Bob-Manuel Udokwu, the ace Nollywood actor, has opened up about the challenges his children faced growing up in the shadow of his fame.
In a recent interview on WithChude, Bob-Manuel revealed that his daughter was bullied at Queens College simply because of who her father was.
The 58-year-old actor explained that during her time in Junior Secondary School 1, senior students would deliberately single her out and punish her for no other reason than being Bob-Manuel Udokwu’s child.
Reflecting on the difficult period, Udokwu shared that he and his wife had made a conscious decision to keep their children in public schools to ensure they had a normal upbringing and were not distracted by his celebrity status.
“I have a good family. My kids are grown now. Being born and seeing your father is popular. And growing with all the inconveniences and all that,” he said.
“I remember when my daughter was in Queens College, some senior students were just punishing her for just being (my daughter).
“Today when we talk about it, she will laugh. But it was not funny. She was in JSS 1.
“And I did not want to be in their face so that I do not distract them. We agreed they were going to go to public school, because I also attended public schools.”
Bob-Manuel’s educational journey began at St. Peters Primary School in Enugu, followed by Oraukwu Grammar School in Anambra.
He later earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Arts from the University of Port-Harcourt in Rivers state.
The actor, who officially launched his Nollywood career in 1992 with the iconic film ‘Living in Bondage,’ is now serving as the special assistant to the Anambra state governor on entertainment, tourism, and culture.
He is married to Cassandra Joseph, and the couple has two children together.
