Veteran actor, Oludotun Jacobs, popularly known as Olu Jacobs, has died at the age of 84, leaving behind a remarkable legacy that spans more than five decades in theatre, television and film.His death has sparked an outpouring of tributes from President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, colleagues and other Nigerians, who hailed his immense contribution to the Nigerian entertainment industry,TOFARATI IGEwritesPresident Bola Tinubu, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, and other Nigerians have mourned veteran actor, Oludotun Jacobs, popularly known as Olu Jacobs, who died on Wednesday at the age of 84.The actor’s death, announced by his son, Olusoji Jacobs, on Instagram, came after years of health challenges that saw the celebrated thespian withdraw from the public space.The family described him as “The Lion of Lufodo” and appealed to bloggers and social media influencers to respect its privacy as it mourned him.Reacting to the death, Tinubu described Jacobs as “a giant of the Nigerian creative industry,” saying his death was a loss to Nigeria, the African film industry and lovers of the performing arts globally.In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said Jacobs was one of Nigeria’s most distinguished actors and a towering figure whose career spanned theatre, television and film across the world.He said the late actor contributed to the development and professionalisation of Nigeria’s entertainment industry and inspired generations of actors and filmmakers through his talent, discipline and dedication.Tinubu added that Jacobs’ ability to bring “depth, dignity, and authenticity” to the characters he portrayed earned him admiration in Nigeria and beyond.“He was a giant of the Nigerian creative industry. His passing is a great loss to Nigeria, the African film industry and the global community of lovers of the performing arts. His remarkable body of work will continue to speak to generations yet unborn.“The nation recognises the enormous contributions of Nigeria’s creative practitioners to the country’s cultural identity, global image and economic development. Olu Jacobs played a big role in creating this identity,” the statement read in part.Tinubu extended his condolences to Jacobs’ wife and veteran actress, Joke Silva, their children, relatives, colleagues and the wider creative community.On his part, Atiku, in a tribute posted on X, described Jacobs as “an institution, a cultural icon and one of the finest ambassadors of our creative spirit.”According to Atiku, Jacobs was a familiar and commanding presence in the homes of generations of Nigerians, with his distinctive voice, dignity and talent making him part of the country’s collective memory.“The curtain may have fallen on an extraordinary life, but the characters he gave us, the standards he set and the generations he inspired will continue to speak for him,” the former vice president wrote.Musawa also described the actor as “a national institution” and one of the pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry.She said, “Olu Jacobs was not just an actor; he was a national institution. He was one of the most important pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry and one of Africa’s greatest actors.“For over five decades, his voice, his presence and his craft gave life to our stories and gave dignity to our industry.”The minister highlighted Jacobs’ contribution to training younger practitioners through the Lufodo Academy, which he established with Silva.She added, “Through the Lufodo Academy which has trained hundreds of actors, directors and filmmakers who are now leading Nollywood, and the countless lives he touched, his legacy will continue to live on stage, on screen and in the hearts of millions of Nigerians. Nigeria has lost a lion, but his light will never fade.”Former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, also described Jacobs’ death as an “irreparable loss” to Nigeria and the African entertainment industry.The National Film and Video Censors Board equally described him as a titan of Nigerian and African cinema and theatre, praising his “rich, booming voice, impeccable diction, and unmatched gravitas.”The board, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Shaibu Husseini, said Jacobs’ contributions went beyond individual performances, noting that he helped elevate the cultural prestige of Nigerian film and left an enduring mark on generations of filmmakers, actors and audiences.Emeka Ike breaks downFor some of Jacobs’ colleagues, the news was particularly difficult to absorb.Actor, Emeka Ike, was captured in an emotional video breaking down in tears after learning of the veteran actor’s death.In the footage circulating online, Ike appeared overwhelmed with emotion and lamented that he had not seen Jacobs before his death.“I did not see him till he died,” Ike was heard saying in the video.The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. His death has sparked an outpouring of tributes from President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, colleagues and other Nigerians, who hailed his immense contribution to the Nigerian entertainment industry,TOFARATI IGEwritesPresident Bola Tinubu, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, and other Nigerians have mourned veteran actor, Oludotun Jacobs, popularly known as Olu Jacobs, who died on Wednesday at the age of 84.The actor’s death, announced by his son, Olusoji Jacobs, on Instagram, came after years of health challenges that saw the celebrated thespian withdraw from the public space.The family described him as “The Lion of Lufodo” and appealed to bloggers and social media influencers to respect its privacy as it mourned him.Reacting to the death, Tinubu described Jacobs as “a giant of the Nigerian creative industry,” saying his death was a loss to Nigeria, the African film industry and lovers of the performing arts globally.In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said Jacobs was one of Nigeria’s most distinguished actors and a towering figure whose career spanned theatre, television and film across the world.He said the late actor contributed to the development and professionalisation of Nigeria’s entertainment industry and inspired generations of actors and filmmakers through his talent, discipline and dedication.Tinubu added that Jacobs’ ability to bring “depth, dignity, and authenticity” to the characters he portrayed earned him admiration in Nigeria and beyond.“He was a giant of the Nigerian creative industry. His passing is a great loss to Nigeria, the African film industry and the global community of lovers of the performing arts. His remarkable body of work will continue to speak to generations yet unborn.“The nation recognises the enormous contributions of Nigeria’s creative practitioners to the country’s cultural identity, global image and economic development. Olu Jacobs played a big role in creating this identity,” the statement read in part.Tinubu extended his condolences to Jacobs’ wife and veteran actress, Joke Silva, their children, relatives, colleagues and the wider creative community.On his part, Atiku, in a tribute posted on X, described Jacobs as “an institution, a cultural icon and one of the finest ambassadors of our creative spirit.”According to Atiku, Jacobs was a familiar and commanding presence in the homes of generations of Nigerians, with his distinctive voice, dignity and talent making him part of the country’s collective memory.“The curtain may have fallen on an extraordinary life, but the characters he gave us, the standards he set and the generations he inspired will continue to speak for him,” the former vice president wrote.Musawa also described the actor as “a national institution” and one of the pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry.She said, “Olu Jacobs was not just an actor; he was a national institution. He was one of the most important pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry and one of Africa’s greatest actors.“For over five decades, his voice, his presence and his craft gave life to our stories and gave dignity to our industry.”The minister highlighted Jacobs’ contribution to training younger practitioners through the Lufodo Academy, which he established with Silva.She added, “Through the Lufodo Academy which has trained hundreds of actors, directors and filmmakers who are now leading Nollywood, and the countless lives he touched, his legacy will continue to live on stage, on screen and in the hearts of millions of Nigerians. Nigeria has lost a lion, but his light will never fade.”Former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, also described Jacobs’ death as an “irreparable loss” to Nigeria and the African entertainment industry.The National Film and Video Censors Board equally described him as a titan of Nigerian and African cinema and theatre, praising his “rich, booming voice, impeccable diction, and unmatched gravitas.”The board, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Shaibu Husseini, said Jacobs’ contributions went beyond individual performances, noting that he helped elevate the cultural prestige of Nigerian film and left an enduring mark on generations of filmmakers, actors and audiences.Emeka Ike breaks downFor some of Jacobs’ colleagues, the news was particularly difficult to absorb.Actor, Emeka Ike, was captured in an emotional video breaking down in tears after learning of the veteran actor’s death.In the footage circulating online, Ike appeared overwhelmed with emotion and lamented that he had not seen Jacobs before his death.