Actor Nkem Owoh, popularly known as Osuofia, has revealed that he never planned to become an actor and only stepped in front of the camera after persistent encouragement from colleagues.
Speaking on the Selah Meditate podcast, the 71-year-old said he began his career as a scriptwriter and was content working behind the scenes until those around him urged him to try performing.
“My coming in front of the camera was an accident. I was a scriptwriter behind the scenes and people started telling me to start performing in front of the camera. I remember ATV created a 7-minute programme for me to do stand-up comedy in the 80s. They told me to come in front of the camera because I was making people laugh behind the camera. With much pressure, I came in front of the camera. And I saw that what I was doing people were buying it so that was how my acting career began,” he stated.
Nkem also reflected on the cost of fame, saying celebrity status comes with restrictions many people do not consider.
“Fame took away my freedom. A lot of people want to be celebrities, they only know the benefits but not the downsides. When you become famous you can’t do a lot of the things you were doing freely before. You become restricted in a lot of ways,” he added.
Born in Enugu State on February 7, 1958, Nkem studied engineering before finding his way into entertainment. He worked as a scriptwriter and contributed to television productions before becoming one of Nollywood’s most recognisable comic actors. He gained widespread fame through his portrayal of the character Osuofia, particularly in the hit film Osuofia in London released in 2003.
The actor won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in 2008 for his performance in Stronger than Pain. He later received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the academy in 2017 in recognition of his contribution to the film industry.
Over the years, Nkem has featured in numerous films, including Ukwa, Lionheart, My Village People, Battle on Buka Street and Chief Daddy 2, cementing his place as one of Nollywood’s enduring stars.
