Joke Silva
WOMAN WARRIOR ON WEDNESDAY; JOKE SILVA
Joke Silva, a veteran Nollywood actress born in Lagos on the 29th of September, 1961. She was adopted into a family of trailblazers. Her mother, Dr. Abimbola, was the third woman to become a doctor in Nigeria, while her father, the Babajiro of Lagos, was a reputable lawyer.
This internationally celebrated Nigerian actress, popularly called Aunty Joke by many actors in the Nigerian movie industry began her career in the movie and film industry in the early 1990s starring in movies such as Mind Bending, To Love and to Hold, and The Secret Laughter of Women (a British-Canadian film.) She has also featured in several stage plays in Nigeria and beyond.
A tireless philanthropist and champion of women empowerment causes, Joke continues to show younger women that they can indeed succeed in their careers while maintaining loving relationships with their spouses, children and relatives. Joke has been married to her husband, veteran actor, Olu Jacobs, who she met at the National Arts Theater in 1981, for more 34 years. Their union is blessed with two sons, and a grand daughter.
Passionate about developing upcoming actors, and creating an enabling environment to help them thrive, Joke Silva and Olu Jacobs co-founded the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts (LAPA,) an educational institution, which uses a rigorous practice based curriculum to deliver world-class, hands-on training in performing arts disciplines.
Her award winning career is rivaled by few, and respected by many. She won the "Best Actress in a Leading Role” award at the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2006, the EMOTAN Award by the African Independent Television, and the SOLIDRA Award for Visual Art. On 29 September 2014, joke was honoured as a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR,) one of Nigeria’s national awards, at the International Conference Centre in Abuja.