“I did not see him till he died,” Ike was heard saying in the video.The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, and other Nigerians have mourned veteran actor, Oludotun Jacobs, popularly known as Olu Jacobs, who died on Wednesday at the age of 84.The actor’s death, announced by his son, Olusoji Jacobs, on Instagram, came after years of health challenges that saw the celebrated thespian withdraw from the public space.The family described him as “The Lion of Lufodo” and appealed to bloggers and social media influencers to respect its privacy as it mourned him.Reacting to the death, Tinubu described Jacobs as “a giant of the Nigerian creative industry,” saying his death was a loss to Nigeria, the African film industry and lovers of the performing arts globally.In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said Jacobs was one of Nigeria’s most distinguished actors and a towering figure whose career spanned theatre, television and film across the world.He said the late actor contributed to the development and professionalisation of Nigeria’s entertainment industry and inspired generations of actors and filmmakers through his talent, discipline and dedication.Tinubu added that Jacobs’ ability to bring “depth, dignity, and authenticity” to the characters he portrayed earned him admiration in Nigeria and beyond.“He was a giant of the Nigerian creative industry. His passing is a great loss to Nigeria, the African film industry and the global community of lovers of the performing arts. His remarkable body of work will continue to speak to generations yet unborn.“The nation recognises the enormous contributions of Nigeria’s creative practitioners to the country’s cultural identity, global image and economic development. Olu Jacobs played a big role in creating this identity,” the statement read in part.Tinubu extended his condolences to Jacobs’ wife and veteran actress, Joke Silva, their children, relatives, colleagues and the wider creative community.On his part, Atiku, in a tribute posted on X, described Jacobs as “an institution, a cultural icon and one of the finest ambassadors of our creative spirit.”According to Atiku, Jacobs was a familiar and commanding presence in the homes of generations of Nigerians, with his distinctive voice, dignity and talent making him part of the country’s collective memory.“The curtain may have fallen on an extraordinary life, but the characters he gave us, the standards he set and the generations he inspired will continue to speak for him,” the former vice president wrote.Musawa also described the actor as “a national institution” and one of the pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry.She said, “Olu Jacobs was not just an actor; he was a national institution. He was one of the most important pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry and one of Africa’s greatest actors.“For over five decades, his voice, his presence and his craft gave life to our stories and gave dignity to our industry.”The minister highlighted Jacobs’ contribution to training younger practitioners through the Lufodo Academy, which he established with Silva.She added, “Through the Lufodo Academy which has trained hundreds of actors, directors and filmmakers who are now leading Nollywood, and the countless lives he touched, his legacy will continue to live on stage, on screen and in the hearts of millions of Nigerians. Nigeria has lost a lion, but his light will never fade.”Former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, also described Jacobs’ death as an “irreparable loss” to Nigeria and the African entertainment industry.The National Film and Video Censors Board equally described him as a titan of Nigerian and African cinema and theatre, praising his “rich, booming voice, impeccable diction, and unmatched gravitas.”The board, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Shaibu Husseini, said Jacobs’ contributions went beyond individual performances, noting that he helped elevate the cultural prestige of Nigerian film and left an enduring mark on generations of filmmakers, actors and audiences.Emeka Ike breaks downFor some of Jacobs’ colleagues, the news was particularly difficult to absorb.Actor, Emeka Ike, was captured in an emotional video breaking down in tears after learning of the veteran actor’s death.In the footage circulating online, Ike appeared overwhelmed with emotion and lamented that he had not seen Jacobs before his death.“I did not see him till he died,” Ike was heard saying in the video.The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. The actor’s death, announced by his son, Olusoji Jacobs, on Instagram, came after years of health challenges that saw the celebrated thespian withdraw from the public space.The family described him as “The Lion of Lufodo” and appealed to bloggers and social media influencers to respect its privacy as it mourned him.Reacting to the death, Tinubu described Jacobs as “a giant of the Nigerian creative industry,” saying his death was a loss to Nigeria, the African film industry and lovers of the performing arts globally.In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said Jacobs was one of Nigeria’s most distinguished actors and a towering figure whose career spanned theatre, television and film across the world.He said the late actor contributed to the development and professionalisation of Nigeria’s entertainment industry and inspired generations of actors and filmmakers through his talent, discipline and dedication.Tinubu added that Jacobs’ ability to bring “depth, dignity, and authenticity” to the characters he portrayed earned him admiration in Nigeria and beyond.“He was a giant of the Nigerian creative industry. His passing is a great loss to Nigeria, the African film industry and the global community of lovers of the performing arts. His remarkable body of work will continue to speak to generations yet unborn.“The nation recognises the enormous contributions of Nigeria’s creative practitioners to the country’s cultural identity, global image and economic development. Olu Jacobs played a big role in creating this identity,” the statement read in part.Tinubu extended his condolences to Jacobs’ wife and veteran actress, Joke Silva, their children, relatives, colleagues and the wider creative community.On his part, Atiku, in a tribute posted on X, described Jacobs as “an institution, a cultural icon and one of the finest ambassadors of our creative spirit.”According to Atiku, Jacobs was a familiar and commanding presence in the homes of generations of Nigerians, with his distinctive voice, dignity and talent making him part of the country’s collective memory.“The curtain may have fallen on an extraordinary life, but the characters he gave us, the standards he set and the generations he inspired will continue to speak for him,” the former vice president wrote.Musawa also described the actor as “a national institution” and one of the pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry.She said, “Olu Jacobs was not just an actor; he was a national institution. He was one of the most important pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry and one of Africa’s greatest actors.“For over five decades, his voice, his presence and his craft gave life to our stories and gave dignity to our industry.”The minister highlighted Jacobs’ contribution to training younger practitioners through the Lufodo Academy, which he established with Silva.She added, “Through the Lufodo Academy which has trained hundreds of actors, directors and filmmakers who are now leading Nollywood, and the countless lives he touched, his legacy will continue to live on stage, on screen and in the hearts of millions of Nigerians. Nigeria has lost a lion, but his light will never fade.”Former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, also described Jacobs’ death as an “irreparable loss” to Nigeria and the African entertainment industry.The National Film and Video Censors Board equally described him as a titan of Nigerian and African cinema and theatre, praising his “rich, booming voice, impeccable diction, and unmatched gravitas.”The board, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Shaibu Husseini, said Jacobs’ contributions went beyond individual performances, noting that he helped elevate the cultural prestige of Nigerian film and left an enduring mark on generations of filmmakers, actors and audiences.Emeka Ike breaks downFor some of Jacobs’ colleagues, the news was particularly difficult to absorb.Actor, Emeka Ike, was captured in an emotional video breaking down in tears after learning of the veteran actor’s death.In the footage circulating online, Ike appeared overwhelmed with emotion and lamented that he had not seen Jacobs before his death.“I did not see him till he died,” Ike was heard saying in the video.The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. The family described him as “The Lion of Lufodo” and appealed to bloggers and social media influencers to respect its privacy as it mourned him.Reacting to the death, Tinubu described Jacobs as “a giant of the Nigerian creative industry,” saying his death was a loss to Nigeria, the African film industry and lovers of the performing arts globally.In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said Jacobs was one of Nigeria’s most distinguished actors and a towering figure whose career spanned theatre, television and film across the world.He said the late actor contributed to the development and professionalisation of Nigeria’s entertainment industry and inspired generations of actors and filmmakers through his talent, discipline and dedication.Tinubu added that Jacobs’ ability to bring “depth, dignity, and authenticity” to the characters he portrayed earned him admiration in Nigeria and beyond.