Nollywood icon Nkem Owoh AKA Osuofia says he never planned to be an actor, shares how fame robbed him of freedom

• Nkem Owoh said he never planned to be an actor, as he started out as a scriptwriter before being persuaded by colleagues to appear in front of the camera.

• The veteran actor revealed that celebrity status has limited his freedom, saying fame prevents him from doing many things he once did freely.

• ​Owoh dismissed concerns that social media popularity is replacing acting skills, insisting that real talent cannot be substituted by online fame.

According to the legendary comic and actor, his original ambition was to remain a behind-the-scenes scriptwriter. However, colleagues who noticed his sharp, off-camera wit eventually pressured him into stepping into the spotlight.

Speaking on a recent episode of the Selah Meditate podcast, Owoh recounted: “My coming in front of the camera was an accident. I was a behind-the-scenes scriptwriter, and people started telling me to start performing in front of the camera. I remember ATV created a seven-minute programme for me to do stand-up comedy in the 1980s. They told me to come in front of the camera because I was making people laugh behind the scenes. Under intense pressure, I finally stepped out. I saw that people were genuinely buying into what I was doing, and that was how my acting career truly began.”

Reflecting on the distinct downsides of his legendary career, Owoh admitted that global stardom ultimately robbed him of his personal freedom.

“Fame took away my freedom," he explained. "A lot of people desperately want to be celebrities; they only see the benefits, not the downsides. When you become famous, you can no longer do a lot of the things you used to do freely. You become heavily restricted in a lot of ways.”

The 71-year-old actor also addressed the contentious contemporary trend of directors and producers casting individuals based entirely on social media metrics rather than foundational dramatic skills. The thespian argued that this shift poses no real threat to seasoned professionals, insisting that internet popularity can never act as a substitute for genuine artistic ability.

He stated firmly, “I don’t think social media fame is replacing real talent. It can’t. There is absolutely no way social media popularity can replace raw talent.”

Owoh’s perspective arrives amid a wave of frustration from a cross-section of contemporary Nigerian actors, including Shine Rosman, Bolaji Ogunmola, and Osereme Inegbenebor, who have recently given separate interviews to accuse Nollywood filmmakers of prioritising physical beauty, skin complexion, body type, and digital clout over actual acting competence. Despite these recurring allegations from within the industry, major filmmaking guilds have yet to officially address the casting crisis.

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Nkem Owoh remains one of the most decorated pillars of Nigerian cinema. In 2008, he famously won the prestigious Africa Movie Academy Award (AMAA) for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his unforgettable performance in the classic feature, Stronger than Pain.

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