In a recent interview, Chidi Mokeme, renowned Nollywood actor, opened up about the challenges he faced pursuing his passion for acting in the face of his father's disapproval. Mokeme revealed that prior to entering the world of acting, he initially pursued a career in modeling. However, to fully immerse himself in his acting career, he found it necessary to leave his family home.
During a conversation with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, the actor candidly shared, “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].” Mokeme reminisced about his early days in the industry, recalling how he used to sneak out of his house to participate in movie sets, TV shoots, and modeling assignments.
He explained, “So, I knew in my mind. I started by sneaking out to go do these things. Luckily I started as a model. Back in the days before the home video industry, I did a lot of commercial modeling, runways, TV commercials, and calendars. So it was way easier. You can go in the 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.”
Reflecting on the challenges he faced, Mokeme continued, “But on 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 was in this [entertainment] space.”
The actor shared how he attempted to pursue other academic paths, including pharmacy and computer science, but faced obstacles that led him to reconsider. Eventually, he made the decision to leave home, shaped by the experiences of being told to "go back where you are coming from." He admitted, “I started committing more so that my dad would say I should go back to where I am coming from.”
Chidi Mokeme's journey into the entertainment industry is marked by determination, passion, and the pursuit of his dreams despite familial challenges.