“He was a giant of the Nigerian creative industry. His passing is a great loss to Nigeria, the African film industry and the global community of lovers of the performing arts. His remarkable body of work will continue to speak to generations yet unborn.“The nation recognises the enormous contributions of Nigeria’s creative practitioners to the country’s cultural identity, global image and economic development. Olu Jacobs played a big role in creating this identity,” the statement read in part.Tinubu extended his condolences to Jacobs’ wife and veteran actress, Joke Silva, their children, relatives, colleagues and the wider creative community.On his part, Atiku, in a tribute posted on X, described Jacobs as “an institution, a cultural icon and one of the finest ambassadors of our creative spirit.”According to Atiku, Jacobs was a familiar and commanding presence in the homes of generations of Nigerians, with his distinctive voice, dignity and talent making him part of the country’s collective memory.“The curtain may have fallen on an extraordinary life, but the characters he gave us, the standards he set and the generations he inspired will continue to speak for him,” the former vice president wrote.Musawa also described the actor as “a national institution” and one of the pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry.She said, “Olu Jacobs was not just an actor; he was a national institution. He was one of the most important pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry and one of Africa’s greatest actors.“For over five decades, his voice, his presence and his craft gave life to our stories and gave dignity to our industry.”The minister highlighted Jacobs’ contribution to training younger practitioners through the Lufodo Academy, which he established with Silva.She added, “Through the Lufodo Academy which has trained hundreds of actors, directors and filmmakers who are now leading Nollywood, and the countless lives he touched, his legacy will continue to live on stage, on screen and in the hearts of millions of Nigerians. Nigeria has lost a lion, but his light will never fade.”Former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, also described Jacobs’ death as an “irreparable loss” to Nigeria and the African entertainment industry.The National Film and Video Censors Board equally described him as a titan of Nigerian and African cinema and theatre, praising his “rich, booming voice, impeccable diction, and unmatched gravitas.”The board, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Shaibu Husseini, said Jacobs’ contributions went beyond individual performances, noting that he helped elevate the cultural prestige of Nigerian film and left an enduring mark on generations of filmmakers, actors and audiences.Emeka Ike breaks downFor some of Jacobs’ colleagues, the news was particularly difficult to absorb.Actor, Emeka Ike, was captured in an emotional video breaking down in tears after learning of the veteran actor’s death.In the footage circulating online, Ike appeared overwhelmed with emotion and lamented that he had not seen Jacobs before his death.“I did not see him till he died,” Ike was heard saying in the video.The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. Reacting to the death, Tinubu described Jacobs as “a giant of the Nigerian creative industry,” saying his death was a loss to Nigeria, the African film industry and lovers of the performing arts globally.In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said Jacobs was one of Nigeria’s most distinguished actors and a towering figure whose career spanned theatre, television and film across the world.He said the late actor contributed to the development and professionalisation of Nigeria’s entertainment industry and inspired generations of actors and filmmakers through his talent, discipline and dedication.Tinubu added that Jacobs’ ability to bring “depth, dignity, and authenticity” to the characters he portrayed earned him admiration in Nigeria and beyond.“He was a giant of the Nigerian creative industry. His passing is a great loss to Nigeria, the African film industry and the global community of lovers of the performing arts. His remarkable body of work will continue to speak to generations yet unborn.“The nation recognises the enormous contributions of Nigeria’s creative practitioners to the country’s cultural identity, global image and economic development. Olu Jacobs played a big role in creating this identity,” the statement read in part.Tinubu extended his condolences to Jacobs’ wife and veteran actress, Joke Silva, their children, relatives, colleagues and the wider creative community.On his part, Atiku, in a tribute posted on X, described Jacobs as “an institution, a cultural icon and one of the finest ambassadors of our creative spirit.”According to Atiku, Jacobs was a familiar and commanding presence in the homes of generations of Nigerians, with his distinctive voice, dignity and talent making him part of the country’s collective memory.“The curtain may have fallen on an extraordinary life, but the characters he gave us, the standards he set and the generations he inspired will continue to speak for him,” the former vice president wrote.Musawa also described the actor as “a national institution” and one of the pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry.She said, “Olu Jacobs was not just an actor; he was a national institution. He was one of the most important pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry and one of Africa’s greatest actors.“For over five decades, his voice, his presence and his craft gave life to our stories and gave dignity to our industry.”The minister highlighted Jacobs’ contribution to training younger practitioners through the Lufodo Academy, which he established with Silva.She added, “Through the Lufodo Academy which has trained hundreds of actors, directors and filmmakers who are now leading Nollywood, and the countless lives he touched, his legacy will continue to live on stage, on screen and in the hearts of millions of Nigerians. Nigeria has lost a lion, but his light will never fade.”Former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, also described Jacobs’ death as an “irreparable loss” to Nigeria and the African entertainment industry.The National Film and Video Censors Board equally described him as a titan of Nigerian and African cinema and theatre, praising his “rich, booming voice, impeccable diction, and unmatched gravitas.”The board, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Shaibu Husseini, said Jacobs’ contributions went beyond individual performances, noting that he helped elevate the cultural prestige of Nigerian film and left an enduring mark on generations of filmmakers, actors and audiences.Emeka Ike breaks downFor some of Jacobs’ colleagues, the news was particularly difficult to absorb.Actor, Emeka Ike, was captured in an emotional video breaking down in tears after learning of the veteran actor’s death.In the footage circulating online, Ike appeared overwhelmed with emotion and lamented that he had not seen Jacobs before his death.“I did not see him till he died,” Ike was heard saying in the video.The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said Jacobs was one of Nigeria’s most distinguished actors and a towering figure whose career spanned theatre, television and film across the world.He said the late actor contributed to the development and professionalisation of Nigeria’s entertainment industry and inspired generations of actors and filmmakers through his talent, discipline and dedication.Tinubu added that Jacobs’ ability to bring “depth, dignity, and authenticity” to the characters he portrayed earned him admiration in Nigeria and beyond.“He was a giant of the Nigerian creative industry. His passing is a great loss to Nigeria, the African film industry and the global community of lovers of the performing arts. His remarkable body of work will continue to speak to generations yet unborn.“The nation recognises the enormous contributions of Nigeria’s creative practitioners to the country’s cultural identity, global image and economic development. Olu Jacobs played a big role in creating this identity,” the statement read in part.Tinubu extended his condolences to Jacobs’ wife and veteran actress, Joke Silva, their children, relatives, colleagues and the wider creative community.On his part, Atiku, in a tribute posted on X, described Jacobs as “an institution, a cultural icon and one of the finest ambassadors of our creative spirit.”According to Atiku, Jacobs was a familiar and commanding presence in the homes of generations of Nigerians, with his distinctive voice, dignity and talent making him part of the country’s collective memory.“The curtain may have fallen on an extraordinary life, but the characters he gave us, the standards he set and the generations he inspired will continue to speak for him,” the former vice president wrote.Musawa also described the actor as “a national institution” and one of the pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry.She said, “Olu Jacobs was not just an actor; he was a national institution. He was one of the most important pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry and one of Africa’s greatest actors.