Jacob's Cross

This epic South African story takes the form of a riveting drama series about one man’s quest to build the next great African empire. A gripping exploration of African identity, legacy and belonging – the story centres around Jacob Makhubu, the son of a South African mother and Nigerian father. Jacob is a high powered executive in a Nigerian-owned oil company based in Johannesburg, who longs for New York’s more worldly pleasures. Unexpectedly, Jacob inherits the family business empire and an African dream when his boss and benefactor reveals himself to be his father.

Folake discovers her brother in Chief Abayomi’s room and suspects the worst. Jacob avoids all contact with his South African family and breaks up with Lerato, while Prospero tries his best to bring Jacob’s mind back to their issues at work. Thembi tells Jacob the truth about her time in Nigeria. Jacob and Thembi fetch Andile from prison and take him back home to his wife. Lerato insists on speaking to Jacob, but Jacob won’t talk to her. Folake shares her concerns about Bola with Jacob.

Lerato tells Jacob that she wants to keep the baby. Jacob feels pressure from all sides as Thembi asks him to attend a memorial unveiling for his father (Luyanda). Chief Abayomi questions Jacob’s loyalty to Prospero and Prospero finds himself on the receiving end of another energy bid offer. Jacob decides to give Lerato a chance. Jacob makes an announcement that hurts his mother. Thembi pays a visit to Chief Abayomi. Prospero offers Andile a job on one of his plants.

Lerato and Andile struggle to share Jacob’s flat and attention. Prospero challenges Jacob’s family loyalty to his two fathers. Bola pays an unexpected visit to Johannesburg, forcing Folake and Jacob to protect their father again. Jacob becomes more dependant on Andile than he ever expected. Thembi tries to build a relationship with her new daughter-in-law, while Lerato stamps her authority in Jacob’s life. Jacob finds himself spending time with his old love, Zanele. Busi and Andile work hard to recover their family life and Jacob and Lerato go house-hunting. Chief Abayomi offers Jacob yet another position of great stature and power. Bola is determined to find his elusive father.

Folake arrives at the Chief’s safe house to discover it in a shambles. Bola has managed to track down and exact revenge on his father.Folake and Jacob both know Bola had a hand in their father’s murder, but now they must convince the police of their suspicions. Thembi blames herself for Jacob’s loss and Lerato is more and more frustrated about Jacob’s distance from her and their baby. Meanwhile, Folake and Prospero find themselves drawn closer to each other. Folake and Jacob fly to Lagos and the power struggle between Jacob and Bola begins.

As Bola cements his control in Lagos, Folake and Jacob realise they must pick their moment to fight for the Aboyami power that is rightly theirs. Folake convinces Jacob to return to Joburg, while she remains in Nigeria. The question of their father’s burial hangs over each of the siblings’ heads. Back in Joburg, Mokoena is still trying to solve the mystery of Chief Aboyami’s body disappearing from the police mortuary and Jacob finds himself once again bumping into Zanele. Lerato, meanwhile, feels neglected and makes up for it by taking control of Jacob’s flat. Prospero is in negotiations to better his business and oil prospects, while his relationship with Folake grows. Folake and Jacob begin their battle to contest Bola’s refusal of their father’s will

Folake struggles to come to terms with Prospero’s betrayal, which causes a rift within the normally unshakeable friendship of Prospero and Jacob. Bola strengthens his proposal with Prospero. Jacob’s preoccupation takes its toll further on his relationship with Lerato as he finds himself pushing away everyone close to him. Thembi warns him to make amends with Andile. Despite his tense relationships with his family, Jacob and Zanele are drawn closer and closer together. Folake calls for her father’s body to be exhumed as she is not happy with his undignified burial. Jacob and his half-sister realise they are going to have to start playing by Bola’s rules if they are going to save the Aboyami empire.

