Veteran Nollywood actress Joke Silva has explained why she chose to retain her maiden name after marrying fellow actor Olu Jacobs, revealing that it was actually her husband’s idea.
Speaking on the Leadership podcast hosted by Stephen Akintayo, the 62-year-old film icon said Jacobs advised her to stick with her original surname for professional reasons.
“He [Olu Jacobs] was the one who actually advised that I don’t [change my surname],” Silva shared. “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.”
Silva, who is widely respected for her decades-long contributions to the Nigerian film industry, emphasized that her marital status was never in doubt, even though she kept her surname.
“Within the circles, there was nobody who didn’t know I was Mrs Jacobs. It [changing last name] really didn’t matter,” she added.
The couple, widely admired for their enduring love and partnership both on and off screen, have been married for over three decades and are considered one of Nollywood’s most iconic duos.