“For over five decades, his voice, his presence and his craft gave life to our stories and gave dignity to our industry.”The minister highlighted Jacobs’ contribution to training younger practitioners through the Lufodo Academy, which he established with Silva.She added, “Through the Lufodo Academy which has trained hundreds of actors, directors and filmmakers who are now leading Nollywood, and the countless lives he touched, his legacy will continue to live on stage, on screen and in the hearts of millions of Nigerians. Nigeria has lost a lion, but his light will never fade.”Former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, also described Jacobs’ death as an “irreparable loss” to Nigeria and the African entertainment industry.The National Film and Video Censors Board equally described him as a titan of Nigerian and African cinema and theatre, praising his “rich, booming voice, impeccable diction, and unmatched gravitas.”The board, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Shaibu Husseini, said Jacobs’ contributions went beyond individual performances, noting that he helped elevate the cultural prestige of Nigerian film and left an enduring mark on generations of filmmakers, actors and audiences.Emeka Ike breaks downFor some of Jacobs’ colleagues, the news was particularly difficult to absorb.Actor, Emeka Ike, was captured in an emotional video breaking down in tears after learning of the veteran actor’s death.In the footage circulating online, Ike appeared overwhelmed with emotion and lamented that he had not seen Jacobs before his death.“I did not see him till he died,” Ike was heard saying in the video.The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. He said the late actor contributed to the development and professionalisation of Nigeria’s entertainment industry and inspired generations of actors and filmmakers through his talent, discipline and dedication.Tinubu added that Jacobs’ ability to bring “depth, dignity, and authenticity” to the characters he portrayed earned him admiration in Nigeria and beyond.“He was a giant of the Nigerian creative industry. His passing is a great loss to Nigeria, the African film industry and the global community of lovers of the performing arts. His remarkable body of work will continue to speak to generations yet unborn.“The nation recognises the enormous contributions of Nigeria’s creative practitioners to the country’s cultural identity, global image and economic development. Olu Jacobs played a big role in creating this identity,” the statement read in part.Tinubu extended his condolences to Jacobs’ wife and veteran actress, Joke Silva, their children, relatives, colleagues and the wider creative community.On his part, Atiku, in a tribute posted on X, described Jacobs as “an institution, a cultural icon and one of the finest ambassadors of our creative spirit.”According to Atiku, Jacobs was a familiar and commanding presence in the homes of generations of Nigerians, with his distinctive voice, dignity and talent making him part of the country’s collective memory.“The curtain may have fallen on an extraordinary life, but the characters he gave us, the standards he set and the generations he inspired will continue to speak for him,” the former vice president wrote.Musawa also described the actor as “a national institution” and one of the pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry.She said, “Olu Jacobs was not just an actor; he was a national institution. He was one of the most important pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry and one of Africa’s greatest actors.“For over five decades, his voice, his presence and his craft gave life to our stories and gave dignity to our industry.”The minister highlighted Jacobs’ contribution to training younger practitioners through the Lufodo Academy, which he established with Silva.She added, “Through the Lufodo Academy which has trained hundreds of actors, directors and filmmakers who are now leading Nollywood, and the countless lives he touched, his legacy will continue to live on stage, on screen and in the hearts of millions of Nigerians. Nigeria has lost a lion, but his light will never fade.”Former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, also described Jacobs’ death as an “irreparable loss” to Nigeria and the African entertainment industry.The National Film and Video Censors Board equally described him as a titan of Nigerian and African cinema and theatre, praising his “rich, booming voice, impeccable diction, and unmatched gravitas.”The board, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Shaibu Husseini, said Jacobs’ contributions went beyond individual performances, noting that he helped elevate the cultural prestige of Nigerian film and left an enduring mark on generations of filmmakers, actors and audiences.Emeka Ike breaks downFor some of Jacobs’ colleagues, the news was particularly difficult to absorb.Actor, Emeka Ike, was captured in an emotional video breaking down in tears after learning of the veteran actor’s death.In the footage circulating online, Ike appeared overwhelmed with emotion and lamented that he had not seen Jacobs before his death.“I did not see him till he died,” Ike was heard saying in the video.The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. Tinubu added that Jacobs’ ability to bring “depth, dignity, and authenticity” to the characters he portrayed earned him admiration in Nigeria and beyond.“He was a giant of the Nigerian creative industry. His passing is a great loss to Nigeria, the African film industry and the global community of lovers of the performing arts. His remarkable body of work will continue to speak to generations yet unborn.“The nation recognises the enormous contributions of Nigeria’s creative practitioners to the country’s cultural identity, global image and economic development. Olu Jacobs played a big role in creating this identity,” the statement read in part.Tinubu extended his condolences to Jacobs’ wife and veteran actress, Joke Silva, their children, relatives, colleagues and the wider creative community.On his part, Atiku, in a tribute posted on X, described Jacobs as “an institution, a cultural icon and one of the finest ambassadors of our creative spirit.”According to Atiku, Jacobs was a familiar and commanding presence in the homes of generations of Nigerians, with his distinctive voice, dignity and talent making him part of the country’s collective memory.“The curtain may have fallen on an extraordinary life, but the characters he gave us, the standards he set and the generations he inspired will continue to speak for him,” the former vice president wrote.Musawa also described the actor as “a national institution” and one of the pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry.She said, “Olu Jacobs was not just an actor; he was a national institution. He was one of the most important pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry and one of Africa’s greatest actors.“For over five decades, his voice, his presence and his craft gave life to our stories and gave dignity to our industry.”The minister highlighted Jacobs’ contribution to training younger practitioners through the Lufodo Academy, which he established with Silva.She added, “Through the Lufodo Academy which has trained hundreds of actors, directors and filmmakers who are now leading Nollywood, and the countless lives he touched, his legacy will continue to live on stage, on screen and in the hearts of millions of Nigerians. Nigeria has lost a lion, but his light will never fade.”Former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, also described Jacobs’ death as an “irreparable loss” to Nigeria and the African entertainment industry.The National Film and Video Censors Board equally described him as a titan of Nigerian and African cinema and theatre, praising his “rich, booming voice, impeccable diction, and unmatched gravitas.”The board, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Shaibu Husseini, said Jacobs’ contributions went beyond individual performances, noting that he helped elevate the cultural prestige of Nigerian film and left an enduring mark on generations of filmmakers, actors and audiences.Emeka Ike breaks downFor some of Jacobs’ colleagues, the news was particularly difficult to absorb.Actor, Emeka Ike, was captured in an emotional video breaking down in tears after learning of the veteran actor’s death.In the footage circulating online, Ike appeared overwhelmed with emotion and lamented that he had not seen Jacobs before his death.“I did not see him till he died,” Ike was heard saying in the video.The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. “He was a giant of the Nigerian creative industry. His passing is a great loss to Nigeria, the African film industry and the global community of lovers of the performing arts. His remarkable body of work will continue to speak to generations yet unborn.“The nation recognises the enormous contributions of Nigeria’s creative practitioners to the country’s cultural identity, global image and economic development. Olu Jacobs played a big role in creating this identity,” the statement read in part.Tinubu extended his condolences to Jacobs’ wife and veteran actress, Joke Silva, their children, relatives, colleagues and the wider creative community.On his part, Atiku, in a tribute posted on X, described Jacobs as “an institution, a cultural icon and one of the finest ambassadors of our creative spirit.”According to Atiku, Jacobs was a familiar and commanding presence in the homes of generations of Nigerians, with his distinctive voice, dignity and talent making him part of the country’s collective memory.