Why I retained my father’s name after marriage — Actress Joke Silva

Veteran actress Joke Silva has opened up about why she chose to retain her maiden name after getting married.

Speaking on the Leadership podcast with Stephen Akintayo, Silva revealed that it was her husband, fellow actor Olu Jacobs, who encouraged her to keep her maiden name for professional reasons.

According to Silva, Jacobs recognised the strength of her brand and advised that changing her name might negatively impact her career trajectory.

Taking his advice, she continued using her maiden name professionally while embracing her role as Mrs. Jacobs in her personal life.

Silva credited her husband’s wisdom and support for helping her strike a perfect balance between her personal and professional identities.

She said:

“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 circle, there was nobody who did not know I was Mrs Jacobs”.

Joke Silva has opened up about her relationship with her husband, veteran actor Olu Jacobs, shedding light on their 19-year age difference and how their love story began.

Speaking candidly, Silva recalled meeting Jacobs early in her acting journey while seeking mentorship. Already an established figure in the industry, Jacobs not only encouraged her to pursue formal drama training but also became a guiding force in her career.

Their bond grew stronger over time, eventually evolving into a romantic relationship.

Silva admitted that her father initially had concerns about the significant age gap between them. However, her mother was fully supportive, noting that her own parents had a similar difference in age.

In 1985, Silva married Jacobs, saying she was deeply in love and captivated by his personality, describing him as a “gorgeous person.”

“I was 24, We got married in 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”, she said. [CONTINUE READING HERE]>>>>