Joke Silva Opens Up About Olu Jacobs’ Dementia: “He Is No Longer The Man I Married”
Lagos, Nigeria – In a candid and emotional interview, Nollywood icon Joke Silva revealed the struggles of living with her husband Olu Jacobs, who has been diagnosed with dementia.
Dementia is a progressive brain disorder that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. It can cause confusion, mood changes, and difficulty with daily activities.
Silva, who is also a renowned actress and director, said that her husband’s condition has altered his personality and behavior, making him a different person from the one she married 37 years ago.
“It hasn’t been easy. There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality. It is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.
Olu Jacobs, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors in Nigerian history, has been suffering from dementia for some time. He has appeared in over 120 films and has won several awards, including the African Movie Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2007.
Silva said that her husband was an incredible father and husband when he was healthy, and that he was her best friend. She said that she still loves him, but in a different way.
“The husband I knew is no longer there for me. This man that is here is someone I still love, but love in a different way,” she said.
Silva also thanked her fans and colleagues for their support and prayers, and urged them to be more aware and compassionate towards people living with dementia and their caregivers.
“Dementia is not a death sentence. It is a challenge that we have to face with courage and grace. I hope that by sharing my story, I can inspire others who are going through the same thing,” she said.