“The curtain may have fallen on an extraordinary life, but the characters he gave us, the standards he set and the generations he inspired will continue to speak for him,” the former vice president wrote.Musawa also described the actor as “a national institution” and one of the pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry.She said, “Olu Jacobs was not just an actor; he was a national institution. He was one of the most important pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry and one of Africa’s greatest actors.“For over five decades, his voice, his presence and his craft gave life to our stories and gave dignity to our industry.”The minister highlighted Jacobs’ contribution to training younger practitioners through the Lufodo Academy, which he established with Silva.She added, “Through the Lufodo Academy which has trained hundreds of actors, directors and filmmakers who are now leading Nollywood, and the countless lives he touched, his legacy will continue to live on stage, on screen and in the hearts of millions of Nigerians. Nigeria has lost a lion, but his light will never fade.”Former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, also described Jacobs’ death as an “irreparable loss” to Nigeria and the African entertainment industry.The National Film and Video Censors Board equally described him as a titan of Nigerian and African cinema and theatre, praising his “rich, booming voice, impeccable diction, and unmatched gravitas.”The board, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Shaibu Husseini, said Jacobs’ contributions went beyond individual performances, noting that he helped elevate the cultural prestige of Nigerian film and left an enduring mark on generations of filmmakers, actors and audiences.Emeka Ike breaks downFor some of Jacobs’ colleagues, the news was particularly difficult to absorb.Actor, Emeka Ike, was captured in an emotional video breaking down in tears after learning of the veteran actor’s death.In the footage circulating online, Ike appeared overwhelmed with emotion and lamented that he had not seen Jacobs before his death.“I did not see him till he died,” Ike was heard saying in the video.The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. “The nation recognises the enormous contributions of Nigeria’s creative practitioners to the country’s cultural identity, global image and economic development. Olu Jacobs played a big role in creating this identity,” the statement read in part.Tinubu extended his condolences to Jacobs’ wife and veteran actress, Joke Silva, their children, relatives, colleagues and the wider creative community.On his part, Atiku, in a tribute posted on X, described Jacobs as “an institution, a cultural icon and one of the finest ambassadors of our creative spirit.”According to Atiku, Jacobs was a familiar and commanding presence in the homes of generations of Nigerians, with his distinctive voice, dignity and talent making him part of the country’s collective memory.“The curtain may have fallen on an extraordinary life, but the characters he gave us, the standards he set and the generations he inspired will continue to speak for him,” the former vice president wrote.Musawa also described the actor as “a national institution” and one of the pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry.She said, “Olu Jacobs was not just an actor; he was a national institution. He was one of the most important pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry and one of Africa’s greatest actors.“For over five decades, his voice, his presence and his craft gave life to our stories and gave dignity to our industry.”The minister highlighted Jacobs’ contribution to training younger practitioners through the Lufodo Academy, which he established with Silva.She added, “Through the Lufodo Academy which has trained hundreds of actors, directors and filmmakers who are now leading Nollywood, and the countless lives he touched, his legacy will continue to live on stage, on screen and in the hearts of millions of Nigerians. Nigeria has lost a lion, but his light will never fade.”Former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, also described Jacobs’ death as an “irreparable loss” to Nigeria and the African entertainment industry.The National Film and Video Censors Board equally described him as a titan of Nigerian and African cinema and theatre, praising his “rich, booming voice, impeccable diction, and unmatched gravitas.”The board, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Shaibu Husseini, said Jacobs’ contributions went beyond individual performances, noting that he helped elevate the cultural prestige of Nigerian film and left an enduring mark on generations of filmmakers, actors and audiences.Emeka Ike breaks downFor some of Jacobs’ colleagues, the news was particularly difficult to absorb.Actor, Emeka Ike, was captured in an emotional video breaking down in tears after learning of the veteran actor’s death.In the footage circulating online, Ike appeared overwhelmed with emotion and lamented that he had not seen Jacobs before his death.“I did not see him till he died,” Ike was heard saying in the video.The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. Tinubu extended his condolences to Jacobs’ wife and veteran actress, Joke Silva, their children, relatives, colleagues and the wider creative community.On his part, Atiku, in a tribute posted on X, described Jacobs as “an institution, a cultural icon and one of the finest ambassadors of our creative spirit.”According to Atiku, Jacobs was a familiar and commanding presence in the homes of generations of Nigerians, with his distinctive voice, dignity and talent making him part of the country’s collective memory.“The curtain may have fallen on an extraordinary life, but the characters he gave us, the standards he set and the generations he inspired will continue to speak for him,” the former vice president wrote.Musawa also described the actor as “a national institution” and one of the pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry.She said, “Olu Jacobs was not just an actor; he was a national institution. He was one of the most important pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry and one of Africa’s greatest actors.“For over five decades, his voice, his presence and his craft gave life to our stories and gave dignity to our industry.”The minister highlighted Jacobs’ contribution to training younger practitioners through the Lufodo Academy, which he established with Silva.She added, “Through the Lufodo Academy which has trained hundreds of actors, directors and filmmakers who are now leading Nollywood, and the countless lives he touched, his legacy will continue to live on stage, on screen and in the hearts of millions of Nigerians. Nigeria has lost a lion, but his light will never fade.”Former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, also described Jacobs’ death as an “irreparable loss” to Nigeria and the African entertainment industry.The National Film and Video Censors Board equally described him as a titan of Nigerian and African cinema and theatre, praising his “rich, booming voice, impeccable diction, and unmatched gravitas.”The board, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Shaibu Husseini, said Jacobs’ contributions went beyond individual performances, noting that he helped elevate the cultural prestige of Nigerian film and left an enduring mark on generations of filmmakers, actors and audiences.Emeka Ike breaks downFor some of Jacobs’ colleagues, the news was particularly difficult to absorb.Actor, Emeka Ike, was captured in an emotional video breaking down in tears after learning of the veteran actor’s death.In the footage circulating online, Ike appeared overwhelmed with emotion and lamented that he had not seen Jacobs before his death.“I did not see him till he died,” Ike was heard saying in the video.The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. On his part, Atiku, in a tribute posted on X, described Jacobs as “an institution, a cultural icon and one of the finest ambassadors of our creative spirit.”According to Atiku, Jacobs was a familiar and commanding presence in the homes of generations of Nigerians, with his distinctive voice, dignity and talent making him part of the country’s collective memory.“The curtain may have fallen on an extraordinary life, but the characters he gave us, the standards he set and the generations he inspired will continue to speak for him,” the former vice president wrote.Musawa also described the actor as “a national institution” and one of the pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry.She said, “Olu Jacobs was not just an actor; he was a national institution. He was one of the most important pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry and one of Africa’s greatest actors.“For over five decades, his voice, his presence and his craft gave life to our stories and gave dignity to our industry.”The minister highlighted Jacobs’ contribution to training younger practitioners through the Lufodo Academy, which he established with Silva.She added, “Through the Lufodo Academy which has trained hundreds of actors, directors and filmmakers who are now leading Nollywood, and the countless lives he touched, his legacy will continue to live on stage, on screen and in the hearts of millions of Nigerians. Nigeria has lost a lion, but his light will never fade.”Former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, also described Jacobs’ death as an “irreparable loss” to Nigeria and the African entertainment industry.The National Film and Video Censors Board equally described him as a titan of Nigerian and African cinema and theatre, praising his “rich, booming voice, impeccable diction, and unmatched gravitas.”The board, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Shaibu Husseini, said Jacobs’ contributions went beyond individual performances, noting that he helped elevate the cultural prestige of Nigerian film and left an enduring mark on generations of filmmakers, actors and audiences.Emeka Ike breaks downFor some of Jacobs’ colleagues, the news was particularly difficult to absorb.Actor, Emeka Ike, was captured in an emotional video breaking down in tears after learning of the veteran actor’s death.In the footage circulating online, Ike appeared overwhelmed with emotion and lamented that he had not seen Jacobs before his death.