Veteran Nollywood icon Nkem Owoh, famously known as Osuofia, has opened up about his accidental entry into acting, the golden era of Nigerian cinema, and the heavy personal price of stardom during a candid interview on the Selah Meditate podcast.
The beloved comedian and actor disclosed that his journey in front of the camera was never planned. He was initially focused on writing and making people laugh behind the scenes until colleagues pushed him into the spotlight.
“My coming in front of a camera was sort of an accident. I was busy writing but some people behind the scenes then created about a 7 minutes portion for me to do standup comedy. They kept telling me to come in front of the camera to make people laugh like I often did behind it. After much pressure, I came in front of the camera and I saw that the thing I was doing, people were buying it. That was how my journey in Nollywood started.”
Owoh also reflected on the evolution of Nollywood, noting that the industry did not originally bear that name.
“Nollywood wasn’t called Nollywood when it started. We had to sit down later to brainstorm names for it until someone suggested Nollywood. We considered it for a while before adopting the name.”
He traced the industry’s roots to market performances that were later packaged into films sold on tapes, with Living in Bondage marking a major advancement in storytelling. Owoh shared that he only agreed to get involved if the storytelling quality improved significantly.
The legendary actor expressed strong views on modern entertainment, arguing that real talent cannot be replaced by social media fame.
“There’s no way social media fame can replace real talent. Maybe I’m one of the conservative types but I enjoy music when bands were playing than when it’s made in the studio where they add things as they go… the feeling of watching a live performance is different and irreplaceable by AI or digital effects.”
One of the most emotional revelations was how fame stripped him of personal freedom. Nkem lamented, saying:
“Fame took freedom from me. When one becomes a celebrity, there are some negative effects like losing the freedom to do things I’d be able to do if I was a regular person.”
As one of Nollywood’s most enduring figures, Nkem Owoh’s insights offer a rare glimpse into the industry’s humble beginnings and the unseen costs of stardom.