My father didn’t want me to be an actor – Chidi Mokeme

• Chidi Mokeme narrated how he battled for his father to accept his career as an actor 
• He recounted how his father would always chase him out of the house for coming home late from shoots

Popular Nigerian actor Chidi Mokeme revealed the challenges he faced when pursuing his acting career, particularly the resistance he encountered from his father.

The actor claimed that he began as a model before transitioning to acting.

He stated that despite harboring a deep passion for the performing arts, his father strongly disapproved of his chosen path, hoping for him to pursue a more traditional profession.

According to Chidi Mokeme, he had to leave his family behind in order to concentrate on his acting profession.

During an interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, the actor stated:

“You couldn’t even say you want to be an actor before you will hear that he [my father] didn’t want you to be an actor [laughs].

“So, I knew in my mind. I started by sneaking out to go do these things. Luckily I started off as a model. Back in the days before the home video industry, I did a lot of commercial modeling, runways, TV commercials, calendars. So it was way easier. You can go in daytime, do a quick shoot and come back home. And my father is unlikely to see it because he is not in the world of that.

But many occasions when I came back late from shoots, he asked me to go back to wherever I was coming from. From all the sneaking out and of course, there was passion. I just knew that I was happy when I’m in this [entertainment] space.

And I think what broke the camel’s back, eventually, I tried to read pharmacy but it wasn’t happening then I eventually went into computer science. But when I got to school, there were no computers. There was just one computer in the entire department and that computer sits on the table of the lecturer. So I left because it wasn’t interesting anymore.

“Then, I took a decision to leave home. I didn’t just pack my bags and leave, it was from all the experiences of ‘go back where you are coming from.’ I started committing more so that me dad would say I should go back to where I am coming from.”

He claimed that giving up his exam to take on a supporting role in a movie was the reason for his breakthrough.

Chidi Mokeme’s determination and unwavering belief in his abilities ultimately guided him towards achieving immense success on the silver screen.