Patience Ozokwor’s success story gives an insight into her life and how she beat the odds to become who she is today
By Eugene Onyeji
Patience Ozokwor (MFR) popularly called Mama G is a Nigerian actress, television personality, musician, fashion designer and brand ambassador. She is arguably a household name when it comes to Nigeria’s Nollywood, a fit she has taken beyond Africa to the world.
The iconic actress is one of the most popular and famous actresses in Nollywood movies, with her acting career spanning over three decades. Patience Ozokwor’s success story gives an insight into her life and how she beat the odds to become who she is today.
The veteran actress began her career in 1998 and rose to fame in 1999 after starring in the movie “Authority.” She has starred in more than 250 films since the start of her career and is renowned for playing ‘wicked’ roles.
Background
Patience Ozokwor was born on March 25, 1958 in Ngwo, Enugu State, Nigeria. She attended Abimbola Gibson Memorial School, Lagos. Later on, she was admitted into Methodist Girls School, Yaba but relocated to Enugu with her family due to the civil war.
Subsequently, she attended Teachers’ Training College, Afikpo. Then, moved on to the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu to study Fine and Applied Arts specializing in graphics.
Career
Patience started her acting career at a tender age. She identified her passion for acting while still in primary school where she took part in different stage plays, including playing the role of Hamlet in Shakespeare’s play.
Her uncle used to give her novels, and she could read them even when she could not understand the words. Her love for reading exposed her to the world of creativity and literature. She also got enrolled at the Takwa Bay Children’s Club, where she could socialize with other children while engaging in different activities.
Doing this gave her more exposure and confidence. After graduating from college, she taught for four years before venturing into the broadcasting industry. She was later hired by the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, as a reporter. At the corporation, she participated in radio drama and other entertainment activities on several occasions.
When FRCN closed down years later, she worked as a trader until she met Chika Okpala, who assigned her a role in a commercial, which she played to her best.
Later, she played a role in Someone Cares, a drama that aired at the National Television Authority.
She also played various intriguing roles in Amina and Odum films. Through this exposure, she was able to land various roles in Nollywood movies. In 1999, she was selected to participate in the movie Authority, an opportunity that ushered her into fame.
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Movies
Since the debut of her acting career in 1998, Patience has starred in over 250 movies. Here is a list of some of the most popular Patience Ozokwor movies of all time: Chief Daddy (2018) The Wedding Party 2 (2017) To Rise Again (2014) Covert Operation (2013) Turning Point (2012) Open & Close (2011) Personal Desire (2009) The Evil Queen (2008) Area Mama (2007) Sweet Mama (2006) Torn Apart (2005) Mama G in America (2004) 2 Rats (2003) Blood Sister (2003) Submission (2002) Authority (1999) Ukwa (1998).
The legendary actress also produced a short documentary titled Evangelist Patience Ozokwor (Part 1-4) in 2017.
Family
Beautiful and gorgeous Patience Ozokwor got married at 19 years. She says her mother forced her to get married at a young age to a man she did not even know. However, the arranged marriage became successful, and together with her husband, they were blessed with three beautiful children.
The husband was a mechanical engineer that worked in Enugu as a civil servant. Sadly, he passed away in 2000 after battling illness for 15 years. Since then, she has never remarried.
Apart from her three biological children, the Nollywood star also has five adopted children, bringing the number to eight. Her last biological child, Nduka Ozokwor is a Nigerian footballer who played for Enugu Rangers and represented the country in the 2007 African Youth Championship where his team were runners up to Congo.
He also captained the side in the 2007 U-20 World Cup in Canada. He most recently played for Ankaragücü in the Turkish Süper Lig.
Patience’s first son is called Uchendu Ozokwor. He is a professional engineer and an alumnus of the State University of Technology in Enugu. He once starred with his mother in a movie titled “Why to Marry” in 2016. Uchendu is married to Gloria Nweze, a union that was celebrated in London in May 2013.
Patience Ozokwor’s daughter, Chioma Nnenna Lameya Ozokwor is her second biological child. Chioma got married in Enugu, Nigeria through a beautiful traditional wedding in 2020. She currently stays in London with her husband.
Very little is known about the adopted children of Patience Ozokwor except that one is a pastor and one died in 2016 due to a blood infection.
The multi-award winning actress has 14 grandchildren. Through her first son Uche, she is the grandmother of 3. Her only daughter also added to the number of the actress’ grandchildren as a mother of 3, and her last child, Nduka, is a father of 2.
As a result, she is the grandmother of her biological children’s eight children. On the other hand, her adopted children have her additional six grandchildren, which amounts to 14 grandchildren.
Patience is rumored to be the mother of twin girls – the Aneke twins. The identical twins are Nollywood actresses Chidinma Aneke and Chidiebere Aneke. Patience is not their mother but shares a close relationship with the twin actresses. They also hail from the same State, Enugu State, in the Eastern part of Nigeria.
Awards and Recognitions
During her career, Patience Ozokwor rose to become one of the most instantly recognizable faces in the movie industry around Nigeria and Africa as a whole. She has also become a known face beyond the shores of Africa. As expected, the emblematic actress has won several awards and recognitions for her work in the Nigerian movie industry.
Some of the awards and nominations she has bagged over the years include: In 2008, she was nominated for Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress
Best Actress in the African Collaboration Category, ‘Untamed’ Ghana Movie Awards, 2012 Best African Collaboration – Best Actress, ‘Slave Boy’, Ghana Movie Awards, 2013.
In 2013, she bagged a nomination for the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress. In 2014, she emerged winner of the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. In 2014, she was awarded the City People Movie Award for Best Actress of the Year (English).
In 2014, she was honored with the Member Federal Republic (MFR) title by the Nigerian Government in recognition of her stunning work in Nollywood.
She was nominated Actress of the Year by the Independent Newspapers Limited Awards, 2018. She was honoured with a chieftaincy title, Ada Eji Eje Mba I of Ngwo by the people of her hometown in Enugu State, Nigeria.
Songs
As a gospel singer, some of her songs include; Make we Jolly, (2016) Adaeze, (2012) Ihe Neme N’uwa, (2012).
Net Worth
Austinemedia.com estimated her net worth to be $700,000, although the figures vary on different forums. She remains one of the richest and most influential actresses in the Nigerian entertainment industry. Most of her wealth was earned through her acting career, and only a small percentage comes from her fashion design and music careers.
She has also received several endorsements that contribute to her net worth. These include being the brand ambassador of Gracia Planta Plantain Flour, Globacom, Iroko TV, and Glo in 2015 among others. Considering how influential she is, most of her movies generate big sales over time.
The Nollywood screen goddess has been off the screens for a while now, and most of her fans have questioned her disappearance from the acting industry. The actress has been concentrating on her calling into the ministry.
Since 2016, she has been working as an evangelist, preaching in church after encountering Christ early the same year.
She stays in Enugu State, in Nigeria. Patience Ozokwor’s success story is quite compelling. She remains one of the most influential actresses in the Nigerian film industry. Her life and career achievements have made her a famous name worldwide. Despite the difficulties she experienced after the death of her husband, Patience rose to become one of the most talented and influential individuals in the Nollywood film industry.