My father wanted me to be a lawyer – Actress Jennifer Eliogu
By Elegbede Abiodun
Jennifer-Eliogu
Nollywood thespian, Jennifer Eliogu, has revealed how she fell out with her dad upon pursuing her acting dreams.
Eliogu, who also dabbles in music, during an interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, spoke on her journey into the movie world, and how it almost cost her, her father’s love. Adding that, her father wanted her to be a lawyer.
The actress during her interview stated that she stumbled upon acting while still running a diploma programme in UNIJOS, back in 1997.
She said, “I didn’t come out to look for movies, I just stumbled into it [movie industry].
“A friend of mine, Princess Babiana… My dad was very strict growing up. We hardly go out, so we had our playground in the house. He doesn’t like visitors. So, we only go out when he is out of town.
“He prefers we are friends with people he knows their parents so he knows that when you go there, you are comfortable. So, my dad and her dad were friends. And she came to visit and she was going for [movie] rehearsals. So, I was like, okay because it’s her and my dad was out of town, I could go. So I followed her.”
Eliogu continued saying it was a herculean task convincing her father of her dream to pursue a career in acting.
She said, “He was difficult. He didn’t even want to hear it. I was already doing diploma in UniJos. My dad always wanted me to be a lawyer. He felt that I was going to be a very good lawyer.
“It caused a whole lot of problems and my mum was at the receiving end. He kept saying, ‘Is this what you really want to do? If anything goes wrong, you will not forgive yourself.’ And I was like, ‘I’m sure, this is what I really want to do.”
“It took a long time, very long time. I stopped being his girl. And you know what, I stopped going to school. He was like I’m not going to pay your school fees.”
Punch
