BREAKING: Why My Father Opposed Marriage To Olu Jacobs

Veteran Nollywood actress, Joke Silva, has stated that her father opposed her marriage to Olu Jacobs due to their 19-year age difference.

Naija News reports that the thespian made this known during a recent appearance on the Stephen Akintayo Leadership podcast.

Silva recalled that she met Jacobs while seeking guidance in her early days as an actress, and her sister endorsed the movie star, saying, “Joke, this is the man to take to daddy”.

The film star disclosed that despite their strong bond, her father initially opposed their relationship due to the age gap, but her mother supported the union.

The 63 Year-old screen icon said their connection deepened as Jacobs, already an established actor, encouraged her to pursue formal drama training instead of a university degree in Theatre Arts.

Silva said she eventually married her husband because she was in love with him, adding that Jacobs advised her to keep her maiden name after marriage to protect her brand.

She said, “We got married in 1984. I was 24, so it was 1985. He was 19 or 20 years older than me. (I accepted because) I was in love with him. It is as simple as that. He was just a very gorgeous person.

“I remember one of my sisters, when she was home, I think it was 1984, and I had come back home. We met, and she called me aside and said, ‘Joke, this is the man to take to Daddy.’ That was Toyin Olawoye.

“My dad had issues with the fact that he was older, but my mum was like This is the person they know me with. And her parents had that kind of age gap as well. So it was no big deal.

“He (Jacobs) was the one who advised that I do not change my name. Because he understood the importance of branding, he said my brand had started building before we met, and changing the brand could cause problems for me.

“We kept the name Joke Silva as the brand, and within the brand, there was nobody who did not know I was Mrs Jacobs.”