“I did not see him till he died,” Ike was heard saying in the video.The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. According to Atiku, Jacobs was a familiar and commanding presence in the homes of generations of Nigerians, with his distinctive voice, dignity and talent making him part of the country’s collective memory.“The curtain may have fallen on an extraordinary life, but the characters he gave us, the standards he set and the generations he inspired will continue to speak for him,” the former vice president wrote.Musawa also described the actor as “a national institution” and one of the pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry.She said, “Olu Jacobs was not just an actor; he was a national institution. He was one of the most important pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry and one of Africa’s greatest actors.“For over five decades, his voice, his presence and his craft gave life to our stories and gave dignity to our industry.”The minister highlighted Jacobs’ contribution to training younger practitioners through the Lufodo Academy, which he established with Silva.She added, “Through the Lufodo Academy which has trained hundreds of actors, directors and filmmakers who are now leading Nollywood, and the countless lives he touched, his legacy will continue to live on stage, on screen and in the hearts of millions of Nigerians. Nigeria has lost a lion, but his light will never fade.”Former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, also described Jacobs’ death as an “irreparable loss” to Nigeria and the African entertainment industry.The National Film and Video Censors Board equally described him as a titan of Nigerian and African cinema and theatre, praising his “rich, booming voice, impeccable diction, and unmatched gravitas.”The board, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Shaibu Husseini, said Jacobs’ contributions went beyond individual performances, noting that he helped elevate the cultural prestige of Nigerian film and left an enduring mark on generations of filmmakers, actors and audiences.Emeka Ike breaks downFor some of Jacobs’ colleagues, the news was particularly difficult to absorb.Actor, Emeka Ike, was captured in an emotional video breaking down in tears after learning of the veteran actor’s death.In the footage circulating online, Ike appeared overwhelmed with emotion and lamented that he had not seen Jacobs before his death.“I did not see him till he died,” Ike was heard saying in the video.The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. “The curtain may have fallen on an extraordinary life, but the characters he gave us, the standards he set and the generations he inspired will continue to speak for him,” the former vice president wrote.Musawa also described the actor as “a national institution” and one of the pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry.She said, “Olu Jacobs was not just an actor; he was a national institution. He was one of the most important pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry and one of Africa’s greatest actors.“For over five decades, his voice, his presence and his craft gave life to our stories and gave dignity to our industry.”The minister highlighted Jacobs’ contribution to training younger practitioners through the Lufodo Academy, which he established with Silva.She added, “Through the Lufodo Academy which has trained hundreds of actors, directors and filmmakers who are now leading Nollywood, and the countless lives he touched, his legacy will continue to live on stage, on screen and in the hearts of millions of Nigerians. Nigeria has lost a lion, but his light will never fade.”Former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, also described Jacobs’ death as an “irreparable loss” to Nigeria and the African entertainment industry.The National Film and Video Censors Board equally described him as a titan of Nigerian and African cinema and theatre, praising his “rich, booming voice, impeccable diction, and unmatched gravitas.”The board, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Shaibu Husseini, said Jacobs’ contributions went beyond individual performances, noting that he helped elevate the cultural prestige of Nigerian film and left an enduring mark on generations of filmmakers, actors and audiences.Emeka Ike breaks downFor some of Jacobs’ colleagues, the news was particularly difficult to absorb.Actor, Emeka Ike, was captured in an emotional video breaking down in tears after learning of the veteran actor’s death.In the footage circulating online, Ike appeared overwhelmed with emotion and lamented that he had not seen Jacobs before his death.“I did not see him till he died,” Ike was heard saying in the video.The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. Musawa also described the actor as “a national institution” and one of the pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry.She said, “Olu Jacobs was not just an actor; he was a national institution. He was one of the most important pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry and one of Africa’s greatest actors.“For over five decades, his voice, his presence and his craft gave life to our stories and gave dignity to our industry.”The minister highlighted Jacobs’ contribution to training younger practitioners through the Lufodo Academy, which he established with Silva.She added, “Through the Lufodo Academy which has trained hundreds of actors, directors and filmmakers who are now leading Nollywood, and the countless lives he touched, his legacy will continue to live on stage, on screen and in the hearts of millions of Nigerians. Nigeria has lost a lion, but his light will never fade.”Former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, also described Jacobs’ death as an “irreparable loss” to Nigeria and the African entertainment industry.The National Film and Video Censors Board equally described him as a titan of Nigerian and African cinema and theatre, praising his “rich, booming voice, impeccable diction, and unmatched gravitas.”The board, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Shaibu Husseini, said Jacobs’ contributions went beyond individual performances, noting that he helped elevate the cultural prestige of Nigerian film and left an enduring mark on generations of filmmakers, actors and audiences.Emeka Ike breaks downFor some of Jacobs’ colleagues, the news was particularly difficult to absorb.Actor, Emeka Ike, was captured in an emotional video breaking down in tears after learning of the veteran actor’s death.In the footage circulating online, Ike appeared overwhelmed with emotion and lamented that he had not seen Jacobs before his death.“I did not see him till he died,” Ike was heard saying in the video.The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. She said, “Olu Jacobs was not just an actor; he was a national institution. He was one of the most important pillars of Nigeria’s entertainment industry and one of Africa’s greatest actors.“For over five decades, his voice, his presence and his craft gave life to our stories and gave dignity to our industry.”The minister highlighted Jacobs’ contribution to training younger practitioners through the Lufodo Academy, which he established with Silva.She added, “Through the Lufodo Academy which has trained hundreds of actors, directors and filmmakers who are now leading Nollywood, and the countless lives he touched, his legacy will continue to live on stage, on screen and in the hearts of millions of Nigerians. Nigeria has lost a lion, but his light will never fade.”Former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, also described Jacobs’ death as an “irreparable loss” to Nigeria and the African entertainment industry.The National Film and Video Censors Board equally described him as a titan of Nigerian and African cinema and theatre, praising his “rich, booming voice, impeccable diction, and unmatched gravitas.”The board, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Shaibu Husseini, said Jacobs’ contributions went beyond individual performances, noting that he helped elevate the cultural prestige of Nigerian film and left an enduring mark on generations of filmmakers, actors and audiences.Emeka Ike breaks downFor some of Jacobs’ colleagues, the news was particularly difficult to absorb.Actor, Emeka Ike, was captured in an emotional video breaking down in tears after learning of the veteran actor’s death.In the footage circulating online, Ike appeared overwhelmed with emotion and lamented that he had not seen Jacobs before his death.