Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, known professionally as Olu Jacobs has been suffering from dementia since 2021. Wife of Olu Jacobs, Silva Joke has disclosed a few things about her husband’s dementia.
Speaking in an interview with Nancy Isime, Joke talked about how challenging her husband’s condition has become. She added that the experience has been difficult for the entire family and she will continue to stand by her husband.
Dementia is a chronic brain condition that causes memory, cognitive, and behavior problems. It is a progressive disease, which means that it worsens over time. Dementia has no cure, but there are therapies that can help control the symptoms.
Joke added that sometimes it feels as if the man she married is no more there, but she will still stand by her husband. She further recounted how responsible and loving Olu Jacobs was before his condition.
“It hasn’t been easy. It’s almost as if the person you married 80 percent of the time is no longer there”.
“the thing is this when he was there, he was an amazing man; my husband is an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband, he was practically my best friend. I could share anything with him.”
Joke mentioned that, though she loves her husband, the love has now been different. It is more like a fatherly love as she feels she is taking care of her father.
“So in this journey now, it’s like I am looking after my father, that’s the way it is because the husband I knew is no longer there, but this man that is here is somebody that I still love but love in a different way”.
Olu Jacobs and his wife Joke Silva are well respected in Nollywood and across the world for their contributions to filmmaking. Olu Jacobs has featured in several British television series as well as international films. He is considered by many as one of the greatest African actors of his generation.
Joke mentioned that, they have know each other for 42 years, and their marriage has lasted for 37 years.
