Veteran Nollywood actress Rose Odika, has revealed that her father’s strong opposition delayed her journey into acting until after his death.
Odika, who shared her story in a recent chat, said her father had insisted she study linguistics instead of theatre arts.
“My father wanted me to be a linguist or study German,” she recalled. “I went briefly to the University of Ibadan to study Theatre Arts but my father denied me. He said, ‘no, you won’t be an actor – those lazy people who usually drop out of school. Go and study linguistics.’
The former Governor of the Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN), disclosed that she struggled with meeting university admission requirements despite repeated efforts. “I wrote JAMB three times but didn’t meet the cut-off mark. Somehow, I got admitted into Ivan Ikoku College of Education to read Health Education,” she said.
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Her turning point came after the loss of her father. “Unfortunately, I lost my dad the year I changed from the University of Ibadan to Ivan Ikoku. So I was the one that saw myself through school with the help of one Honorable Linda Chuba and some aunties,” she explained.
Looking back, Odika admitted she would have made different choices if she had known what was ahead. “If I had known that I’d lose my father, I would have stayed put in UI, but I went to Ivan Ikoku College of Education just to please my dad,” she said.
Despite the initial setback, Odika eventually pursued her passion for acting and has since built a successful career in the Nigerian film industry.
