Owoh also disclosed that a TV station eventually created a stand-up comedy show where he showcased his talent in the 1980s.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Veteran Nollywood star and comedian Nkem Owoh, popularly known as Osuofia, has revealed that he became an actor by “accident”, adding that he began his career in the movie industry behind the camera.
The 71-year-old thespian made this known while appearing as a guest on the latest episode of the Selah Meditate podcast.
According to him, he set out to be a scriptwriter and remained so until his colleagues noticed his comedy skills and pressured him into acting.
He went on to disclose that a TV station eventually created a stand-up comedy show to showcase his talent in the 1980s.
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Speaking during the interview, Owoh said: “My coming in front of the camera was an accident. I was a scriptwriter behind the scenes and people started telling me to start performing in front of the camera.
“I remember ATV created a 7-minute programme for me to do stand-up comedy in the 80s. They told me to come in front of the camera because I was making people laugh behind the camera. With much pressure, I came in front of the camera. And I saw that what I was doing people were buying it, so that was how my acting career began.”
On the downside of his career, the comic actor added that becoming famous ultimately robbed him of his freedom.
“Fame took away my freedom. A lot of people want to be celebrities; they only know the benefits but not the downsides. When you become famous you can’t do a lot of the things you were doing freely before. You become restricted in a lot of ways,” he further explained.
