Joke Silva turns 65 on September 29, 2026, marking another milestone in a career that has stretched across more than four decades of Nigerian theatre, television and film.
Her journey has gone beyond memorable performances, extending into production, arts education, institution-building and advocacy.
Born in Lagos in 1961, Silva trained at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London and studied English at the University of Lagos. Since the early years of her career, she has moved between theatre, television and film, becoming one of the familiar figures in the evolution of Nigerian screen and stage performance.
Her 65th birthday comes at a particularly significant moment. It falls less than two weeks after the death of her husband and longtime creative partner, veteran actor Olu Jacobs, who died on September 16, 2026, aged 84.
From Lagos to the Stage
Silva’s foundation was theatre.
After attending Holy Child College in Lagos, she studied English at the University of Lagos before receiving formal drama training at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Her training helped establish the theatrical discipline that would become an important part of her career.
She began building her professional career in the 1980s and later became increasingly visible in Nigerian television and film. Her work has included English- and Yoruba-language productions, reflecting the range of Nigerian storytelling traditions in which she has worked.
By the 1990s, Silva was appearing on screen, while also maintaining her connection to theatre.
The Performances That Built Her Reputation
The growth of Nollywood in the 1990s and 2000s gave Silva a wider platform.
She appeared in productions including Keeping Faith, The Amazing Grace, 30 Days, Phone Swap and White Waters. Her international work also included The Secret Laughter of Women, in which she appeared alongside Colin Firth and Nia Long.
Her performances brought major industry recognition. She won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for Women’s Cot in 2006 and Best Supporting Actress for White Waters in 2008. Lufodo describes her as a five time AMAA winner, including a Lifetime Achievement Award received in 2016.
These recognitions became part of a career that continued to cross the boundaries between theatre, television and cinema.
More Than an Actress
Perhaps one of the most important parts of Silva’s career has happened away from the camera.
She co-founded the Lufodo Group with Olu Jacobs, with the organisation developing interests in production, performing arts education and cultural infrastructure. Lufodo says the group has been involved in drama production since 1986 and established its academy in 2007.
Through the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, Silva became involved in developing performers beyond her own generation. Her work as an educator and acting coach reflects a broader contribution to the industry: helping create the skills and structures through which other artists can build careers.
Her professional profile also includes leadership roles in the cultural sector, including work with the Centre for Contemporary Arts in Lagos and the Lagos State Theatre Festival.
Taking Nigerian Storytelling Beyond the Screen
Silva’s career has also included international cultural work.
She has participated in projects connecting Nigerian and African creative work with audiences outside the country. Lufodo notes that its productions helped curate Nigeria’s artistic expression at the 2012 London Olympics and participated in the Nigerian Creative Arts Exchange in Paris in 2018.
This has made Silva’s career part of a wider story about Nigerian performers increasingly operating across theatre, film, education and cultural diplomacy.
Her own description of her career also places mentorship and developing young artists at the centre of her legacy.
Using Her Platform Beyond Entertainment
Silva has also used her public profile for advocacy.
In 2012, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime appointed her a Goodwill Ambassador focusing on the fight against human trafficking in Nigeria. Her advocacy work has also included women’s empowerment and the development of opportunities within the creative sector.
In 2014, she received the Member of the Order of the Federal Republic, one of Nigeria’s national honours, in recognition of her contribution to the country.
Her current professional profile continues to include mentorship, arts education and advocacy alongside her work in film and theatre.
2026: Still Active in Nigerian Film
Silva has remained connected to major developments in Nigerian entertainment even after decades in the industry.
In 2026, she served as head judge of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, bringing her experience to a major platform for recognising African film and television.
A Guardian profile published in April described her as an actor whose career has moved through theatre, television and film for more than four decades while remaining connected to the evolution of Nollywood.
Her continued involvement illustrates another feature of her career: longevity has not meant remaining fixed in one role.
A Birthday Shaped by Loss
Silva’s 65th birthday comes during a period of personal loss.
Olu Jacobs died on September 16 after decades as one of Nigeria’s best-known actors. The family announced his death and asked for privacy as they mourned.
The couple’s professional and personal partnership stretched back decades. They met at the National Theatre in Lagos in 1981 and later built the Lufodo Group together.
Jacobs’ death inevitably gives this year’s birthday another emotional dimension. Yet Silva’s professional story extends beyond her marriage. Her career as an actress, producer, educator, creative entrepreneur and advocate had its own trajectory.
The timing is also particularly poignant because the family’s announced funeral programme places a Night of Tributes for Jacobs at Glover Memorial Hall on September 30, one day after Silva’s birthday. His funeral service is scheduled for October 2 in Lagos.
A Legacy That Extends Beyond Film
Joke Silva’s career cannot be measured only by the number of films in which she has appeared or the awards attached to her name.
Her contribution also exists in theatre productions, creative institutions, training programmes and the performers she has mentored.
She belongs to a generation that helped carry Nigerian theatre traditions into the expanding television and film industries. As those industries changed, Silva also expanded her own role, moving from performer to producer, educator, cultural leader and advocate.
Her official biography describes her work as extending beyond performance into building institutions and nurturing younger artists.
At 65, therefore, her story is about more than longevity. It is about the different ways an artist can contribute to an industry.
From the stage in Lagos to international cinema, from acting to education and institution-building, Joke Silva has spent decades helping shape Nigeria’s creative landscape.
Her most enduring contribution may not ultimately be a single role or award. It may be the people she has trained, the institutions she has helped build and the creative possibilities she has opened for those coming after her.
