Joke Silva Shares Why She Kept Her Maiden Name After Marrying Olu Jacobs

Veteran Nollywood actress Joke Silva addressed why she never took her late husband Olu Jacobs' surname after their marriageThe disclosure resurfaced from an old interview following Olu Jacobs' death on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at the age of 84Silva revealed it was actually Olu Jacobs himself who made the decision, citing a surprising reason involving her careerPAY ATTENTION: Mark YEN.com.gh as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!

Joke Silva, one of Nigeria's most respected actresses, has opened up about a decision that quietly defined her marriage to the late Olu Jacobs: keeping her maiden name.

Joke Silva Shares Why She Kept Her Maiden Name After Marrying Olu Jacobs Source: Instagram

The revelation resurfaced from an old interview with Silva following the passing of her husband, legendary Nollywood actor Olu Jacobs, who died on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at the age of 84.

The 64-year-old actress reflected on the story behind her name, and it turns out the choice was not entirely hers to make.

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According to Silva, it was Olu Jacobs himself who urged her not to adopt his surname after they wed. The veteran actor believed the name "Joke Silva" had already become something far bigger than a personal identity, and he was not prepared to let that be disrupted by convention.

His reasoning was straightforward: she had built a professional identity under that name, and trading it in for a new one risked confusing audiences and undermining years of work in the industry. Rather than insisting on tradition, Olu Jacobs chose to protect what his wife had built.

Watch the X video of Joke Silva's interview below:

The clip sparked a wave of conversation online, with many viewers weighing in on the couple's decision.

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Jeffrey Owusu-Mensah (HOD Entertainment) Jeffrey is the Head of the Entertainment Desk and a graduate of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) with over 15 years of experience in journalism. He started as a reporter with Ghana News Agency (GNA). He joined Primnewsghana.com in 2016 as an editor. He moved to YEN.com.gh in 2017 as an editor and has risen to his current position. You can contact him via e-mail: [email protected]