My father disapproved of me becoming an actor – Chidi Mokeme narrates

• He claimed that his father would order him to go back to wherever he was coming from when he began going on shoots and came home late.

Veteran Nollywood performer Chidi Mokeme has disclosed that his father disapproved of his choice to pursue acting as a profession.

In a recent interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, the 51-year-old thespian revealed this and mentioned that he began his career as a model before deciding to pursue acting.

Mokeme claimed that his father would order him to go back to wherever he was coming from when he began going on shoots and came home late.

The well-known actor claims that he had to flee his house in order to concentrate on his performing profession since the man would not support his decision.

The “Shanty Town” actor said that giving up his school test to take on a supporting part was the reason for his big break.

Mokeme said; “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.”