Veteran Nollywood actor Bob-Manuel Udokwu has opened up about the painful reality of fame, revealing how his celebrity status negatively affected his daughter during her early school years.
Speaking in an interview with Chude Jideonwo on WithChude, the 58-year-old actor shared how his daughter was bullied in school simply because she was known as his child.
According to him, the experience happened while she was a student at Queens College Lagos, where senior students reportedly targeted her.
“I remember when my daughter was in Queens College, some senior students were just punishing her for just being my daughter.”
He explained that although the incident is now something they can talk about with laughter, it was deeply painful at the time.
“Today when we talk about it, she will laugh. But it was not funny. She was in JSS 1.”
Udokwu revealed that he and his wife deliberately chose public schools for their children so they could grow up grounded and experience life normally, just like he did.
“We agreed they were going to go to public school, because I also attended public schools.”
He added that he intentionally stayed away from interfering too much at school to avoid drawing unnecessary attention to his children.
The actor, who began his career with the iconic film Living in Bondage, is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of modern Nollywood.
Beyond acting, he currently serves as a special assistant to the Anambra State Government on entertainment, tourism and culture.
Despite decades of fame and success, Udokwu’s story highlights the hidden emotional cost celebrity life can sometimes place on family, especially children growing up in the spotlight.