Veteran Nigerian actor Nkem Owoh, popularly known as “Osuofia”, has said his entry into acting happened by accident. He made the remarks while speaking on the Selah Meditate podcast on Sunday.
Owoh said he initially worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter before colleagues encouraged him to appear on screen after noticing his comedic talent. He recalled that ATV once created a seven-minute stand-up comedy programme for him in the 1980s, which led to increased pressure for him to perform in front of the camera.
He said he eventually agreed and discovered that audiences responded positively to his performances, which marked the beginning of his on-screen career. Owoh added that he began writing before the emergence of Nollywood and later worked with colleagues to help develop the industry.
The actor also said fame came with challenges, noting that it took away his freedom. He recalled joining the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, in 1979 as a writer, appearing in ‘The New Masquerade’, and later working on subtitling the Igbo film ‘Living in Bondage’, before producing the 1995 film ‘Ikuku’, where he played the character “Osuofia”.
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