Feeling the pressure of his Nigerian and South African interests, Jacob has the added burden of his pregnant wife, who has been rushed to hospital. Folake informs Jacob that she must fight the battle on her own in Lagos, despite his concerns for her safety. Zanele tells Jacob that they must put their history behind them and move on. Despite all these other concerns, Jacob is also focused on getting a good deal for his mother’s record album. Andile is still torn between his loyalty to Jacob and his new job with Prospero – Jacob’s best friend and betrayer. Jacob’s tension at work and his renewed relationship with Zanele drives a greater wedge between him and his wife. Lerato begins to get suspicious of his late nights. Back in Lagos, Folake finally makes a break through in her battle against Bola, but her brother will not give up easily.

Lerato meets Thembi in the hospital waiting room and tells her that Jacob was shot in their driveway. Jacob is operated on successfully and, while in recovery, tells Andile to guard Lerato and Joe. Lerato questions Andile about Jacob’s attack, he claims it’s a hijacking but they are both sceptical. Folake flies in early from Lagos to check on Jacob and tells him the good news - NNPC approved the Abayomi bid for the new offshore concession. Andile convinces Jacob to let him station men outside his house to guard Joe and Lerato. Bigelow meets with Bola in a Lagos hotel where Bola is now living – Bola wants African oil acreage. Zanele visits Jacob in hospital.. Thembi questions him of her suspicions that he is having an affair, Jacob admits to it but says that it’s over. Lerato’s friend tells her Jacob has been seen out with Zanele – Lerato is furious. She confronts Jacob about Zanele; she threatens to leave, he promises it is over. Jacob sleeps with Zanele again.

Jacob confesses to Lerato about Zanele again. Andile approaches Jacob about being an investor in his security firm, Jacob agrees. At the hearing Jacob is questioned about the lack of SA investment in his venture, Jacob has insufficient answers. Jacob asks Zanele to intervene with Ambrose; she is appalled by his lack of ethics and refuses. Folake tells Jacob about a kidnapping and murder at their oil site in Nigeria. This has completely shut down production, Folake suspects Bola is responsible. Lerato asks Jacob to put in a good word for her on job interview at Mnet – as a presenter. Moses question UK expert, there was one small incident for concern with plant in Iran but he will keep it quiet. Jacob reconciles with Lerato after he helps her at the SABC with her talk show. Glenda overhears Folake complaining to Jacob about her, she sells them out to Prospero – Jacob’s UK expert is discredited at the hearing thanks to Glenda’s info. Glenda has now defected to Prospero’s organization.

Jacob confronts Glenda bout her betrayal; he tells her Prospero is unstable. Prospero preemptively celebrates with his team, but they are skeptical about Jacob’s defeat. Lerato wants to protect herself should Jacob betray her again, she talks to Jacob about the division of assets if they should divorce. Folake flies to Lagos immediately to mediate the oil site debacle, they will have to replace all the crew that has quit. Andile visits Prospero’s offices and surreptitiously steals his laptop. Folake finds one of the kidnappers and questions him; he admits that Bigelow hired him. Ambrose is worried about records on Prospero’s stolen laptop – that there have been private dealing between him and Prospero. Jacob discovers these on the laptop and gives the evidence to his contact on the hearing board. Prospero accuses Andile of stealing the laptop and threatens Jacob’s family and Andile reacts violently. Folake confronts Bola.

Prospero tell Glenda her position has been negated by the loss of the gas consortium and fires her. Ambrose’s relationship with Prospero is exposed in the media. Lerato goes away on a two-night shoot for her show. Ambrose accuses Jacob of exposing him; Jacob denies it and refuses to speak to the media. Glenda asks Jacob for her job back but he declines. Bola is under official scrutiny. Jacob realizes that his affair with Zanele was symptomatic of not being committed to Lerato. He is in love with Zanele, who does not want to be responsible for his marriage falling apart, he leaves Lerato anyway. Bola comes to Johannesburg under a false passport, he wants Jacob. The NPA seize Prospero’s files and assets – he is under heavy investigation for trying to bribe a minister. Jacob gets a new apartment and Andile’s business is taking off. Jacob reconnects with Zanele. Prospero, high on coke and very angry over the investigation, attacks Jacob with a golf club but Jacob escapes unharmed.