“I did not see him till he died,” Ike was heard saying in the video.The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. “For over five decades, his voice, his presence and his craft gave life to our stories and gave dignity to our industry.”The minister highlighted Jacobs’ contribution to training younger practitioners through the Lufodo Academy, which he established with Silva.She added, “Through the Lufodo Academy which has trained hundreds of actors, directors and filmmakers who are now leading Nollywood, and the countless lives he touched, his legacy will continue to live on stage, on screen and in the hearts of millions of Nigerians. Nigeria has lost a lion, but his light will never fade.”Former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, also described Jacobs’ death as an “irreparable loss” to Nigeria and the African entertainment industry.The National Film and Video Censors Board equally described him as a titan of Nigerian and African cinema and theatre, praising his “rich, booming voice, impeccable diction, and unmatched gravitas.”The board, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Shaibu Husseini, said Jacobs’ contributions went beyond individual performances, noting that he helped elevate the cultural prestige of Nigerian film and left an enduring mark on generations of filmmakers, actors and audiences.Emeka Ike breaks downFor some of Jacobs’ colleagues, the news was particularly difficult to absorb.Actor, Emeka Ike, was captured in an emotional video breaking down in tears after learning of the veteran actor’s death.In the footage circulating online, Ike appeared overwhelmed with emotion and lamented that he had not seen Jacobs before his death.“I did not see him till he died,” Ike was heard saying in the video.The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. The minister highlighted Jacobs’ contribution to training younger practitioners through the Lufodo Academy, which he established with Silva.She added, “Through the Lufodo Academy which has trained hundreds of actors, directors and filmmakers who are now leading Nollywood, and the countless lives he touched, his legacy will continue to live on stage, on screen and in the hearts of millions of Nigerians. Nigeria has lost a lion, but his light will never fade.”Former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, also described Jacobs’ death as an “irreparable loss” to Nigeria and the African entertainment industry.The National Film and Video Censors Board equally described him as a titan of Nigerian and African cinema and theatre, praising his “rich, booming voice, impeccable diction, and unmatched gravitas.”The board, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Shaibu Husseini, said Jacobs’ contributions went beyond individual performances, noting that he helped elevate the cultural prestige of Nigerian film and left an enduring mark on generations of filmmakers, actors and audiences.Emeka Ike breaks downFor some of Jacobs’ colleagues, the news was particularly difficult to absorb.Actor, Emeka Ike, was captured in an emotional video breaking down in tears after learning of the veteran actor’s death.In the footage circulating online, Ike appeared overwhelmed with emotion and lamented that he had not seen Jacobs before his death.“I did not see him till he died,” Ike was heard saying in the video.The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. She added, “Through the Lufodo Academy which has trained hundreds of actors, directors and filmmakers who are now leading Nollywood, and the countless lives he touched, his legacy will continue to live on stage, on screen and in the hearts of millions of Nigerians. Nigeria has lost a lion, but his light will never fade.”Former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, also described Jacobs’ death as an “irreparable loss” to Nigeria and the African entertainment industry.The National Film and Video Censors Board equally described him as a titan of Nigerian and African cinema and theatre, praising his “rich, booming voice, impeccable diction, and unmatched gravitas.”The board, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Shaibu Husseini, said Jacobs’ contributions went beyond individual performances, noting that he helped elevate the cultural prestige of Nigerian film and left an enduring mark on generations of filmmakers, actors and audiences.Emeka Ike breaks downFor some of Jacobs’ colleagues, the news was particularly difficult to absorb.Actor, Emeka Ike, was captured in an emotional video breaking down in tears after learning of the veteran actor’s death.In the footage circulating online, Ike appeared overwhelmed with emotion and lamented that he had not seen Jacobs before his death.“I did not see him till he died,” Ike was heard saying in the video.The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. Former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, also described Jacobs’ death as an “irreparable loss” to Nigeria and the African entertainment industry.The National Film and Video Censors Board equally described him as a titan of Nigerian and African cinema and theatre, praising his “rich, booming voice, impeccable diction, and unmatched gravitas.”The board, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Shaibu Husseini, said Jacobs’ contributions went beyond individual performances, noting that he helped elevate the cultural prestige of Nigerian film and left an enduring mark on generations of filmmakers, actors and audiences.Emeka Ike breaks downFor some of Jacobs’ colleagues, the news was particularly difficult to absorb.Actor, Emeka Ike, was captured in an emotional video breaking down in tears after learning of the veteran actor’s death.In the footage circulating online, Ike appeared overwhelmed with emotion and lamented that he had not seen Jacobs before his death.“I did not see him till he died,” Ike was heard saying in the video.The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. The National Film and Video Censors Board equally described him as a titan of Nigerian and African cinema and theatre, praising his “rich, booming voice, impeccable diction, and unmatched gravitas.”The board, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Shaibu Husseini, said Jacobs’ contributions went beyond individual performances, noting that he helped elevate the cultural prestige of Nigerian film and left an enduring mark on generations of filmmakers, actors and audiences.Emeka Ike breaks downFor some of Jacobs’ colleagues, the news was particularly difficult to absorb.Actor, Emeka Ike, was captured in an emotional video breaking down in tears after learning of the veteran actor’s death.In the footage circulating online, Ike appeared overwhelmed with emotion and lamented that he had not seen Jacobs before his death.“I did not see him till he died,” Ike was heard saying in the video.The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. The board, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Shaibu Husseini, said Jacobs’ contributions went beyond individual performances, noting that he helped elevate the cultural prestige of Nigerian film and left an enduring mark on generations of filmmakers, actors and audiences.Emeka Ike breaks downFor some of Jacobs’ colleagues, the news was particularly difficult to absorb.Actor, Emeka Ike, was captured in an emotional video breaking down in tears after learning of the veteran actor’s death.In the footage circulating online, Ike appeared overwhelmed with emotion and lamented that he had not seen Jacobs before his death.“I did not see him till he died,” Ike was heard saying in the video.The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. Emeka Ike breaks downFor some of Jacobs’ colleagues, the news was particularly difficult to absorb.Actor, Emeka Ike, was captured in an emotional video breaking down in tears after learning of the veteran actor’s death.In the footage circulating online, Ike appeared overwhelmed with emotion and lamented that he had not seen Jacobs before his death.“I did not see him till he died,” Ike was heard saying in the video.The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. For some of Jacobs’ colleagues, the news was particularly difficult to absorb.Actor, Emeka Ike, was captured in an emotional video breaking down in tears after learning of the veteran actor’s death.In the footage circulating online, Ike appeared overwhelmed with emotion and lamented that he had not seen Jacobs before his death.“I did not see him till he died,” Ike was heard saying in the video.The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. Actor, Emeka Ike, was captured in an emotional video breaking down in tears after learning of the veteran actor’s death.In the footage circulating online, Ike appeared overwhelmed with emotion and lamented that he had not seen Jacobs before his death.“I did not see him till he died,” Ike was heard saying in the video.The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. In the footage circulating online, Ike appeared overwhelmed with emotion and lamented that he had not seen Jacobs before his death.“I did not see him till he died,” Ike was heard saying in the video.The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. “I did not see him till he died,” Ike was heard saying in the video.The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. The emotional reaction underscored the affection in which Jacobs was held by younger generations of actors who regarded him as one of the leading figures of the industry.Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. Years of illnessJacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. Jacobs’ final years were marked by a degenerative illness that significantly affected his health and family life.In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. In 2021, Silva publicly disclosed for the first time that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative brain disease.Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. Speaking during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Silva said the condition had been going on for several years.