Veteran actress Joke Silva says her husband, Olu Jacobs’ battle with dementia has been a tough battle. Jacobs, a well-known Nollywood actor, has been suffering from the condition since 2021.

In a recent interview with media personality Nancy Isime, Joke Silva said that the diagnosis has been difficult for both of them, but that she is committed to supporting her husband through his illness.

She also revealed that she often feels that Olu Jacobs is no longer the man she married.

“It hasn’t been easy, ” she said. “It’s almost as if the person you married 80 per cent of the time is no longer there”.

Dementia is a chronic brain disorder that causes a decline in memory, thinking and behaviour. It is a progressive disease, meaning that it gets worse over time. There is no cure for dementia, but there are treatments that can help manage the symptoms.

Meanwhile, despite the challenges, Joke Silva said that she still loves her husband and is determined to stay by his side.

The actress noted that “the thing is this, when he was there, he was an amazing man; my husband is an incredible father to his children and an amazing husband, he was practically my best friend. I could share anything with him.”

She said they had questioned Olu Jacobs’ behaviour at the early stage of the ailment until his condition deteriorated.

“I always used to ball my eyes out, and then there came the point of acceptance,” she said.

The actress further revealed that her husband’s condition makes her feel like she is looking after her father as she now loves Jacobs “differently”.

“So in this journey now, it’s like I am looking after my father, that’s the way it is because the husband I knew is no longer there, but this man that is here is somebody that I still love but love in a different way,” she added.

The Nollywood couple is not only well-respected in the film industry, they also are admired for their lasting marriage.

Joke revealed that they have been married for 37 years but have known each other for 42 years. They dated for five years before they got married and have two children.