Actor Uzor Arukwe shares how getting fired from Etisalat inspired him to pursue an acting career

• Uzor Arukwe said he was sacked from Etisalat in 2012 after taking responsibility for an issue in his department.

• He described the experience as very tough, especially as he was expecting a promotion at the time.

• The actor was unemployed for about a year and struggled to get acting roles, earning very little when he did.

• He later returned to work, then quit in 2018 to focus on acting, eventually finding success in Nollywood.

Nollywood actor Uzor Arukwe has opened up about a difficult period in his life, revealing that he was fired from telecom company Etisalat Nigeria (now 9 Mobile) in 2012, a moment he describes as one of the lowest points in his journey.

In a 2024 interview on the WithChude podcast, Arukwe said the dismissal came at a time he was expecting a promotion after years of working his way up in the company.

“I worked in telcos. I worked in retail and sports. To be honest, I was fired from Etisalat, actually. I do not think my mum even knows. I was fired sometime in 2012. Something happened in my department. I was heading the team at the time. Then something happened, I had to take the fall as the leader,” he said.

According to him, the situation hit hard, especially because he had just reached the specialist level and was on track to becoming a manager.

“…Five years after, when I came to a place where I was hoping to become a manager, I had become a specialist, and then this happened. It was one of the hardest things ever. They stripped me of everything that makes you think you have a job,” he added.

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The actor said things didn’t immediately get better after that. His attempt to break into Nollywood around that same period didn’t take off, leaving him unemployed for about a year.

“I tried to get into film sometime in 2012 but it was really slow. The only gig I got between 2012 and 2013 when I got my second job was some stage drama. Seyi Babatope got me the gig. That was the only gig I got between November 2012 when I was fired till December 2013. I was at home for one year and had no job. Nobody was calling me for films. It was terrible.”

Arukwe said he had to go back to the corporate world after that tough phase, dusting up his certificates and landing another job where he worked for five more years.

“I was like I think I should go back. I dusted my certificate again. And somehow I got a job again. There then for another five years. And then in 2018, I was like I think I am done. I think I have tried.”

He eventually took a bold step in 2018, quitting his job to fully pursue acting, even though things were still far from stable financially.

“I left my company in April 2018 and got my first gig with Iroko on August 28, 2018. At this time, I was broke, busted down, and had no money. It was so bad that I was saying prayers at noon.”

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Before gaining recognition, Arukwe said he earned very little from acting, sometimes receiving as low as ₦1,000 or even just “thank you for coming” as payment.

Over time, however, his persistence paid off. Since making his debut in Unspoken Truth, he has gone on to feature in several notable productions including Code Wilo and A Tribe Called Judah. He has also received nominations at major award platforms like the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards.

His story is now one of resilience, from job loss and financial struggle to becoming a recognised face in Nigeria’s film industry.