“He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. “He is dealing with issues, and it has been going on for a couple of years. It is known as dementia with Lewy bodies. It is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and it is almost like a Parkinson’s type of disease,” she said.She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. She added, “First time I’m saying this publicly… that is what we have been dealing with, but the thing is, it is hard on him because he doesn’t understand what is going on and it is hard on us family members as well.”The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. The illness also changed the dynamics of the couple’s relationship.In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. In a 2023 interview with Nancy Isime, Silva said it was difficult accepting the changes brought about by her husband’s condition.“There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. “There was a point of acceptance for me that everything happening is reality and it is like the person I married, 80 per cent of the time, is no longer there,” she said.She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. She nevertheless maintained that she continued to love and care for him.“When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. “When he was there, he was an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband; he was practically my best friend,” Silva said.She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. She added, “So in this journey of dementia now, it’s like I am looking after my father. The husband I knew is no more and there for me, but this man that is here is someone I still love.”Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. Silva had earlier spoken about reaching a point of acceptance and learning to meet her husband where he was in his condition.The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. The enigma that survived death rumoursRelated NewsArchitects of new NollywoodShettima asks Kwara warring APC factions to reconcileTinubu unveils four-year action plan to end child labourIronically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. Ironically, reports of Jacobs’ death had circulated repeatedly in the years preceding his actual demise.In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. In June 2020, social media reports claimed that the actor had died. Silva dismissed the report, saying her husband was alive and well and describing the reports as depressing.Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. Another major death rumour surfaced in October 2021. Fact-checking organization, Africa Check, subsequently documented that the claim was false, noting that Silva had dismissed the reports and even said Jacobs was at home preparing to eat eba and ogbono soup.The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. The family also released a video of Jacobs after the rumour spread.In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. In August 2022, another report of his death circulated online.Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. Silva responded by announcing on Instagram that “Papa J” was alive and well and threatened legal action against people spreading false reports about his death.The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. The rumours resurfaced yet again in June 2024.Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. Silva told journalists that her husband was “alive and doing just fine,” while the Actors Guild of Nigeria also dismissed the report as false news.Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. Actress, Kate Henshaw, expressed anger over the repeated death reports, writing on X that it was “sickening” for people to post RIP messages about someone who was still alive.The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. The reports had become so frequent that they drew the attention of fact-checkers and media organisations.This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. This time, however, the announcement came from the actor’s family, bringing an end to years of false reports about his demise.Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. Making of a starJacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. Jacobs’ journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most respected actors began long before Nollywood became an internationally recognised industry.He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. He developed an interest in acting after watching a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner, Hubert Ogunde, in Kano.The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. The experience strengthened his desire to pursue acting professionally, eventually taking him to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. Following his training, Jacobs worked in British theatre and television.His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. His television credits included The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Professionals and The Tomorrow People, among others.He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. He also appeared in international films including Ashanti, The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Roman Polanski’s Pirates.After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. After returning to Nigeria, he became a major figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. One of his defining Nigerian television roles was Inspector Best Idafa in the NTA detective series, The Third Eye, which ran in the early 1990s.The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. The role helped cement his reputation among Nigerian television audiences, and he went on to feature in hundreds of stage, television and film productions.His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. His Nigerian film credits included Dancing Heart, Oloibiri, Adesuwa, Potomanto, The Antique, Dry, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and Victims, among many others.His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. His commanding voice and imposing screen presence also made him a popular choice for roles as kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authority figures.A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. A decorated careerJacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. Jacobs’ contribution to acting earned him several honours.In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart. He received the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2011.Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. Beyond acting, Jacobs was involved in developing the next generation of Nigerian performers.He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. He and Silva founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, which trained actors, directors and other practitioners in the creative industry.Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. Love story with Joke SilvaJacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. Jacobs’ professional life was closely intertwined with his personal life through his celebrated marriage to Silva.The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. The pair met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos while working on Wole Soyinka’s Jero’s Metamorphosis.In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. In an earlier interview with Saturday PUNCH, Jacobs recalled that Silva had barely entered the room when he told those around him that she would become his wife.“We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. “We were having a management meeting for a play, Wole Soyinka’s Jero Metamorphosis, when a young lady walked in. Immediately she walked in, something inside me told me that she was going to be my wife and I told the people around me that I was going to marry her,” he said.The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. The two became close friends before eventually marrying in 1986, according to Jacobs’ account. He later proposed to Silva in Tunisia while they were working on Ashanti.Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. Silva also recalled that when they first met, Jacobs told her that she was the woman he would marry.“I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. “I looked at him and thought, ‘Who says that to a lady he’s just meeting for the first time?’ but we became very good friends as time went on,” she said.Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. Their marriage became one of the most enduring partnerships in Nigerian entertainment, with the two actors combining their careers, family life and creative ventures.For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. For more than five decades, Jacobs moved between stage, television and cinema, becoming one of the actors who connected Nigeria’s older theatre tradition with the modern film industry.His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. His death at 84 marks the end of a career that stretched from British television and international cinema to the formative years of Nollywood.As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. As tributes continue to pour in, Jacobs is being remembered not only for the hundreds of characters he portrayed, but also for the voice, discipline, training and professional standards he brought to Nigerian acting.For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema. For a generation of performers who watched him, worked with him or learnt from him, the “Lion of Lufodo” has taken his final bow. His body of work, however, remains part of the history of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema.