Joke Silva, veteran legendary actor, Olu Jacobs’ wife, has provided information about their courtship and wedding.

In a Femi Odugbemi-produced documentary on her husband’s life and profession, the 60-year-old actress shared their love story in detail.

She described how they first connected on a shoot and how their romance developed.

“It was just before the celebration of Nigeria’s 21st anniversary. Ms Edith Enem was the artistic director of the National Theatre at the time, and they wanted to put up a production of Jero’s Metamorphosis’.”

She mentioned that the set was bustling with activity surrounding Olu Jacobs, who would be playing the lead role of Jero and was traveling from England.

She remembered how eager she was to see him because of how they had talked about him (Olu Jacobs).

“We were in rehearsals one day at the main bowl…and I was told to go call Ms Enem to come and take a look at what we had rehearsed. And as I opened the curtain, I just heard this incredible voice that went ‘Wow! This is the standard of the woman I’m going to marry.”

“And I’m like what kind of standard line is that, and I looked him up and down and, I thought, what rubbish. But, he came over to rehearsals and was just such a wonderful person to work with. He realised he had made a faux pas and tried to get in my good graces after that. And we became excellent friends.” 

That was the beginning of a happy marriage that has lasted 37 years.

She further said that on the morning of their wedding, Olu Jacobs was nowhere to be found.

“When he eventually came, he apologised profusely and explained why he was absent. He said well, they partied into the early hours of the day. They all fell asleep, and the people who were supposed to wake him up at 9:30 woke up just when the service began at 10. He woke up at 9:30 am. And started screaming and waking everybody up.”

Giving an explanation for why his wife still uses her maiden name, Silva, the veteran actor said;

“She is her individual. When I met her, she was an actress known as Joke Silva, so why should marrying me deny her audience her name. She is Miss Joke Silva, who is Mrs Joke Jacobs. It is as simple as that.”

“People now begin to say all sorts. They have even written that we are separated and all sorts of stuff. When she is working, she is Joke Silva, but she is Mrs Joke Jacobs at home.”