Veteran Nollywood actor Nkem Owoh, popularly known as Osuofia, has revealed that his journey into acting was never part of his original plan, describing his rise to stardom as an unexpected twist of fate.
The celebrated comic actor said he initially worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter and had no intention of appearing in front of the camera until colleagues convinced him to showcase his natural talent for comedy.
Speaking during a recent episode of the Selah Meditate Podcast, Owoh recounted how persistent encouragement from people around him eventually pushed him into acting.
“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,” he said.
The actor explained that his knack for making people laugh caught the attention of colleagues who believed he could succeed as a performer.
He recalled that Anambra Television (ATV) gave him an opportunity to host a short stand-up comedy segment in the 1980s, a move that became a turning point in his career.
“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,” Owoh said.
“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.”
Over the years, Owoh has become one of Nollywood’s most recognisable faces, earning widespread acclaim for his comic roles and memorable performances in films that helped shape Nigeria’s movie industry.
Despite the success and admiration that came with fame, the actor admitted that celebrity status has come at a personal cost.
According to him, one of the biggest sacrifices of being famous is the loss of privacy and freedom to live an ordinary life.
“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 explained.
Owoh’s comments offer a rare glimpse into the challenges that often accompany celebrity life, despite the glamour and public admiration associated with success in the entertainment industry.
