Veteran Nollywood actor Bob-Manuel Udokwu has shared his thoughts on the financial challenges many actors face despite their popularity.
Speaking during an interview on Udala FM in Enugu, the actor said life is generally easier for women than for men because men often carry more financial responsibilities.
It was reported that he explained that although Nollywood pays actors, many of them have numerous bills and family obligations that consume their earnings.
Bob-Manuel also recalled the period when late actor John Okafor, popularly known as Mr Ibu, became seriously ill before his death.
He said many people questioned what had happened to the money Mr Ibu earned from acting while colleagues were raising funds for his medical treatment.
According to him, many people did not understand the financial realities of the acting profession and the responsibilities some actors carry behind the scenes.
He added that he was unaware at the time that Mr Ibu had more than one wife, a situation he suggested may have added to the actor’s personal responsibilities.
He said, “Life is generally easier for females than it is for males. It’s not that Nollywood doesn’t pay, but actors have a lot of bills to settle. It pained me when John Okafor (Mr Ibu) fell ill before he eventually passed away.
“While we were trying to raise funds for his treatment, some people on social media kept asking, ‘Where is all the money he made from acting?’ People were just judging without knowing the truth. They didn’t understand the realities of the profession. I didn’t even know he had married more than one wife then.”
