Veteran Nollywood actress Joke Silva recently disclosed the reason why she decided not to adopt her husband Olu Jacobs’ surname after they tied the knot.
She shared that it was a deliberate choice encouraged by Jacobs himself to maintain her professional identity.
During an interview on the Leadership podcast with Stephen Akintayo, the renowned 62-year-old actress revealed that her husband advised her to keep her maiden name in order to preserve her established reputation in the industry.
When asked by the host if there was a particular reason she didn’t change her last name after marriage, Silva responded:
“He [Olu Jacobs] was the one who actually advised that I don’t. Because he understood the importance of branding. He was like, my brand has started building as Joke Silva and changing brands several years after one has been using that brand, as far as he was concerned, could cause problems for me.”
She added that while she remained Joke Silva in the public eye, those close to the couple always recognised her as Mrs. Jacobs.
“So, we kept the name Joke Silva as the brand but within the circles, there was nobody who didn’t know I was Mrs Jacobs. It [changing last name] really didn’t matter.”
Joke Silva and Jacobs, a celebrated actor, have been married for over thirty years and are considered one of Nollywood’s most esteemed couples. Their enduring relationship and mutual admiration serve as a source of inspiration for many, both within and beyond the entertainment world.
