Nollywood actress turned singer, Jennifer Eliogu, recently shared the story of her strained relationship with her father after deciding to pursue an acting career against his wishes. Speaking with media personality Chude Jideonwo, Jennifer revealed the challenges she faced when she stumbled into acting during her diploma program in 1997.
Growing up, Jennifer’s father was strict and preferred that she associates with people whose parents he knew. However, when her friend Princess Babiana, whose father was a friend of Jennifer’s dad, invited her to accompany her to movie rehearsals, she seized the opportunity.
Convincing her father that acting was her true calling proved to be an uphill battle. Jennifer recounted how her father, who had dreams of her becoming a lawyer, did not want to hear anything about her pursuing an acting career. As she was already enrolled in a diploma program at UniJos, her father believed she had a promising future as a lawyer.
Their disagreement caused tension within the family, with Jennifer’s mother caught in the middle. Her father expressed concerns about the potential consequences and warned her that she would bear the burden of any failure. However, Jennifer remained determined and resolute in her decision.
The process of winning her father’s acceptance was arduous and prolonged. She felt that she had lost her place as his cherished daughter. In fact, things became so difficult that her father even threatened to stop paying her school fees, leading to a pause in her education.
Despite the challenges, Jennifer pursued her passion for acting and eventually found success in the Nigerian film industry.
Today, Jennifer Eliogu has not only made a name for herself as an actress but has also ventured into music.