Jacobs
- Full Name: Olugbenga Oluwapamilerinayo Jacobs
- Date of Birth: N/A
- Education: American University of Nigeria (AUN)
- Marital Status: Single
Olu Jacob’s second son, Olugbenga, graduated from the American University of Nigeria on 10th July 2021. Lovely photos of him and his family made rounds on the internet. Apart from this information, there are no further details of Olugbenga on the public front. The couple also seems to be doing their best in keeping their children out of the media attention.
What Happened To Olu Jacobs’ First Child?
Olu Jacobs’ first child with Joke Silva was a daughter named Dayo Jacobs. Dayo was born in 1987 but unfortunately died at the age of 10 in 1997. She died of an undisclosed illness but according to records, she was placed on a life support machine for some time. However, her parents decided to remove it and let her go. The death of Dayo was really a trying time for the couple but they managed to go through the pain that comes with losing a child.
Are Any Of Olu Jacobs’ Children Actors?
Seeing how successful and talented Olu Jacobs and his wife are in their careers as actors, many would think that their children would like to follow in their footsteps. But, it is not so as none of them have shown any interest in going into acting. The eldest son manages several capacities of Lufodo Group while the second son just graduated from the university in 2021. They live private lives but we know that they are surely doing well in their various fields of endeavors.
